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Get That 3D Look Without Breaking Your Budget

Are your printed promotions falling a little flat? If so, it's time to start thinking about how you can use three-dimensional space in your next promotional piece. While creating a true 3D item may be far outside your budget, you can easily trick the eye into thinking that there's additional depth even when you're working in only two dimensions.

Here are some tips for leveraging three-dimensional space in your next print project.

Create Overlapping Content

Adding depth through illusion requires your designer to be skillful in their application of a variety of techniques. One of the easiest ways to accomplish a 3D-like look is through overlapping images, which can create a more realistic approximation of depth. Slightly obscuring one image with another can create a negative space, which the eye tends to interpret as a depth of field. Don't limit yourself to the tried-and-true drop shadows, but branch out to creating transparent elements that appear to float in front of other images.

Overlapping Postcards

An Active Blur of Motion

Movement implies dimension, so creating an image where the subject appears to be moving away rapidly can create the illusion of a third dimension. Bleeding images off the edge of a page may also contribute a more authentic look to your project. Think of the blurred headlights of a car moving away from you on the road, or the image of a cycler who appears to be speeding off the edge of the page.

Running Man Layers

Contrast Foreground and Background

Try using visual hierarchy and scale to expose the eye to an unexpected design. Moving specific items to the forefront or background of an image may cause a three-dimensional effect due to the negative space your brain perceives to be between the two images.

Designer Series Hangtag

Introduce a New Perspective

Spatial relationships have an implied perspective when you introduce the concept of volume to your designs. Vary the color gradients of your design to make some parts appear vibrant and closer, while others seem to be grayer and further in the background.

About Racing

Create a stunning illusion of depth by incorporating one (or more than one) of these options into your next print design. Want to learn more design tips or work with a professional to translate your ideas into print? Contact us today!




The Elements of Graphic Design
by Alex W. White

REVIEW
This very popular design book has been wholly revised and expanded to feature a new dimension of inspiring and counterintuitive ideas to thinking about graphic design relationships. The Elements of Graphic Design, Second Edition is now in full color in a larger, 8 x 10-inch trim size, and contains 40 percent more content and over 750 images to enhance and better clarify the concepts in this thought-provoking resource. The second edition also includes a new section on web design and new discussions of modularity, framing, motion and time, rules of randomness, and numerous quotes supported by images and biographies. This pioneering work provides designers, art directors, and students―regardless of experience―with a unique approach to successful design. Veteran designer and educator Alex. W. White has assembled a wealth of information and examples in his exploration of what makes visual design stunning and easy to read. Readers will discover White's four elements of graphic design, including how to: define and reveal dominant images, words, and concepts; use scale, color, and position to guide the viewer through levels of importance; employ white space as a significant component of design and not merely as background; and use display and text type for maximum comprehension and value to the reader. Offering a new way to think about and use the four design elements, this book is certain to inspire better design.

Eco Friendly

Eco-friendly promotional products are good for the environment and good for getting your message across to your target audience.

Tradeshows

Promotional items that endorse your business are great items to give away at tradeshows. They offer endless opportunities to get your message across to new audiences.

Corporate Gifts

Show employee appreciation and build company morale. Items such as flash drives, picture frames, desk accessories and computer mice make great employee gifts.

New Products

View our newest promotional products! We are constantly adding new items to our 300,000+ inventory to give you fresh and up-to-date choices every day.

Awards

Awards and recognition gifts say thank you to employees for a job well done. We carry awards, plaques, trophies, ribbons and much more.

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Click here for FAQ's about our promotional products.

Promotional Products

We carry promotional items such as eco-friendly gifts, awards, corporate gifts, new products and tradeshow items.

Business Stationery

Our business card program streamlines your order process yet gives you complete control over your content. Letterhead, envelopes and pocket cards too!

Occasion Cards

We carry holiday and occasion cards, moving announcements, thank you notes and more. Customize your cards with logo imprints and other options!

Memos & Notepads

We print company phone pads, note pads and forms in various sizes. Personalize them with your company logo, names and contact information.

Programs & Announcements

Full color announcements and programs for fundraisers, trade shows, banquets and agendas. We also foil stamp, emboss and die cut.

Brochures

We print full color single to multi-sheet newsletters, product sheets, tri-folds, rack cards, handouts and promotional literature.

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Click here for FAQ's about offset printing.

Offset Printing

We print items such as business stationary, brochures, occasion cards, memos & notepads, programs and announcements.

Tips & Tricks

Design and tech tips to make designing your job a little easier, marketing tips to assist your advertising efforts and print tips for faster, less expensive buying.

Tutorials

Check out our video on how to sign in to your account and place orders online.

Printing Terms

Look here for a glossary of the most common terms in the printing industry.

Templates

Find different templates to design your full-size banners.

FAQ's

How do I send a file? How do I save a document as a PDF? What is a CMYK color format? Answers to your most frequently asked questions.

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Click here for FAQ's about our tips and tricks.

Tips & Tricks

Design and tech tips to make designing your job a little easier, marketing tips to assist your advertising efforts and print tips for faster, less expensive buying.

Presentations

Pitch books and investment books help you communicate your message with PowerPoint presentations, graphs, and charts. Custom binding and tabs available.

Manuals

We can print 1-5000+ copies of your training, safety and operational manuals and technical documents. Full color, B&W, binding, inserts, index tabs, even lamination.

Black and White Copies

Our high-speed, high quality B&W laser printers produce crisp, clean copies of legal documents, RFP's, variable data, digital output of files, manuals and more.

Archiving

Do you need digital scans of your important documents? Letter, legal, 11 x 17, oversize? We can PDF your documents or OCR scan your files to create searchable, editable text files.

Color Copies

Our high-quality digital color presses turn out beautiful invitations, flyers, brochures, newsletters, rack cards, coupons and more. We can also print large format prints and maps.

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Digital Printing

We print B&W and color copies of presentations, product sheets, manuals, newletters, brochures, postcards and more. We also do archival scanning.

Maps & Prints

We print oversized, digital prints of well-logs, operational flow charts and pipe line maps. Turn your maps and prints into digital files for emailing and archiving.

Banners

Full color, affordable, retractable banners make great trade shows displays, point of purchase signage, directional signage and outdoor vinyl banners.

Oversize Scans

We scan large format documents such as well-logs, engineering plans and maps to digital files. Your PDF digital scans can be easily archived to CD.

Posters

Our digitally printed posters and prints are exceptional, with crisp, vibrant colors and photographic quality. Custom stock, mounting and laminating available.

Event Signage

Catch people's attention with color signage! We produce banners stands, pop up and hanging displays, full color table covers and tabletop displays.

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Click here for FAQ's about large format printing.

Large Format Printing

We print event signage, maps, banners, well-logs, posters, prints and more. We also do oversize scanning.

Eco Friendly Tradeshows Corporate Gifts New Products Awards ? Promotional Products Promotional Products Business Stationery Occasion Cards Memos & Notepads Programs & Announcements Brochures ? Offset Printing Offset Printing Tips & Tricks Tutorials Printing Terms Templates FAQ's ? Tips & Tricks Tips & Tricks Presentations Manuals Black and White Copies Archiving Color Copies ? Digital Printing Digital Printing Maps & Prints Banners Oversize Scans Posters Event Signage ? Large Format Printing Large Format Printing Send A File Forms Factory My Jobs Place Order Request Estimate