San Antonio Graphic Design - River City Digital Graphics

Hand Illustrated Logo

MisterInk — Wed, 02 May 2012 14:49:36 +0000

One of the perks about owning a graphic design and printing company is meeting all kinds of interesting people. Young,old,conservative,outrageous,male,female,students and seasoned veterans who have been in business for decades. They all have a vision of what their logo should look like and what colors and fonts they want us to use. Some clients don’t have a clue and ask us to surprise them. Well, I have been doing this for over 25 years now,and I have learned to ask a lot of questions when it comes to logo design. Sometimes I feel like a detective interrogating them with questions like ” How did you come up with your company name? Who is your target audience? What is your product or service? How many colors can I use in the design?” The list goes on and on. You have to wear a lot of hats in this business. Designer,printer,paper merchant and sometimes even therapist. Naturally you wan’t your customer to be happy,but it’s up to you to educate them on the best use of colors and what those colors say about your business. Which fonts to use to convey trust and credibility. I love the challenge of creating a logo for entrepreneurs who are just starting out in business and come to my studio and entrust me with the task of turning their vision into a reality that’s going to be the foundation of their business. Case in point, Sierra Rose Candle Company www.sierrarosecandles.com The owner Jessica came to us with a specific idea for her logo. When I asked her what her vision was,she replied “BLING “. Now i’m Italian and originally from Brooklyn,New York,and I know what Bling is. I use to think that Italians invented the word because they wear so much of it. I was given my first pinky ring at age 12. But let’s face it,how could I bring Bling in to the design for a candle company? After asking a ton of questions,and Jessica showing me her iphone case which had so much sparkle and crystals that I almost had to put my sun glasses on,I got it! We started by hand illustrating the heart and wings and placed a flame in the center of the heart. The crown and roses gave it the look and feel of a vintage tattoo. We designed the logo using 2 colors to give it a dramatic look and also helped in keeping the printing costs down. The final product as you can see turned out great,and Jessica was ecstatic. I love my job here at River City Digital Graphics www.rcdigitalgraphics.com

What the heck is a Giclee print?

MisterInk — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:04:01 +0000

I have been an artist for over 35 years now. I love art and the creative process that goes in to every piece I create. First I have to have a concept or subject. Then I do as much research on that subject as I can. I go to the library,search the internet for reference photos and watch videos pertaining to my subject. In my case,I create a lot of nautical and wildlife art such as fish and birds like parrots and toucans. Then the sketching begins. My particular medium is pen and ink,so it’s a very tedious process with no room for error. I work on a Strathmore cotton board,which is typically 30 x 40. It can take me anywhere from 5 months to one year to complete. Once i’m finished,and have signed it,I then take the original to get a high resolution drum scan and CD burn. This now allows me to make digital prints that are 8 x 10 or 11 x 14 that I can sell on my website www.lewisink.com I had been doing this for years,and this is how artists generate revenue once the original is sold. Then, several years ago, a fellow artist friend asked me why I have not been ordering Giclee prints. I asked ” What the heck is a Giclee print? ” He explained to me that it was a french word which means to spray or squirt,which is how an ink jet printer works. He told me that the quality is superb,and that it’s the closest thing to the original that you can get. He described the different types of paper that were available to print on including canvas which makes your art look like a painting. I decided to give it a shot,and ordered an 18 x 24 Giclee on 100% cotton. When I picked up my print I was knocked out. It was everything my friend described and more. I was also able to sell those prints for a lot more money because of the quality. I offered limited edition prints that were signed and numbered. I was so impressed with this process that I bought my own printer, and have been offering this service at my company www.rcdigitalgraphics.com for the past two years. Till this day, with each print we do for a customer, the quality never ceases to impress. It has increased my sales not only as an artist,but as a business owner as well.

Photo Canvas Prints

MisterInk — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:20:21 +0000

Photos are an important part of our lives. They remind us of special moments,loved ones and celebrations. I often hear that a photo is worth a thousand words,but what happens when that photo begins to fade or crack due to age or temperature conditions? River City Digital Graphics specializes in restoring those old photos and bringing back those cherished memories. Using state of the art technology,we are able to rejuvenate the colors,eliminate stains and crack’s,and make your photo look brand new. Once your photo has been restored,there are several print options available. One option is to produce a Giclee print on 100% cotton media.This process is ideal for matting and framing your print. Another option we offer is a Photo Canvas print where we literally print on to a canvas material which gives your image the look and feel of a painting. Once printed,we apply two coats of clear semi gloss sealant to protect it from scratching or fading. We then stretch the canvas and do a gallery wrap,which means the image wraps around the stretcher bars and staples are not visible. Your Photo Canvas is then ready to hang,or if you prefer you can always add a frame to it. Photo Canvas prints become family heirlooms to be enjoyed for decades.

Direct Mail Postcards

MisterInk — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 16:06:39 +0000

Postcards are a simple,inexpensive and flexible direct mail marketing tool. They can be used to close sales,generate leads,cultivate return business,or introduce new products. One of the most cost effective ways to get your message to current and potential customers is to use postcards. Postcards are less expensive to mail than letters and offer instant visibility when customers receive them. River City Digital Graphics uses direct mail postcards to not only showcase our design and hand illustration skills,but to attract potential customers who are in need of low cost advertising and marketing tool’s. The postcard also gives us a chance to demonstrate our digital printing capabilities. We design a new postcard campaign every 3 month’s,and we discovered that many potential customers who received the postcard,held on to them for several month’s because they liked the design. This also gave us the opportunity to track our advertising by design. I would receive phone call’s from people who said they received one of our postcards and had a few questions about our services. I asked what design was on the postcard,and it was amazing to me that some of the postcards dated back a year ago. we learned quickly that the design of the postcard played a huge role in the response rate. The message should be short and to the point. Direct mail does work. It’s responsible for 30% of my revenue.

Beverage Bolo Logo

MisterInk — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 21:53:14 +0000

The owner of Beverage Bolo www.beveragebolo.com approached us to design a logo for their new product. The first question I asked was “What is the Beverage Bolo?” . Quite simply it is the most unique hands-free beverage container on the market. Designed to enhance the end user’s experience at festivals,sporting events,tailgating parties,and all other outdoor recreational events. It’s also great for promotions and fundraising for your organization. The Beverage Bolo offers custom imprinting of your logo directly on to the Bolo itself. Our challenge was two fold in regards to designing their logo. Not only were we hired to design the logo,but we also had to create original artwork for the Bolo’s as well. We started the design process by hand illustrating the Bolo itself so that people would quickly identify the look and use of the product. We then wanted to convey fun as well as practicality. The Sun wearing sun glasses drinking from the Beverage Bolo was a perfect union.Let’s face it,it get’s pretty hot up there. The client was very pleased with our use of color’s,combined with the hand illustrations. Beverage Bolo approached the Fiesta Commission with an idea to design a Bolo with a Fiesta theme,and to offer them in the upcoming 2012 Fiesta celebrations. The commission approved it,and we started hand illustrating elements that represented not only Fiesta,but capturing the spirit and charm of San Antonio.

How to use Brochures

MisterInk — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 16:09:16 +0000

The use of brochures will open up doors for more opportunities. They are a welcome addition to the marketing toolbox of the company. Brochures can be used as powerful sales and marketing tool’s. Many companies use brochures to drive the sales of their products and services. Brochures are printed on a glossy paper which helps pop your graphics and photo’s. With the profuse use of graphics and striking text,they accentuate the benefits of various products and services. Apart from design,brochures should also have quality content. They should include information like what the products or services are all about,their striking features,benefits etc. The primary goal of brochures should be creating an irresistible need for the products and services in the minds of the readers. They should also portray the companies selling those products and services in a positive light and enhance the corporate image of the companies. The awards received by the companies,their social activities,testimonials from the existing customers. Key customer lists are some of the useful inputs to shape the reputation of companies. Since brochures have adequate space to accommodate various elements,photographs,graphs and other visual features should find a place in them. A picture will communicate what a thousand words cannot. Creating a brochure is part of your business identity. A well designed brochure that’s professionally printed can be worth a great deal more than it’s cost. River City Digital Graphics can help guide you and your company through this process. Our design team can suggest the right font’s,color’s and paper to help convey your companies message. www.rcdigitalgraphics.com

Business Cards With Personality

MisterInk — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:37:18 +0000

According to experts,using colors makes people more reactive to advertising. When you use a full color palette,your able to influence someone’s mood. Business cards are used to promote your company and your products. The most powerful way to market yourself and your company are through your business cards. Your business card is very likely the first printed item you will hand to a perspective client or customer,so you want to ensure that it will properly represent you in terms of both appearance and content.River City Digital Graphics are experts in business card design.We are an award winning graphic design agency with a combined 30 years of design experience under our belt.Our degreed artist’s can help suggest the right font’s,color combinations and artistic element’s to get your business card noticed. River City Digital Graphics can also print your business cards on a variety of card stock’s. Don’t just make an impression, make a great impression!

Good Design Is Good Business

MisterInk — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:33:39 +0000

Your logo is more than just an important part of your marketing materials.It is the face of your business.Your logo gives clients and prospects a visual reference to pair with your business name,which increases the memorability of your brand.There are logical ways to approach the design process to make sure you end up with a logo that’s truly and uniquely yours.Gathering examples of logos you like will help the graphic designer get a sense of your taste,instead of having to guess at your preferences.Example logos don’t have to come from your competitors or your industry.Choose logos that visually appeal to you regardless of the company or product.Tell the designer about your business’s mission,what excites you about it,and how you’d like your clients to see your personality.Tell us about your clients,who they are,what they need,and what their problems are.With this information,our design team will be able to create a logo that truly communicates the essence of your business to clients and prospects.Give us a call today to schedule a free consultation at 210-524-9944.

Award winning Graphic Designers

MisterInk — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:26:58 +0000

River City Digital Graphics is a San Antonio based graphic design agency, specializing in logo design, corporate branding, digital printing and full color prints up to 24″ wide. We also offer photo canvas prints from your favorite photo. River City Digital Graphics has been given 4 American Graphic Design Awards for excellence in logo design and hand illustrations. If you are a new business your company logo will define who you are, and what services you offer. Let our award winning team of artists put our talents to work for you. Please take a moment to review our portfolio or give us a call at 210-524-9944.