Quick Tip: Use editable pdf’s for clients.
by jason on Jun.11, 2010, under Design
I work full time at a church running websites and print graphics, and to be honest, a lot of it is the exact same as when I freelanced. Granted I don’t really get to take random naps after a late night and people expect to see me every day… but I still find myself having to adapt to different people’s personalities and expectations, get asked for a random assortment of last minute work, people want changes made to web or artwork, and so on.
In my ongoing effort to make clients, coworkers, and my own life easier, I had an idea. While working on artwork that would be used for a near monthly seminar event, I thought it would be best if they didn’t have to come to me to have the date changed out every month. So I turned to Acrobat. So I designed the artwork in Photoshop while leaving out a few text boxes that would contain changing details. Saved it as a .pdf, opened in Acrobat, and placed editable forms. You can customize the text style of these forms, meaning people can type whatever they want in there and it will still be whatever font, size, color, ect you originally selected. And snap! Now the coworker/client/friend can change out dates, save, reprint with ease!
Some notes to highlight:
– In my particular example, I was printing two sheets to a page, in Acrobat if you have two forms with the same name they’ll use the same information. Hence, I make changes on one and it automatically changes the 2nd. Score.
– In your design, be mindful of the upcoming text changes. For example, ‘May 1st’ takes up a lot less room than ‘December 25th’
– If you want them to be able to save a copy with their changes be sure and enable it by clicking Advanced > Extend Features in Acrobat Reader
Enjoy!
The never ending rollercoaster known as blogging…
by jason on May.11, 2010, under Musings, Reflection
Blogging, much like nearly every project or hobby I set my hands on, seems to be a roller coaster. I enjoy it, I really do, but it’s so inconstant. In my defense though… who is consistent? Nearly everyone in my follow list starts a blog, makes a big deal about it, makes 3–4 post then nothing for months, comes back eventually, makes a few more post, then nothing again (please don’t take that personally, I do it too!)
I don’t even know what the point of this post is and that’s completely alright with me. As several of my former post illustrate (or at times flat out say), I’m not looking to present top-notch writing, consistency, and heck, I’m really not even writing for anyone but myself. If you happen to enjoy it regardless, then wonderful. There’s been so much on my mind lately. I can’t even think straight. I’m blogging at work and I really don’t feel like I’m wasting time, because if I don’t get something out then I’m just going to be completely and utterly unproductive and useless.
I’m in the middle of buying a house. Which is awesome, but it’s unbelievably stressful. I’m getting married, to a girl who I’ve lived over 2 hours from for almost 6 months now. Weddings… are also quite stressful. I love my job, but at times my job placement and my temperament do not mix well. Most of my close friendships are distant and it’s very difficult for me to start new ones. And completely worst of all, my sense of self-identity is in flux. I’m supposed to be a designer, I’m supposed to be in charge of a website and learning about website, but I’m behind on current technologies and trends and I can hardly even find motivation to catch up.
Hm, well that is slightly less than positive… um, yeah…
Type — Tired
by jason on Feb.10, 2010, under Uncategorized
Yes, yes I know it’s been awhile, but I finally got a theme for febuary. Consider the first 9 days as planning. heh. anyway, i’m going with type as my theme for Feb. It truly is amazing how much can be conveyed with just words and how they’re arranged. Anyway, here’s… day whatever (maybe I should start going by date) 2-10-2010.
Oh, and yeah, I’ve been feeling this way and sick most of the week, alas.
Some thoughts
by jason on Feb.08, 2010, under Life, Musings
I’ve been getting worse at this consistent design thing. I thought it would make me better, more creative, but I feel so dry, so unmotivated right now. I do think it has helped, but in a more technical sense. On that note, I have been telling myself all day to put some thoughts on paper (or blog, not the same but close enough).
Sometimes I wonder why I blog at all, but deep down I think I know. I really do love sharing things with friends and peers, but for the most part I think I would still have a blog if I never had a single visitor. Sometimes I just need to write stuff out, and paper is probably better, there’s something special about physically writing it out in your own handwriting, but similar principles are at work here.
There has been so much on my mind lately. Work seems to hit me in very large waves. I don’t feel like I have the necessary skills at times nor the time to learn. Trying to budget. To plan. To possibly buy a house, meaning find a realtor, look, budget… Preparing for a wedding and all the things that go with, with a fiance that lives in a different city. I think the worst thing of all is the close friends I have in my life are hundreds of miles away, meaning I often don’t have that outlet to share my thoughts, feelings, ect ect. At least not at the same level from former times. I suppose that’s why I’m expressing here, letting something out.
Anyway, overall things have been quite good. There’s so many reasons to be thankful. I find it challenging even writing this though because as I do there are so many thoughts basically knocking each other down, trying to get out, like the opening of a popular woman’s store on black friday. I should really let them out more. Well, if you managed to read all of this nonsense then thanks, and I appreciate your concern, or interest, or boredom, or whatever it might be that would keep to read this dribble. As always, I welcome your comments (except for spammers, that’s getting old).
- jason
Day 20
by jason on Feb.03, 2010, under Design
I keep skipping days, and then I keep writing about skipping days…heh. I really need a new theme for February, if you have any ideas please let me know. Here’s day 20 (relatively speaking), it’s basically just a 5–10 min playground of some brushes, brush tool options, and some pen tool techniques. It took me years to get a handle on the pen tool and then one day it clicked, who knew.
Day 18
by jason on Feb.01, 2010, under Design
I’ve gotten pretty bad about skipping days… regardless, here’s day 18. January is over so “thoughts” theme is finished, Haven’t decided on February’s theme, I’m open for input. Was thinking about “solitude” or “nighttime”.
Day 13
by jason on Jan.27, 2010, under Design
Day 13… thanks for stopping by.
Day 12
by jason on Jan.26, 2010, under Design
Very small changes to a stock photo, i think maybe day 13 will be an addition to this…
Day 11(ish)
by jason on Jan.25, 2010, under Design
Feels a bit of throwback to my search for a good stock photo then call it a wrap days. Oh well, I suppose you could argue an eye for concepts… or just chalk it up to time or laziness, whatever. (edit. apparently I spelled solitude wrong, /shrug)
Day 9 — The Formula
by jason on Jan.21, 2010, under Design
Yes, its a formula… an incomplete view, like anyone knows the whole thing anyway…
