I am always on the lookout for latest design trends, fonts, effects etc. So when I came across this SUPER EASY gold text effect for Photoshop, I couldn't wait to use it.

It looks so classy and so shiny and ooh! I love it :)

We're mostly just playing around with the 'Bevel and Emboss' effect to achieve this.

Full tutorial here : http://www.photoshopessentials.com/photoshop-text/text-effects/gold/

I am really bad at following tutorials. Once things start getting technical, I get lost along the way and my result ends up looking completely different than what it is intended to be.

But the writer, Steve, does a great job of explaining each step and keeping things simple.

It is unbelievably easy to recreate and great to highlight a heading or text in a design.

I have been creating promo material for a Cricket league in Dubai - United Premier League.

And used this effect for one of their Facebook posters: 

What do you think? If you use this text effect, do share your designs :)

A couple of weeks ago, I worked on an assignment. It was given to me to assess my creative and design abilities.

The brief was to design a Print Ad for 'Buckles and Belts Dubai'. This ad was meant to feature in the Christmas edition of a magazine - readers being females aged 20 - 40. The brief was to keep things informal and in the spirit of the holidays.

I was given no material and no images to work with. I could use whatever I found off Google or Facebook. I wasn't given a headline and the tagline was supposed to convey 

'personalized gifts'.

So obviously the first thing I did was look at their website for material. Here is a screenshot:

Then came stalking their Facebook page. Here is a screenshot

Hmm ok .. lets see what Google images had to offer. Here is a screenshot:

So after extensive stalking it came across as a brand that is stylish and upmarket. All their previous branding was clean and modern. 

But my Ad brief had these specific words -  "This is a fun magazine, not necessarily high end though so colorful, bright and playful. Perhaps a Xmas tree and a festive look & feel."

And it absolutely did not help that 50% of the images I found online were lo-res and of a singular belt with a very fancy looking buckle.

Alright then!

Lets get started on my design process.

- What I was taught in college was that planning is probably the most important part of a design process. They said its important to come up with an idea and make a thumbnail of it. A thumbnail helps you decide the composition, the placement and overall feel of the design.

Well you know what? I have NEVER made a thumbnail in my life ! I cheated my way through college by scribbling shapes in a corner after my design was half done.

I'm more of a hands on person. I like to jump in and play around with things till I can form an idea.

- So my first step was to save pictures of some of the belts I liked from their website/FB page