ONEDABRAND DESIGN ACADEMY

ONE MAN. LASTING LEGACY.

Happy DeMKOcracy Day, Nigeria.

CONGRATULATIONS, MR. PRESIDENT

We join millions of Nigerians to congratulate His Excellency, President , Federal Republic of Nigeria on his swearing-in and inauguration into office for a second term.

We trust that you will fulfill your promise by taking us to the Next Level.

Congratulations, Mr. President.

We are ONEDABRAND.

PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION DAY

We join millions of Nigerians to congratulate His Excellency, President , Federal Republic of Nigeria on his swearing-in and inauguration into office for a second term.

We trust that you will fulfill your promise by taking us to the Next Level.

Congratulations, Mr. President.

We are ONEDABRAND.

GRAPHIC DESIGN TOOLS AND SOFTWARE: MY STANCE

It's about a decade since I ventured into graphic design and there has always been the debate as to which design software is superior to the other.

These days almost every designer is an ambassador and evangelist of one design tool/software or the other.

From Corel Draw, to Adobe Suite, to Figma, to Sketch, to Autodesk to mention but a few.

This has made quite a number of aspiring, budding and even some veteran designers feel inferior to others.

On this note, I've decided to share my thoughts and stance regarding graphic design tools and software below:

1. UNDERSTAND WHAT EACH SOFTWARE WAS CREATED FOR.

Spoons and forks are meant for eating, but you certainly can't, wouldn't and shouldn't use a fork to drink tea or a spoon to eat noodles except you are a different specie or breed of human.

User experience is veryyyyyyy important.

Adobe Illustrator and Corel Draw are both vector-based software. Photoshop is a pixel, raster-based, photo editing and manipulating software. After Effect is an animating software. Adobe Premier Pro is a video editing software. Figma, Sketch are user interface design software.

2. USE THESE DESIGN SOFTWARE AND TOOLS TO EXECUTE PROJECTS THEY WERE DESIGNED FOR.

The fact that PowerPoint can achieve some animation effects doesn't mean it was solely meant for that, it's best to use Adobe After Effects for animation projects. That Microsoft Excel has capabilities for illustration, doesn't mean that's what it's solely meant for, it's best to use Corel Draw or Adobe Illustrator.

3. THINK EFFICIENCY AND PROFICIENCY.

If designing a logo is possible in Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw, but would take you TWO WEEKS to complete, YET designing the same logo is also possible in Microsoft Excel or Notepad, but will take you TWO DAYS to complete, by all means choose Microsoft Excel or Notepad over Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw.

I hope you get the irony.

In essence, think efficiency and proficiency over comfortability and preference.

Why will you be stuck on one project for a particular period, when you can do three projects for the same period.

Using the right tool will help you to be more efficient and proficient.

Time is money and money is time.

4. THERE'S NOTHING LIKE INDUSTRY STANDARD.

The question you should ask is, who created, set or imposed these standards?

No one.

Climes are different from each other, so whatever works based on climes you find yourself in, by all means learn to use the design software acceptable in that clime or region.

If designers in Google have adopted Corel Draw has their design software, but Apple has adopted Adobe Suite as theirs, you need to be proficient in the use of either software to be able to work in these places.

5. FINALLY, LEARN AS MANY DESIGN SOFTWARE AS POSSIBLE.

You never can tell when you would be needing any of these design software.

You don't need to be a master in the use of all design software, however, basic knowledge is critical.

LOC

Here's one of the mantras of our Lead Facilitator - Legibility Over Creativity.

Graphic Design is visual communication using typography, illustration, imagery etc, to solve problems.

On the other hand, typography, one of the basic fundamentals of design, is meant to solve the problem of legibility, readability, before appeal.

If your design isn't visually communicating; doesn't solve any problem(s) or creates more problems for your end user, then, you've only sacrificed legibility on the altar of creativity.

It's merely art for aesthetics sake, if it's not solving a problem.

You can enrol for our Design Basics and Tools training, where you will be taught how to master and apply typography in creating designs that are legible, readable and most importantly visually appealing.

Registration is ongoing for the May edition which commences on Saturday, 11th May 2019.

It's a four weekend training with classes running from 10am to 3pm each weekend.

Your journey from being a novice to maven; newbie to veteran; rookie to expert; amateur to genuis; starter to prodigy is just a registration away.

We will stop at nothing to give you the best training and education; drill you with projects to measure and assess your level of understanding and application of what you will be taught.

To register, click on the link in our bio.

MAY EDITION

Did you miss the training in April due to personal commitments and engagements? Did owambes, parties and religious events stop you from enrolling? Did you list out a number of skills you'd love to learn and graphic design made the list? Have you ticked that off your plans for the year? If not, there's nothing to worry or beat yourself about.

You can join the May edition which commences on Saturday, 11th May 2019.

It's a four weekend training with classes running from 10am to 3pm each weekend.

Your journey from being a novice to maven; newbie to veteran; rookie to expert; amateur to genuis; starter to prodigy is just a registration away.

We will stop at nothing to give you the best training and education; drill you with projects to measure and assess your level of understanding and application of what you will be taught.

To register, click on the link in our bio.