Teaching Kindergarten and Preschool Math

The way math is presented to children makes a tremendous difference in their success as learners, as well as your success as an educator. Children need to take part in activities that encourage them to experiment, to investigate, and to record their observations.

Preschool and kindergarten students always need to have things to move around or manipulate in order to make sense of math concepts. In the education world these are called "manipulatives" and there are a great assortment of these available, such as blocks, counters and pattern blocks. Give children ample time to play with the manipulatives in order to satisfy their curiosity about the materials before attempting to use them to teach a math concept. Introduce new math vocabulary as the children play, as this will help them when they participate in teacher led experiences.

Keep structured lessons short to begin with and do not assume the children understand your expectations. Spend a week teaching proper use of materials and proper cleanup. Teach the children to use mats to identify and define their work area.

The following steps work well when teaching young children. First, demonstrate the math activity two or three times before you give the children materials. You will quickly lose the children's attention if you pass the materials out first. Second, give materials to the children and ask them to try the activity. Check to see all have understood the concept and are experiencing success. Assist children that are having difficulty.

After a few days of the same or similar lessons, record your math experience as the children observe. Keep it simple. For example, after a lesson making repeating patterns print the words, I made a pattern. Say, "I used a red block, a blue block, a red block, a blue block." Draw the pattern and color the blocks. Pass out paper and have the children draw what they did and record words using their knowledge of letters and letter sounds. Recording the activity gives children an opportunity to share and solidify their knowledge.

Teaching Kindergarten and Preschool Math

Basic Photography Lessons

Teaching Kindergarten and Preschool Math

Teaching Kindergarten and Preschool Math
Teaching Kindergarten and Preschool Math

Basic Photography Lessons

Special Needs Homeschool Curriculum: Creating a Lesson Plan for the Learning Disabled

Are you struggling with your current homeschool curriculum? Does it seem like your special needs child is moving backward rather than forward, or perhaps not progressing at all? Perhaps you're new to the homeschool scene and simply need help creating a suitable lesson plan for your special needs child. It may be time for you to reassess your child's needs. Whatever the case may be, there are a number of avenues that homeschool parents can explore to find and create the most suitable curriculum for their unique situation.

When you teach your child at home, there opportunities are limitless. You have the freedom to teach based on your child's needs and interests. (Do always remember to check your state's guidelines for reporting and record keeping.) And particularly with a special needs homeschool curriculum, you're free to use your imagination in order to help your child grasp learning concepts in a fun and engaging way.

Before you begin your homeschooling journey, determine your goals. What do you want or need to teach? What method would your child be most receptive to? Most kids with learning disabilities respond better to an interactive learning environment, one where they can use their hands or be free to move around to express their ideas. Multi-sensory instruction is a useful tool for working with any child, but those with special learning needs often respond well to this type of instruction.

With so many options, how do you begin? First, look for ways to make the lesson plan visually appealing. Use picture books, drawings, colorful flash cards, etc. You can incorporate hands-on experiments and field trips that allow kids to 'see' what they're learning. For example, you can help your child to better understand the concept of first, middle, last or simple directions by teaching these concepts using a recipe for a favorite treat, and following the steps in the recipe.

You'll also want to implement auditory methods into the lesson so your child can 'hear' the steps while seeing them. Use a book on tape or a how-to video of the recipe. You can read aloud or even create a fun jingle so that your child can sing along with each step. See the following example, which uses repetition:

First, we gather up what we need, what we need.
Next we're gonna mix it up, mix it up.
Roll the balls of cookie dough, cookie dough.
Put them on a pan and bake 'em up, bake 'em up.
Clean up the dishes while they bake, while they bake.
When they're done, we can eat, eat, eat...eat, eat, eat."

Finally, add other sensory tools such as movement and touch. This can be done with dance, artwork, manipulatives, etc. Continuing with the recipe example: Have your child seek out the materials/ingredients with a fun scavenger hunt, while singing the jingle. Let him then mix the ingredients and feel the dough. Don't forget to have your child help with the cleanup process, as this will help reinforce social skills.

As the 'ending' nears, you can go over your child's knowledge of comprehension as the cookies bake. For instance, you can include memory games relating to the lesson using pictures and match them to words-a picture of a mixing bowl with the word mix, a picture of an oven with word bake, and so on. Have your child then put these in order from first to last. Then, give the reward of the finished product: a tasty treat.

Creating a lesson plan for children with learning disabilities need not be a challenge. By implementing a fun and engaging special needs homeschool curriculum methods, the lessons being taught become much more meaningful and will result in better memory retention.

Special Needs Homeschool Curriculum: Creating a Lesson Plan for the Learning Disabled

Basic Photography Lessons

Special Needs Homeschool Curriculum: Creating a Lesson Plan for the Learning Disabled

Special Needs Homeschool Curriculum: Creating a Lesson Plan for the Learning Disabled
Special Needs Homeschool Curriculum: Creating a Lesson Plan for the Learning Disabled

Basic Photography Lessons

Photography Lessons

The traditional way to get photography lessons is to attend a photography school or program outside of the home. Nowadays there are Online and distance education options available as well. However, for the amateur photographer who just wants some help improving their skills, and doesn't desire to enroll in a school, there are some great free options available.

Nowadays, the focus is definitely on digital photography. However, there are still classes being taught in more traditional photography. Despite the fact that film is obsolete, the rules of exposure and composition are exactly the same in digital photography. So, many photography professionals still recommend that students get a basic knowledge of film photography, in addition to their digital training.

Today's cameras have such advanced automatic functions, that the majority of amateur photographers don't feel the need to take any photography lessons, and learn more advanced techniques. However, having a mastery of light, exposure, depth of field, and composition can take your photography from the realm of the "snap-shot" to the polished look of a professionally taken photograph.

There are people who choose to pay a professional instructor for one on one lessons in photography. This can be a real boon since all of the attention that would be spread thin over an entire classroom, is then focused in on you the individual. Also, some people are shy about having their photos shown in front of a classroom, and would rather be evaluated more privately. Also, this is a great option for those who don't care to earn a degree, but simply want to learn the needed skills.

It is possible to get some great photography instruction at absolutely no cost. There are many websites offering free lessons in photography, which are often of very high quality. In fact, for the very independent person who doesn't care about earning and degree or certification in photography, free lessons can be a wonderful option. Free instruction can also be helpful to the photographer that is already accomplished, as nobody can know everything, and being able to quickly look up the answer to a photography related question is very convenient.

The true drawback to free lessons is the lack of support from an instructor. Getting your photos critiqued by a real person can be invaluable. Often friends and family will just tell you that your work is nice no matter what they really think, or they don't have a sufficiently trained eye to offer real help in improving your photos. Still, free photography lessons can dramatically improve your photos if you really make the effort to learn from them.

Photography Lessons

Basic Photography Lessons

Photography Lessons

Photography Lessons
Photography Lessons

Basic Photography Lessons

Portrait Painting Tips & Techniques

Portrait Painting Tips & Techniques

Being able to capture the likeness of a human being on canvas, using paint, is certainly a sought after accomplishment for many new painters. It can also be somewhat challenging. This article will cover some of the more basic portrait painting tips & techniques and help lessen some of the confusion many beginners face. With practice, you will soon be painting portraits like the masters.

If at all possible, I highly recommend you paint your portraits using a live model as opposed to a photograph. There is simply no substitution for painting from life.

Painting a successful portrait is all about how you observe the subject. You want to study the subject as a whole. Study the bone structure and try to see shapes and planes. Do not try and paint every little detail exactly as you see it.

For beginners, it is probably best to start out with a lighting effect where light and shadow are in high contrast. This will make for a much easier painting.

Focus on one section at a time. Finish each section before moving on to the next.

Keep the darks of your portrait at a thin consistency while your lights should be painted on thickly.

Many beginners struggle with mixing flesh tones. I know I did when I first started painting. Remember that skin comes in a variety of colors & textures, so there is no specific formula for mixing flesh tones in portrait painting. You will have to experiment and practice, until you find the right color mixtures for any particular subject. Never purchase any pre-mixed flesh colors. When mixing your colors be careful not to over mix, which can deaden a color.

Try and repeat the colors and values in your painting to create balance.

When painting hair, don't try and paint every individual strand of hair. Look at the hair as one object and then paint the lights and darks. Paint the hair in the direction of the shape of the head.

The muzzle area of the face (the space between the nose and mouth) is generally the same color as the flesh but cooler.

When painting backgrounds, don't make them too detailed or busy. If you do, you will draw focus away from your portrait.

Add bits of color where the shadow meets the light in your portraits.

Fleshier parts of the face are generally warm and bonier parts of the face, like the chin for instance, are generally cool in color.

The white in the eye is not white. To get an accurate color for the white in the eye you can take the subjects basic flesh color and then lighten it with a gray made from black and white.

I hope these portrait painting tips & techniques have helped. Portrait painting can be difficult, possibly even frustrating in the beginning. Never give up and keep practicing. You will get the hang of it.

Portrait Painting Tips & Techniques

Basic Photography Lessons

Portrait Painting Tips & Techniques

Portrait Painting Tips & Techniques
Portrait Painting Tips & Techniques

Basic Photography Lessons

15 Photography Marketing Ideas For Photographers on a Tight Budget

If you're anything like I used to be, photography marketing ideas come few and far between. It's a struggle to compete in an industry with such stout competition and creative talent. Don't fret though, if you stick to your guns, follow through, and be consistent, you too can build your own photography empire.

1. Got Business Cards? - I sure hope so because you'll need to drop your business card off in as many places as you can think of. Some ideas are coffee shops, restaurants, local businesses, community message boards, and the like. As far as a marketing tool is concerned, a business card is one of the cheapest ways to blast your name out to prospects.

2. Make a list - If you haven't already done so, please open a database program of your choice (MS Excel for example) and start entering every single person you know. Copy your phone book, your myspace friends list, your blackberry, or whatever medium you currently use, into this database. Now call every single person and tell them that you're doing great and photography business is picking up. Ask if they know anyone looking to have photos taken.

3. Display your work - Many photographers are either too intimidated by showcasing their work, or they just don't know how simple it can be. Local businesses are constantly on the look out for traffic driving techniques. Ask a local coffee house if they'll sponsor an art exhibition and team up with a local painter or sculptor. This is a win-win, you get exposure and the possibility of selling some prints, and the business gets thirsty customers!

4. Decorate offices - Along the same lines as above, you could offer to furnish small local businesses with art for their walls. Feel free to price your prints and offer a commission to the business if one of your prints sells.

5. Piggyback marketing/Joint Ventures - Target specific companies and feed off of their client lists. If you're trying to break into the wedding photography business, team up with a wedding decorator and split the cost of the mailer. This benefits you by exposing your photography to their clients, who are obviously in need of your services.

6. Offer coupons - Who isn't a sucker for a sale? I've personally seen huge increases in business when I use the back of my cards as a coupon. This technique helps to keep your card hot and ready in a prospects hands rather than ending up in a trash can, and it also instills a little more value to the card.

7. Collect testimonials - After you've done a few photo gigs, solicit for testimonials by using a follow up survey. Disclose that some statements may be used as testimonials for marketing purposes. Then, follow through and USE THEM!

8. ASK for referrals - Every single client you shoot will probably know of at least one person that has mentioned at one time that they'd like some photos taken. Harness those leads by asking every client to write down three of their closest friends names and phone numbers. Then, call them and let them know that you and "Mary" had a great photoshoot and she recommended they give you a try.

9. Write for clients - Start a newsletter for clients. This is a powerful tool that few photographers actually use. A newsletter can be used to update clients and prospects on local issues and things that you'll be involved in, like....

10. Help Charities - Organize, or help promote events for local charities. Even offer to shoot the event for free and use it in your portfolio. The exposure that you'll receive with these events can be nothing but positive. Don't spend much time "marketing" concentrate on what you're there to do and build relationships. About the only thing that you need to accomplish for your own business is to capture the contact information of as many people as you can. Feel free to pass out business cards, so long as you're discreet about it.

11. Get Involved - Get involved with local networking groups and/or student organizations. Offer discounted services to shoot their events and use the referral trick from number 8 to help harvest leads from this healthy prospect source.

12. Hold photo classes - Know more about photography that most newbies? Then you know enough about photography to teach a small class. A popular class that I like to teach is Real Estate Photography Basics. I teach it as an hour long class and offer it for free to real estate agencies around town. Realtors love it, and I gain an element of expertise in the industry. You're probably wondering how that generates business for me though. More times that not, an agent will call me after being frustrated in not getting the results they want, at that point I'm a shoe in. It's important to note that you shouldn't be selling your services in a direct manner in these classes, instead offer subtle tips and just pass out a credential page with your information on it.

13. Give a seminar - This is the same basic principle as holding a photo class, the difference is that you can offer it to a wider variety of people and talk on about any subject you'd like. Also, selling is more accepted in a seminar format than an education format, especially if it's free. Your target market should be someone that is interested in your service i.e. for aspiring models you could hold a posing seminar and offer headshots on location!

14. Use the web - The all mighty Internet. This could turn into an entire article in its self, but the basics are this: Post on free classified ad sites, social networking sites, and blogs that target your specific demographic. Use mediums like myspace, facebook, youtube, flickr, pbase, etc. to build an on line presence. Start a website with your portfolio and promote that with your offline marketing efforts as well.

15. Offer incentives - When all else fails, use incentives. What types of incentives? Coupons and Referral bonuses (when a clients referral comes in give the referrer a free 8X10 print or something).

That's just the tip of the ice berg when it comes to great photography marketing ideas. Armed with this knowledge alone could drastically improve your photography business. But why stop there?

15 Photography Marketing Ideas For Photographers on a Tight Budget

Basic Photography Lessons

15 Photography Marketing Ideas For Photographers on a Tight Budget

15 Photography Marketing Ideas For Photographers on a Tight Budget
15 Photography Marketing Ideas For Photographers on a Tight Budget

Basic Photography Lessons

Real Estate Photography Tips For Realtors - Don't Do it Yourself, You'll Lose Your Commission Check

I've done it myself; taken what I thought were great listing pictures and used them for my online MLS listing. My clients thought they were fine and I thought they were just fine, until I started working as a buyer's agent in Seattle a few years back.

I worked with over 40 different buyers a week and everyday I'd hear, "Did you see those listing pictures? There's no way we want to see that house, it's a dump! Does the listing agent know how bad they are?" Obviously, the listing agent didn't spend anything on real estate photography.

My buyers would also see some great listing photos and want to get in to see the home that afternoon. We'd step inside and they'd wonder if it was the same home they saw online. They felt cheated because the pictures were nothing like the real home. (but at least the listing agent got buyers walking through the house).

It all came down to the listing pictures they saw online. That's essential marketing for listings! Give buyers a great picture and they'll jump inside the house that day. Give them a "do-it-yourself" picture and they'll move onto the next home. The listing pictures make the difference, especially when you spend a few bucks on professional real estate photography!

Even when the listing pictures were better than the actual house, guess what? It still got the buyers inside! That's your goal as a listing agent; get as many showings as possible. Professional real estate photography makes that happen.

With upwards of 80%+ of buyers looking online now, the listing photos are the first thing they're looking at and basing their initial impressions on.

How much money in lost commissions do you think you're missing because you won't spend a couple hundred bucks for professional real estate photography?

If you did spend the well invested marketing dollars on some professional real estate photography.......

You could have more satisfied clients because the home sold faster. You could have made more cash because you didn't have to drop the sales price when the listing became stale on the market. You could look like a top producer in the area because of the quicker sales, better looking listings and more satisfied clients. Your overall image is enhanced, big time!
Isn't it funny how such a small aspect of your business can affect the whole thing? Anytime you realize how one issue affects your net profits, that'll make you perk up, right?

Now don't give me the excuse that it's too expensive because it's not. Look at it as a marketing and advertising expense because that's exactly what it is. And real estate photography is one of the best things you can spend your marketing dollars on.

You have a couple options........

You could grab a professional in real estate photography in your local area and offer them -0 to come to your listing and take some fabulous photos. Make sure they're top notch, have all the right equipment and understand the goal of these photos. You don't want to pay for real estate photography that's no better than your own.

Your other option is to go with a company like Vicaso.com who does real estate photography exclusively. Their business is listing photos for real estate agents!

You can schedule your photo shoot on their website, pay about 0 or so and get the most captivating listing photos you'll ever see. Even if you have a crack house listed for sale, their real estate photography will make it look like a palace.

I'm telling you; don't skimp on your real estate photography. Look at the cost as an investment. If you spent 0 on professional real estate photography and got back another ,000 in commissions that year from faster sales, more clients, and higher listing prices, wouldn't that be worth it? You betcha!

Real Estate Photography Tips For Realtors - Don't Do it Yourself, You'll Lose Your Commission Check

Basic Photography Lessons

Real Estate Photography Tips For Realtors - Don't Do it Yourself, You'll Lose Your Commission Check

Real Estate Photography Tips For Realtors - Don't Do it Yourself, You'll Lose Your Commission Check
Real Estate Photography Tips For Realtors - Don't Do it Yourself, You'll Lose Your Commission Check

Basic Photography Lessons

5 Basic Digital Camera Terms You Need To Know

Being familiar with the terminology used in any subject of interest in is always useful, and digital cameras are no exception. Although most digital cameras available on the market allow you to simply point your camera and quickly snap a picture with the touch of a button, there is often a lot more going on behind the scenes than you may have realized.

Put simply, understanding the most important terms about digital cameras will allow you to make a better-informed purchase of a new digital camera, let you have more control over your digital camera's features, and help you to take the best quality photos possible.

1. Megapixel

When we use the term megapixel, we are referring to the maximum resolution at which a digital camera can take photos in millions of pixels. This means that a camera with a range of 4 megapixels can take photos which each contain a maximum of 4 million pixels.

But what does this mean to the consumer? One word: quality. A higher megapixel count means better quality photos, and considering the price of digital camera getting lower all the time; you should try to stick with a digital camera that has a 3 megapixel range or above, especially if you intend of making prints of your photos.

2. Focal Length

Focal length is a term overlooked far too often in amateur photography, and refers to how much the lens of a camera can magnify a shot. Focal lengths are generally split into two categories, these being wide-angle and telephoto, which are better for spacious and narrow fields of view respectively.

Due to the ease of manufacturing telephoto lenses, digital camera manufacturers seem to provide wide-angle lenses in a lot less cameras, even though these lenses are better suited towards the type of photos that most people commonly take, including groups of friends and wide landscapes. To sum up, a wide-angle focal length is the better choice in most cases, with the 20mm and 35mm varieties catering to most people's needs.

3. Digital Zoom

Unlike the focal length, digital zoom is a term that seems to be given a lot more attention than it deserves. Unlike optical zoom, which uses the physical lenses inside the camera to enlarge a scene, digital zoom electronically enlarges the pixels in the center area of a photo, meaning that any time you use the digital zoom function on your camera you are actually sacrificing the quality of your photos. It is a good idea to disable the digital zoom function all together to stop this from happening.

4. ISO

The term ISO stands for the International Standards Organization, but what does this have to do with your digital camera? The organization sets standards for photography, and the ISO range of a camera refers to how sensitive the camera is to light.

For instance, a low ISO number (100 or under) is not very sensitive to light, and is best for shots in good lighting conditions. A higher ISO range means that the camera will be suitable for photography in darker conditions, so it is best to look for a camera that has an adjustable range; ISO 100 to 400 should be adequate for most people's needs.

5. Shutter Lag

Shutter lag refers to the time between pressing the button to take a photograph and the time when the picture actually gets taken. This may not seem a very important factor when buying a camera, but think of it this way: if you have to wait a second or longer for a photo to be taken, like with many older and inexpensive digital cameras, then chances are that you won't end up with the photo you desired. Many camera manufacturers do not list the shutter lag time for their cameras, so the best way to find this out is by testing a camera before you buy.

Conclusion

Hopefully this article has helped you to better understand some of the most important terms used when referring to digital cameras, and in turn will help you to choose the digital camera that best suits your needs. I think that testing a digital camera before you make a purchase can help greatly when it comes to making a final decision, and it makes sense to do so; you may be using the camera you choose to capture your memories for years to come!

5 Basic Digital Camera Terms You Need To Know

Basic Photography Lessons

5 Basic Digital Camera Terms You Need To Know

5 Basic Digital Camera Terms You Need To Know
5 Basic Digital Camera Terms You Need To Know

Basic Photography Lessons

Learn Photography - A Beginners Guide To Taking Photos

During our lifetime we enjoy to capture photographs of our most memorable events. Whether it's if our children do anything special, or we're having fun at a birthday celebration or an all night fiesta, it is always the right time to take out your camera and seize such memories before they disappear for good. So if you would like to learn more about digital photography and different taking pictures techniques, there are a couple of essential things you will have to find out first.

Photographing people and places could be a hobby, and it is a great way to capture the things that you wish to recall or share with others on Facebook for example. Local adult training facilities offer newbies classes that may help you discover digital photography, but when you want to take your image taking abilities one step further, you could even develop your skills into becoming a professional digital photographer.

If you wish to start a profession in digital photography, then an advance training course either one-to-one or web based will be the best place to begin. An online study course will require focus and self-discipline and that means you will have to keep pace with your projects to get a decent grade. In some classes on the web, students and instructor can even make contact by telephone or perhaps via a chat site to discuss the quality of the pictures you shoot.

The actual amount of work involved for local courses that either meet daily or weekly will be roughly the same as that of an internet program, depending upon the amount of experience students have. But in the case of a photographer who will have to be taking daily pictures for a media organization, like a magazine or newspaper, then such a photography course would have to be a lot more intensive.

In the event you only want to take photos like a hobby, then there are many websites on the web that provide free tips for those who only want to master the digital photography basics. You won't need to possess the greatest or finest digital camera about in order to capture great photographs, and these internet digital photography classes offer a number of really easy to follow tips and hints to begin taking great pictures instantly.

You will uncover some truly beneficial things to assist you in learning photography, for example the way to introduce more depth to an picture outside by placing something really colorful such as an animal, a person, or even a bouquet of flowers within the foreground. An additional exterior photo guideline is to point your camera into the spray of water to be able to capture a rainbow by a fountain or water feature, and always be sure the sunlight is right behind the water spray. Additionally any time taking outside portraits of people, attempt positioning the person in front of the sun and shooting into the sunlight to avoid squinting and is a better way to illuminate all of their facial features.

Try snapping a number of shots of things that would be difficult to repeat, although even correcting errors may be easily accomplished these days through using Adobe Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. Whether or not photography is to be your pastime or profession, the greatest resources for anybody who hopes to find out more on photography are without a doubt to be found on the web, and there are many different websites offering totally free digital photography lessons and advice for the newbies.

Learn Photography - A Beginners Guide To Taking Photos

Basic Photography Lessons

Learn Photography - A Beginners Guide To Taking Photos

Learn Photography - A Beginners Guide To Taking Photos
Learn Photography - A Beginners Guide To Taking Photos

Basic Photography Lessons

Graphic Design For Beginners - 5 Basic Principles

This article references my experience in magazines, but the principles apply equally to other media in both web design and print. No matter what software you work on, or what industry you're in, these guidelines are universal. Understanding them and practicing them will pave you a rock-solid foundation for a successful career. The rest is up to you!

There's no question some people have a gift for graphic design, but even the most talented novices need some mentoring in order to learn fundamental design basics when they're starting out. Without such guidance, many gifted designers will fall short of their potential. I've seen experienced Art Directors do high-impact magazine covers and creative feature openers filled with eye-popping typography and complex Photoshop collages. But the pages that follow are littered with unforgivable design flaws. Here are five basic principles - not necessarily in order of importance - which well help you become a better designer from day one.

1. Comprehension precedes typography

We've all seen designers do amazing things with type. Pulling words apart and manipulating individual letters to reflect the context and meaning is one of fun things about designing. Before you get that far, however, one simple prerequisite: read the copy and understand it! For people whose job it is to work with type, many designers have an aversion to reading. Before you can go and play with the text, you must understand exactly what you're being asked to present visually. Know which words - if any - need to be emphasised; understand the hierarchy and stick to it.

2. Good typography

Once you're ready to bend the type to your will, remember it's not always necessary to waste hours looking for the perfect font. Try instead using a plain font and do something creative with it. This is a good place for an inexperienced designer to test their typography skills. If you can produce creative typographic designs with classic fonts such as Helvetica, Times, Garamond, etc, then you'll be well prepared to explore and design responsibly with the more exotic fonts available. Bonus tip: if you're combining fonts, the key is there must be contrast between them, otherwise you may as well just use the one (or the variations thereof). This can be done using size, weight and colour, but also consider the style of fonts themselves. Rarely will it be a good idea to pair up two decorative fonts. Alternatively, the combination of exotic and plain fonts can yield fantastic results.

3. Understanding hierarchy

The laws of hierarchy apply equally to text, graphics and images. Without them, your artwork trips on the first hurdle. List in your head (or jot down on paper) your design elements in order of importance, then design and assemble them so that the viewer immediately recognises which part he/she should be looking at first. Start with the most-important, then second-most, and so on. Rarely will you need more than a three or four-tiered hierarchy. Again, use size, weight and colour to affect the outcome, but it is important that this hierarchy is at the beating heart of your design, not a last-minute adjustment. Once you've finished, have a good look at your work. If the hierarchy isn't obvious to you, chances are it won't be obvious to anyone else.

4. Combining colours

You'll either have a feel for colour or you won't. Mostly true, however, a beginner can't be expected to have the same balanced sense of colour as an industry veteran. So where to begin? Obviously, you'll need to consider what kind of design you're doing, and who it's aimed at. But whether you're working with vibrant primaries or a stylish earthy palette, there are ways to ensure you're combining colours that don't jar or vibrate against each other. Take a nice earthy purple: 50C/45M/15Y. Instead of grasping blindly for a complementary colour, try sliding the CMYK channels against one another, keeping at least one the same. If we slide only the Magenta down so we get 50C/10M/15Y, you'll find a nice turquoise that works perfectly with the purple. Or perhaps you want a warm combination. Go back to the original purple and assign the same numeric values to alternate colour channels: 15C/50M/45Y. Now you've got an earthy pink - same values; different channels. Again, it works well with the purple (in fact, they all work together). Naturally, there's nothing saying you need to stick rigidly to this rule, but it's a good starting point for a novice designer struggling with the tricky concept of colour. And don't forget to make sure your monitor and printer are calibrated to display accurately.

5. Is your design the best possible solution?

Graphic design is of course subjective, and there are a hundred different roads leading to the solution. You need to find the best. Once you've finished your work, ask yourself this: is this the best possible outcome? The measure of what kind of designer you'll become will rest greatly on the extent to which you push yourself with this very question. Don't settle on something if you're not 100% convinced it's the best-possible design outcome. If there's even a sliver of a doubt in your mind, change it or try something new. Your client wants to see the best you can do. That's exactly what you should be delivering every time.

The above-listed principles should be lesson 1.01 for any upcoming graphic designer. A successful, experienced professional works to them without ever pausing to think about it. Creativity without order is contemporary art, not graphic design. Never forget your client. They're paying you to be creative, but working with these guidelines in mind will help build structure to your art so that it's true to its purpose and sells exactly what it's designed to sell...be it glamorous or not-so-glamorous. After all, that's precisely what we're employed to do.

Graphic Design For Beginners - 5 Basic Principles

Basic Photography Lessons

Graphic Design For Beginners - 5 Basic Principles

Graphic Design For Beginners - 5 Basic Principles
Graphic Design For Beginners - 5 Basic Principles

Basic Photography Lessons