Accent Magazine is a publication that celebrates lives lived out of the ordinary across the world organised by Lydia Garnett and Lucy Nurnberg.

Last month, The Color Company had the pleasure of working with Accent Magazine on their second print and online issue.

What better way to celebrate a completed project with a launch party!

If you have taken a look at our previous blog posts you will know that we love attending a good event. The only way to enjoy an event that much more is to be apart of it!

Issue Launch Party

The launch party, held in East London purpose exhibited photography taken from the magazine in large print. That’s where we were able to contribute using our services.

The event was also run in conjunction with Wray & Nephew Original Rum who kept the Reggae Rum punch flowing throughout the night.

Music was provided by DJs Esqueezy, Joseph Bond, LRN and Crack Stephens with a live performance by Imogen Love.

Head of our Marketing department, Vanessa Ball, was in attendance to represent The Color Company on the exciting night out.

Accent Magazine and The Color Company

Our contribution to the magazine was the printing of the picture used for the generations section of the new magazine issue. The article and picture was originally written/taken by Maja Flink.

Flink takes readers through her own family generation in Sweden in the short article. Her portrait inspired her to travel the world to continue on with her portrait portfolio. Flink discusses her worldwide trips to Africa and parts of South America.

Congrats to Accent Magazine on the successful launch party! We look forward to working with you again!

Follow Accent Magazine on Twitter: @AccentMagazine

For further thank you’s and photos, please see Accent Magazine Blog

The post Accent Magazine 2nd Issue Launch Party in May 2013 appeared first on The Color Company.

The invention of 3D printing is being considered as the great laps forward in the technology and massive reduction in the machinery costs. It is low in price and conveniently useable that has placed it in the hand of the masses. Experts are of the opinion that this new technology is capable of changing the way people do business, forever.

3D Printing

When you think of 3D technology, first things that come into your mind are disappointing movies and clunky dark glasses. However, the overwhelmingly negative response that these movies received is in quite contrast to the current buzz and excitement that surrounds the 3D printing. 3D Printing is a rapidly evolving manufacturing and prototyping technique for which no cumbersome and painful eyewear has to be used.

Origin of 3D Printing

Although it is considered as the new technology, it has been in use for almost quarter of the century now. It was introduced by an American inventor with the name of Charles W. Hull in 1986. He invented an automatic technique for creating solid shapes by “printing” or layering thin layers of liquid plastic above each other. Each of the layers solidified above the other until the desired shape was obtained.

3D Printing Today

Form this modest start, 3D Printing has made extraordinary progress. The modern techniques create the desired object in the shape of a detailed 3D file before it is finally printed. The file is created layer by layer and a wide variety of material is used to accomplish the task. In fact, recent development in technology has opened the way for countless possibilities. Plastics were the only prints available 20 years ago but today you can use gold, silver, marble powder, ceramics etc. and many more materials are being included with every passing day.

The Benefits of 3D Printing

As described above, this latest technology has made it possible for the people to find new possibilities and dominions in the realm of printing. Some of the benefits of 3D Printing are given below:

Less is More

3D Printing has been in use for many years to create the prototype on the spot. This enables the manufactures to avoid the expensive factory made models. Similarly, as the latest development in the technology has made it possible to make finished product as well, there is no need to mass produce the item to reduce the cost of the production and increase the profits.

Getting Complex

The addictive printing as 3D printing is also known has opened the door to countless opportunities. In fact it is quite remarkable to create complex designs on the computer and scan natural objects and then print them. For instance, everyone can make totally illogical shapes that are not possible by machining and molding. The 3D printing has enabled manufacture to produce more optimum strength to weight objects and this is capturing the imaginations of the people.

Personal Touch

If you combine the above two points, you will realize that now you can also create personal objects according to your requirements and taste as every product is different geometrically as well as economically.

More and more companies are letting the customers to use their websites and design their own products like printing photos to canvas online. Similarly other industries such as toys and medical companies are making full use of this technology to make items that are personalized and can meet the needs of every individual.

A Greener Business

3D printing is also very beneficial for environment as it mitigates the need of transportation and compresses the supply chain. Another big advantage of this technology is the reduced dependence on raw materials that were once used to make light weight components. This allows the manufacturers to produce most fit for purpose products that will help environment and reduce their costs as well.

Conclusion

3D printing has revolutionized the world of manufacturing and printing in all aspects. If you consider the interest in Desktop 3D printing machines in UK, you must realize that already a huge number of people is exploring new opportunities.

Anthony Powell is a professional 3D printer and writes on related niches. He works for an online company canvas prints UK where he writes on various ideas for photo printing and canvas printing.

The post 3D Printing: Taking Business To New Heights appeared first on The Color Company.

Reduce Your Print Costs!

Print products can help promote your company in several ways. From leaflets to posters, your company can attract the attention of many – but it may include a hefty price tag.

The Color Company can help reduce your print costs. How? By conducting an audit!

A full audit will help reveal how much you spend on all types of printing throughout your company. These types of procurement include mono, colour, presentations, brochures, stationery, exhibition graphics and creative services to name a few.

The Color Company have demonstrated cost savings on print items with many clients in excess of 30% per annum and, in most cases, improved service levels. How could you resist?

We can take the pressure off of you and your company by taking care of your audit process without needing to lift a finger! So, why not give us the chance to take a look at all of your printed collateral and start to see real savings in your business?

See how you can save on your print costs by e-mailing our Sales Development Team for more information *protected email* You could also call your local branch to arrange an appointment.

Valid until 5pm 30/06/13 | Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer | Standard terms & conditions apply

The post Reduce Your Print Costs! June Promotion 2013 appeared first on The Color Company.

How does 3D Printing Work?

3D Printing is an additive manufacturing technique –different to the subtractive manufacturing techniques used in milling, machining, turning and sawing. Additive manufacturing is a form of high-speed prototyping where models are made up of layers.

3D Printers start with the bottom layer of a model that is laid down on a build tray. The printer then creates a cross section of the model across the X and Y axis. All of the information the machine needs to create the 3D model will come from an STL file.

What is an STL file?

A STL file is a format used by stereolithography software to generate information needed to produce 3D models. More specifically, a STL file is a triangular representation of a 3D object.

The surface of an object is broken into a series of triangles. A STL file consists of a complete listing of the xyz coordinates of the vertices and normals for the triangles that describe the 3D object.

How do you create a STL file?

Most computer aided design (CAD) software packages offer STL conversion add-ins. STL translation is relatively simple if you have access to conversion software on your computer.

Traditionally when converting to a STL file, the user is given several options for resolution (sometimes called chord height, triangle tolerance, etc.). The tolerance can typically be set to .001 inch for average models depending upon the size of the model, the geometry of small details, and the overall curvature of the part.

Small parts or models with fine details may require a tighter tolerance.

The process continued

As the bottom layer is created, dry and solidified, the build tray is lowered. The printer would then work its way up the piece as each layer is created. The method is repeated until the entire model is complete.

The timing of the process all depends on the type of printer (commercial or industrial) and material being used – whether it be metal, resin, plaster or polymer.

If any part of the model has an overhang or gap between moving parts, a support material can be laid down. The support material is removed once the print is finished to uncover the final piece. This can be done by washing, dissolving, breaking or hoovering away –again depending on the type of 3D printer being used.

Take a look at our competition winning 3D printing model of a chair (pictured above on the right.)

How much does 3D Printing cost?

The cost of 3D printing manufacturing is based mainly on the volume of material that is used to create the desired model. For instance, a 3D Globe without any additional design will be cheaper to produce compared to a bicycle wheel complete with spoke and rim design.

In short, the more complex the design of the model, the more it will cost. (This excludes design costs i.e. Any additional detail made to model – colour, cut etc. Design costs will vary depending on the product.)

How fast is it?

One advantage of 3D Printing is that it doesn’t require the use of moulds. Because of this, the time spent on creating a product depends only on how long it will take to print as each layer has to be dried before moving onto the next.

Small objects can be printed and shipped out on the same day – creating a major cut down in printing and shipping times. Print models can be produced in either full colour or white plastic ready for painting. Traditional manufacturing methods are considered to take much longer and come at a higher cost.

What Can 3D Printing Be Used For?

Models in Medicine

3D printing makes it possible to print in bio materials – even human tissues. Medical models of bones, organs and cells from scans and x-rays can be created to be used for medical analysis.

Prototypes

Prototypes for fit, form and function (FFF or F3) testing can be made from everyday plastics to simulate real life products. Because models can be produced in a shorter amount of time and at a lower cost, multiple designs can be tested and time to market will then decrease as a result.

Custom Parts

3D printer technology can help replace broken or missing parts on a variety of products. Whether it is a garden gnome that has been broken from a fall or a replacement wheel from your favourite car model collection, 3D printing can be used to replace it.

The possibilities are endless with 3D Printing. Now that you know a little more about it, you can give it a try. To see the whole process in action, watch the snippet from BBC One’s Inside Out West of a 3D Printed bicycle below.

Take a look at our 3D Printing services on our website and discover more at our Poland Street branch.

The post 3D Printing: What Is It? appeared first on The Color Company.

One of our specialties at The Color Company is

So how do you go about organising your own exhibition? We have created a few tips for you to bring your exhibition plans alive.

1. Jot down design ideas – When approaching print companies, it’s important to have some sort of visual design in mind. If you have no ideas of what you want your event to look like, the printing company you choose won’t have anything to work with so at least try and relay what the focus of your event is. It doesn’t necessarily have to be much – something is better than nothing.

2. Stick to your budget - Whether it’s your first or umpteenth exhibition, it is vital that you stick to your budget. You don’t want to blow money on promotion and other things that you won’t need once the event is over – especially if your exhibition is running for a short period!

3. Deadlines: Stick to them - Don’t leave anything until the last minute – especially printed collateral. If your banners or brochures arrive late then you run the risk of conducting your event without any visual advertisement. That won’t be good for anyone. The Color Company are Authorised FedEx Shipping Centres for the UK and worldwide allowing us to make sure that all of your products are delivered on time and in one piece.

4. Check and Check again! - It’s important to go through each and every detail of the event more than once. Do you have other exhibitors joining you? What time do they arrive? Have you invited press? Health and safety will also some attention.

5. Look The Part - You stand as the main point of contact and head representative of your business. If you don’t look the part then chances are nobody take any interest in what you have to offer.

6. Accommodate your visitors…and yourself! - Plan your accommodation prior to the event. It’s okay to make visitors to your event feel welcome but you do need to put yourself first. If you have to travel a long distance from home, you may be better off booking a hotel room.

7. Remember your purpose - Always keep the purpose of your event in mind. Whether it’s simply to reveal your new work, to create new contacts or gain the interest of potential clients stick to the point! Don’t forget to have contact details (Branded stationery, business cards etc.) handy throughout.

8. Avoid ‘Information Overload’ - So, you’ve successfully gathered up several potential clients under one roof. Well done! That means you can load them up with leaflets and other items associated with your company right? Wrong. Prevent those leaflets from stacking up on a dust pile by setting up an mailing list. This will allow visitors to sign-up for more information on what you have to offer either at that moment in time or at a later date.

9. Finish what you start - Take note of anyone that takes an interest to your business during your exhibition and stay in touch. Don’t expect them to keep up with you. Check in with them every now and then to see if there is a possibility of a sale. If not, keep their details in your database and ask them to keep yours in theirs for future reference.

10. Choose The Color Company to get the job done! - We can help you get all the printing done for your event. From exhibition stands to pop-up banners – even branded promotional gifts and goodie bags we can help.

Now that you’ve got a brief outline on how to plan your own exhibition, why not contact our Large Format and Exhibition graphic specialists at our Fenchurch Street branch? Our in-house design team can help you make the first moves into arranging an event to remember. The Color Company can assist you no matter what the budget and promise to deliver a fast, high-quality and sufficient service that you will use again and again.

What other top tips would you like to know? Let us know online by our Facebook, Twitter and Google+ pages and help us help you.

The post Top Ten Tips for Planning an Exhibition appeared first on The Color Company.

You can try the conventional method of having your business cards on display at your customer service counter, but if you really want to stand out from the crowd you are going to have to get creative. Here are four creative ways to get your business cards noticed and into the hands of your future customers.

1. Include Colour, Lots of Colour

People are drawn towards colour and especially photographs with rich and vibrant colour. If you compare a plain black and white business card with a colourful and bright card, your eye will always be drawn to the colourful card every time .

Hire a freelance graphic designer who has the skills to create an image or photograph that will capture what your business does and catch the eye of the customer. It is also worth it to invest in good quality digital printing for your business card, as it will make a huge difference in the impression that you make on the customer.

2. Make Them Useful

Why not consider printing out business cards that have a function, such as a beer mat, calendar or a ruler? They could have a specific function due to their shape, or contain helpful information such as a map or reference information such as a conversion chart or event calendar.

This way, because your business cards are so useful your customers will have a reason to hang onto them. It really helps if the business card’s function is relevant to what your business does. For example, if you are a jeweller you could include a list of the months and their corresponding birthstone.

3. Include a Choice

One of the most memorable business cards I have seen was that of a travel blogger and photographer. When I met him at a conference and he offered me his card, he spread out a handful of different business cards in front of him like a magician holding a deck. The cards were printed with a variety of different photos from his travels and he told me to choose the photo that I liked the best. There were landscapes, food photos, portraits and close ups. My eye was attracted to a photo of an Indian woman wearing a brightly coloured purple sari and laughing, as the photo seemed very happy. On the back of the card was his name and contact information.

The brilliance of this business card is that because I had several photos to choose from, I was more engaged in the process of taking his card than if he had just handed me one. Also, I chose my favourite photo, which ensured that I would like the card and want to hold onto it. If there is any way you can include choice into your business card, it can be very effective.

4. Give the Customer Value

Another way to get your business card noticed and get people to pay attention to it is to turn it into a coupon or voucher that offers extra value. If you have a restaurant, presenting the card can give them 10% off their next meal or a free appetizer. Include a discount, two for one, or first-item free and people are much more likely to take your card and pay attention to it.

These are just a few ways to encourage people to pay more attention to your business card. What are some other ideas you have tried?

Pipa Rose is a freelance writer based in South Africa. Last year she invested in business cards with high quality digital printing (Johannesburg is where she got them done) and since then she has doubled her number of clients.

The Color Company can print and design your business cards right here in London. Call us on 0800 939493 to discuss.

The post Business Cards: 4 Innovative Ways To Get Noticed appeared first on The Color Company.

What’s in a logo? Everything! For any company, a logo becomes their identification and part of the image they are trying to project. If you think about it, how many times have you looked at the logo for a well-known brand and knew right away which one it was? As a brand or company identity then, a logo could be considered the face of the business.

Let’s understand how the best logo design can be achieved for a business, which can cover the important aspects and become a brand presence!

Designing the Perfect Business Logo

In order to create a really striking and memorable logo that achieves the task of serving as a brand identity, here are 10 tips that you should keep in mind:

1. Keep It Simple – A logo should be simple enough that it’s easy to understand, without being too boring or dull either! Use clean fonts and lines to achieve this effect.

2. Be Unique – Since there are many other competitors with similar products or services, you should aim to make your logo stand out from the crowd.

3. Be Interesting – Your logo should challenge the viewer when they look at it, so don’t make everything obvious at the first glance. People are more likely to remember it if they had to spend a few seconds working it out, but not longer than that!

4. Be Memorable – Like any other successful brand, your logo should be fascinating enough to make people remember it long after they have first seen it.

5. Define Your Product – The logo should reflect the kind of product or service that your company offers, so people can associate it with their needs for the product.

6. Use One/Two Colours – The most effective logos are the ones with clean lines, vector designs and simple colours so they can be printed on any surface, like T-shirts or coffee mugs!

7. Be Flexible – The design you choose should leave you room to make changes in the future, e.g. when you add on a new product or service or aim for a new market.

8. Keep Modifications in Mind – The eventual design should work effectively whether it is reduced or enlarged, printed in colour or black and grey, etc.

9. Aim for Long-Term Results – Your business logo should be powerful enough to stand the test of time. Keep in mind the fact you may be using the same design for years to come!

10. Experiment – Create a few different options and test them out on a small batch of viewers to see their reactions and measure how effective and memorable each design is.

Since the logo is such an important part of the way your brand is perceived, it’s very important that this is well-designed and effective. When people look at the logo, they should instantly connect it with the company name as well as the services or products offered. At the same time, it needs to be crisp and professional to convey the same impression about the business.

Alisia Goodwin is a freelance blogger and currently writes for Liquid Digital which caters to all kinds of business logo design requirements and are well known brand developers in Australia.

Contact the Design Studio at The Color Company in London, EC1 to arrange a consultation or email us on *protected email*. In the mean time, view our online portfolio for some inspiration.

The post Top 10 Tips for Business Logo Design appeared first on The Color Company.

As the world gets more and more specialised there are more and more jobs that are boring but also dream jobs that you would never have imagined people could do. You could be designing spaceships for the next Star Wars movie!

I trained as car designer and in my youth thought it silly when people said ‘why don’t you be a car designer’. I thought it inconceivable that I could do that, didn’t even think that was a real job but little did I know that it was and it is big business. Some of the top car designers are treated like fashion gods with people outside of industry even knowing their names. Take for example Chris Bangle whose most famous work was the 5 series BMW of the 00’s. It coined the phrase Banglism as it was so controversial.

This form of design is obviously very specialised and it is a risk to be so tight on what you study at University but if you know what you want and you work at it then the world is your oyster. Even whilst studying car design I was lucky enough to have a glimpse at other dream industries such as concept art, movie set design, character design. We are talking about the top end of  creativity here and something that has people queued up to be in but it is amazing how many people want the job but never think to try. If you can draw you can do these jobs, it’s that simple.

When at Uni we had a placement year and everyone had to create a portfolio, research companies and send them out. I sent 40 folios to car design studios round the world in the hope that Nissan or someone awesome would ‘yes’ but in the end I ended up in Essex designing for Ford which was great if not drenched in Californian sun. However I was the only one who really bothered to make an effort, the other students just sent a couple and sat back waiting. Needless to say I was the only one to get anything apart from a friend of mine who got Morgan and he now heads up the design department there. Dare to dream see!

Whilst it is great for people like me who dare to dream and reach for the stars, (successfully or not) it never fails to amaze me how safe people can be. I used to design toys for LEGO and people would always say ‘wow, how did you land that job?’, well the answer was I sent in an application like you would with any job, the only difference was that 7 days later I was on a plane to Denmark.

Sometimes it is great to keep expectations low but there are so many cool design jobs out there for people to do and they just don’t realise that they could be doing them. Go get inspired people, believe in yourself and achieve your dream!

This article was created by contemporary sculptor and designer Adam Christopher, it’s well worth checking out his work.

The post Design: Dare to Dream, Dream to Design appeared first on The Color Company.

Printed marketing is seen by many as an outdated and irrelevant form of advertising. Businesses these days are focusing their promotional budget online, with email, social media and PPC campaigns.

According to recent research however, email response rates are decreasing whilst direct mail response rates have increased. Print is tangible and credible, and as such is a marketing approach that shouldn’t be ignored. Its use can be updated for the modern age, and utilised to complement digital approaches.

Playing on tangibility of printed marketing: The in-store magazine

Despite the importance of online content, the in-store magazine is becoming increasingly sophisticated, reaching out to current customers to drive loyalty and spending.

One of the main advantages of printed marketing over digital is the tangibility of it, so if budget allows making the most of this can really be worth your while. Printing your advertising material on beautiful paper with interesting finishes and striking colour schemes can really reach out to your customers in a way that digital marketing can’t. Creating an attractive item like this can mean your printed marketing is kept and treasured, and your products are seen repeatedly.

Take a look at French Connection’s in-store magazine for example. It looks expensive and exclusive, reflecting the sort of customers the brand is aiming for. In contrast, Boot’s in-store magazine is bright and cheery, containing vouchers to attract customers back into the store.

Print cannot be easily ignored in the same way as digital marketing. An email can be deleted from your inbox with a simple click of the mouse before it’s even read, but a printed message must be handled.

Customer retention

Printed marketing is perfect for customer retention. Using direct mail effectively can be a great tool for customer loyalty.

For example: a women’s clothing store. Once an order has been sent out, you can follow it up with a thank-you note, brochures seasonally, and special offer codes – perhaps to mark their birthday or Christmas. This is a great way to remind them of your existence, and encourage them to come back, building a lasting relationship.

Credibility

Your business can get lost in a massive sea of competition when it operates exclusively online, and factors like poor feedback via social networks can tarnish your reputation in an instant.

Sending targeted and tangible messages to your clients or customers can show off your professionalism and enhance your reputation, as long as they are nicely produced and avoid appearing like spam mail.

Integrated marketing

Integrated marketing, if done well, is the best of both worlds for your marketing strategy. It is important that the core message of your campaign is consistent across both mediums.  This approach takes a lot of time and perseverance, but really pays off for you brand.

For first steps, consider including your Facebook and Twitter handles on your printed marketing – promoting your online marketing whilst reinforcing your credibility as a brand. Don’t reserve your SEO keywords and phrases for use online. You have spent a lot of your budget ranking for these, so make the most out of them.

Instead of directing customers to your website via your printed merchandise, try telling them to search for ‘hairdressers in London’ for example, if you know you rank top for this term in Google. This will help customers see you as a trusted and established brand.

As you can see, there are many advantages to printed marketing that you can make the most of in 2013. Whilst flyers and brochures can be very effective when used on their own, It is perhaps time to consider an integrated marketing campaign to make the best use of your marketing budget for 2013 and beyond.

Emily Bradbury is writing on behalf of Superdream, an online digital agency based in Stoke Prior, West Midlands.

The post Printed Marketing Benefits in 2013 appeared first on The Color Company.

This year’s Clerkenwell Design week will take place this May (May 21st – 23rd) in London – the heart of the UK’s design industry. Following up from their award winning design week last year (winning the Best Festival and Best Cultural Event awards at the UK Event Awards 2012), the Clerkenwell Design Week organisers plan to take the event to another level this year to keep up their track record.

The event will consist of over 60 showrooms full to the brim of the latest design trends, architectural designs and product launches. It’s vital that any fans of design should make sure that they attend Clerkenwell Design Week!

The three day festival, sponsored by Jaguar, will also include debates, design presentations and workshops from some of the biggest names in design and architecture. The third annual event will also include Knoll’s 75th anniversary celebrations.

Catch exhibitions from the likes of furniture manufacturers Chorus, hotels designers from WHotels London and ceramics designer Kerry Hastings. You will also be able to view creations from bespoke British-made furniture creators Bark, who are back for the second time running.

The large variety of showrooms will be open to the public for the three day period, giving you an insight into the world of design from some of the leading brands and industry leaders from across the UK and all over the world under one roof.

Food and drink will be provided by Veneticus, Gaucho (who will offer a special 3 course “Design your own Menu” with a complimentary cocktail and side dish to all Clerkenwell Design Week participants) and loads more to make sure that you have enough fuel in your stomach throughout the day.

Don’t miss your chance on taking a look at some of the best designs to come from the UK design industry. Our design studio in Smithfields EC1 will certainly be keeping an eye on what’s new!

The post Clerkenwell Design Week 2013 appeared first on The Color Company.