Laura Smith, Author at ocreations A Pittsburgh Design Firm

Color-Tural Context: Color Perceptions Across Various Cultures

Color-Tural Context: Color Perceptions Across Various Cultures

COLOR-TURAL CONTEXT: COLOR PERCEPTIONS ACROSS VARIOUS CULTURES When studying color for advertising or design courses, we’re always given the basics, and often just the basics for our own culture. However, when working with clients on an international level, it is important to understand various cultures and their interpretations of colors. The infographic below illustrates 84 different feelings, and the colors that represent each across 10 different cultures. It is worth it to really study these and understand how [...]

By Laura Smith|2019-03-15T06:11:21-04:00April 27th, 2018|

Give Your LinkedIn Page A Makeover

Give Your LinkedIn Page A Makeover

GIVE YOUR LINKEDIN PAGE A MAKEOVER One of the best social tools for businesses and professionals is LinkedIn. If you want to get as many significant connections as possible and grow your business, it’s important that your LinkedIn is top-notch. If you think your company LinkedIn page is in need of a makeover, check out our tips on how to make your page stand out among the rest. 1. Make sure everything is updated (profile picture, contact info, etc.) Does [...]

By Laura Smith|2019-03-15T06:11:21-04:00April 20th, 2018|

Subliminal Messaging in Logos

Subliminal Messaging in Logos

SUBLIMINAL MESSAGING IN LOGOS What makes a brand unique? The logo or icon it associates itself with. Something that can make a logo unique is designing a subliminal message into the logo. WHAT IS A SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE? It’s basically a hidden message within a logo. If you look closely at certain logos, you may notice it’s more than what meets the eye at a first glance. If your brand’s logo has subliminal messaging, it demonstrates that your brand is [...]

By Laura Smith|2019-03-15T06:11:21-04:00April 12th, 2018|

Spring Cleaning Checklist for Social Media

Spring Cleaning Checklist for Social Media

SPRING CLEANING CHECKLIST FOR SOCIAL MEDIA It’s that time of year – we’re all coming out of winter hibernation and ready to get organized. Taxes are being filed, houses are being decluttered, and now it’s time for our social media accounts to get a good spring cleaning. Here’s our checklist of things to do to clean up your social media accounts for your business. Update your profile pictures. Make sure all of your social media accounts have the same [...]

By Laura Smith|2019-03-15T06:11:21-04:00March 28th, 2018|

Bedford Square: A Historical Landmark In Pittsburgh’s South Side

Bedford Square: A Historical Landmark In Pittsburgh’s South Side

BEDFORD SQUARE: A HISTORICAL LANDMARK IN PITTSBURGH’S SOUTH SIDE Ocreations' one year anniversary settling in at 19 Bedford Square is just around the corner. Over the past ten years, ocreations has continued to grow and evolve. In 2016, Shawn and Emilia O’Mara formed oprop LLC, a property company, and purchased 19 Bedford Square, also known as South 12th Street in Pittsburgh’s historic South Side Flats neighborhood. Records indicate that the building was built sometime between 1865 and 1880. It’s been vacant [...]

By Laura Smith|2019-03-15T06:11:21-04:00March 22nd, 2018|

The Ultimate Resource Guide for Designers

The Ultimate Resource Guide for Designers

The Ultimate Resource Guide for Designers Need a good font website, but don’t know which ones to trust? Need stock images but don’t have the budget to pay for them? Here is our list of helpful sites that every graphic designer should know and have access to, all in one place: TRADEMARKS / LEGALITIES: USPTO COLORS Pantone.com Color Scheme Designer Adobe Color Wheel ColourLovers.com FONTS Google Fonts (web-friendly) What the Font FontSquirrel.com FontSpring.com DesignCuts.com [...]

By Laura Smith|2019-03-15T06:11:21-04:00March 14th, 2018|

Qualities of a Great Web Developer

Qualities of a Great Web Developer

11 QUALITIES OF A GREAT WEB DEVELOPER The land of coding is one that is unfamiliar and intimidating to many. When looking to build a fully functioning, beautifully designed website, you are going to want to hire a web developer. They have a lot of knowledge that most people do not have, so it is important to hire the right developer for your project. There are certain qualities that separate average web designers from great web designers. Here’s our list: 1. Aware [...]

By Laura Smith|2019-03-15T06:11:21-04:00March 8th, 2018|

25 Graphic Design Terms Every Client & Designer Should Know

25 Graphic Design Terms Every Client & Designer Should Know

25 GRAPHIC DESIGN TERMS EVERY CLIENT & DESIGNER SHOULD KNOW Interested in becoming a designer? Working with a designer but want to be more knowledgeable about the industry? Below is a list of language used by graphic designers in their daily lives. Aspiring designers and clients alike - familiarizing yourself with these terms will amplify your credibility in the industry, and make it easier to talk design lingo with other designers. Vector Graphic: A graphic (shape or line) that has infinite [...]

By Laura Smith|2019-03-15T06:11:22-04:00February 23rd, 2018|

Valentines for the Graphic Designer in Your Life

Valentines for the Graphic Designer in Your Life

VALENTINES FOR THE GRAPHIC DESIGNER IN YOUR LIFE Happy Valentine’s Day from us at ocreations. Here are some of the best Valentine’s Day cards we found this season for the graphic designer in your life… Found on cargocollective.com. Click on photo to go to source. Found on behance.net. Click on photo to go to source. Found on behance.net. Click on photo to go to source. Found on behance.net. Click on photo [...]

By Laura Smith|2019-03-15T06:11:22-04:00February 14th, 2018|

Tips for a Meaningful Infographic

Tips for a Meaningful Infographic

TIPS FOR A MEANINGFUL INFOGRAPHIC Many people claim to hate statistics. What most people mean by that is, they don’t enjoy running statistical analyses, but people love to see/hear the final outcome of statistical analyses and love to be able to put numerical values to data. One trend that combines information (statistics) and visual graphics, are infographics. Info + graphics = infographics. However, the ability to understand the given data/information, and make it visually appealing is one for artists [...]

By Laura Smith|2019-03-15T06:11:22-04:00February 9th, 2018|

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