JUSTINE LAMER

Graphic design

8 INSTAGRAM REELS IDEAS FOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

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8 Instagram Reels ideas for Graphic designers

I am so glad you stopped by to read about the 8 Instagram Reels Ideas for Graphic Designers.

Alright, my fellow Graphic Designers, I know how hard it is to show your face on camera.

We are insiders, we love to be behind our computer screen and create all day!

But, Instagram made it clear that Reels are now essential for your growth on the platform.

So, if like me, Instagram is where you find your clients and show off projects, here are my 8 Instagram Reels Ideas for Graphic Designers. 

Let’s go!

8 Instagram Reels ideas for Graphic designers

1- 15 SECONDS DESIGN PROJECT PRESENTATION

So, take whatever design project you’ve just created or even a project that is old but you are proud of and breaking it down in 15 seconds.

Either explain with a voice-over the choices you made or present it with a cool trending song and mockups.

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2- BEHIND THE SCENE OF THE DESIGN

This one is easy! 

Show your computer screen, and explain quickly what you are working on.

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3- YOUR GRAPHIC DESIGN PROCESS

So, basically in this Instagram Reels, you are going to explain your Graphic design process from onboarding to finish. 

You do not have to show your face, you can make really nice animated design or background videos with animated text!

4- INQUIRY AND INFORMATION

Alright, this one is a little tricky for my “shy” designers.

I encourage you to show your face on this one, even if you are not very comfortable. 

If you want prospects to get to your Inquiry Form or to contact you, they need to be comfortable/confident by seeing your face!

It will be easier for clients to work with you if they can see the face behind the design!

So, introduce yourself, talk, and show them where they can contact you.

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5- QUICK PORTFOLIO

So, this one is fun! 

That is a little challenging but we love a good challenge.

Try to show off as many Graphic Design projects as possible in less than 30 seconds.

Good luck and have fun!

6- EDUCATE YOUR AUDIENCE

Now, if Graphic Design doesn’t have any secrets for you, it is still a big mystery for others out there.

So, start by educating your audience on Graphic design terms, techniques, history, and psychology.

7- REVIEW AND TESTIMONIAL

So, The best way to land a client for a new project is to show off what you’ve done in the past and what the satisfied client said about you and your work.

Easy, start the Instagram reels by showing the work you’ve done and then make a transition with what the client said!

BOOM!

8- BEFORE AND AFTER

I will never get old of watching “before and after” Reels.

For like any subjects or industry. It is so satisfying to watch something changed for the better.

So, do the same with your work.

Now, there are two ways to do this. 

First, show your graphic design work when you started (like the sketch) and make the transition to the finished project.

Second, show what your client was working with before he hired you and then show how you transformed his brand, logo, poster, and so on.

 

 

Thank you so much for reading about the 8 Instagram Reels Ideas for Graphic Designers.

If you’ve more ideas, please share them in the comments down below!

Before you leave, you might be interested in reading about the tools and software I use as a Graphic Designer.

See you back here soon

Justine Lamer

MY GO-TO GRAPHIC ASSETS AND ELEMENTS

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my go-to assets graphics and elements

I am glad you stopped here, to read this blog post because it is about to get fun! 

Today, I am going to share with you my go-to graphic assets and elements.

So, if you are a graphic designer, you probably know those terms. 

If not, graphic assets and elements are “add-on graphics” that are already made by amazing other graphic designers and artists.

Graphic assets can be Mockups, Illustrations, and more.

Elements can be Icons and other kinds of templates.

Ready? Then, let’s dive right into my go-to graphic assets and elements.

my go-to graphic assets and elements

1- WHERE TO FIND GRAPHIC ASSETS AND ELEMENTS?

Ok, so of course, I think the first thing I can share is where do I find my go-to graphic assets and elements?

And, my principal source of graphics is Envato Elements.

What is Envato Elements?

Envato Elements is an unlimited subscription service for digital assets, tailored to the needs of agencies, designers, marketers and other professionals who need items on a frequent or high-volume basis

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So, to be able to get graphic and elements assets on Envato Elements, you will have to get their subscription.

They have multiple plans you can choose from!

Look at Envato Elements Pricing Here.

 

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2- MY GO-TO GRAPHIC ASSETS: MOCKUPS

So, the first go-to graphic asset I always search for is Mockups!

In manufacturing and design, a mockup, or mock-up, is a scale or full-size model of a design or device, used for teaching, demonstration, design evaluation, promotion, and other purposes. A mockup may be a prototype if it provides at least part of the functionality of a system and enables testing of a design.

my go-to graphic assets and elements
Related: THE BEST 9 FREE MOCKUPS WEBSITES

3- DITAL ASSETS GO-TO: SOCIAL MEDIA TEMPLATES

Alright, the second go-to graphic asset I always search for is Social Media Templates.

And, I stop you here! I know what you must think.

Why are you not making your own social media templates as a graphic designer? Well, my short answer is TIME.

As a Graphic designer, you have multiple accounts to take care of and a lot of Graphic design templates to create for your clients.

Now, sometimes when I want to go faster, I bulk Pinterest Pins design for example.

I will go to Envato Elements and search for new Pinterest Pin Social media templates!

my go-to graphic assets and elements

4- MY GO-TO GRAPHIC ELEMENTS: ICON, PHOTO AND VIDEO STOCKS

So, I have a couple of elements I liked to search for when designing. 

Of course, one of them is Icons! But not only.

I also look for Illustrations, Painting,s and any other little graphic I can need!

Now, Envato Elements provide great options that you can use on your Personal and Commercial Projects.

On another note (and other elements) Photos and videos are a huge part of my designs! I like to be able to have access to some new photos or footage!

my go-to graphic assets and elements
my go-to graphic assets and elements

5- FREE GO-TO GRAPHIC ASSETS AND ELEMENTS

Alright, I can’t really leave you there with only payment options for your graphic assets and elements.

So, here are a couple of sites you can look at.

Note that, since those elements are free, you might not be able to use them commercially.

ALWAYS look at the license that comes with the digital asset you are downloading.

– Pexels: Stock Photos and Videos

– Icons8: Icons

– Unsplash: Stock Photos

– Graphic Burger: Mockups

my go-to graphic assets and elements

Thank you so much for reading about my go-to graphic assets and elements.

Before you leave, you might be interested in reading about the tools and software I use as a Graphic Designer.

See you back here soon

Justine Lamer

MY BRANDING DESIGN PROCESS

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my branding design process

Let’s talk about my branding design process!

In this blog post, I wanted to take the time to explain what happens when you decide to work with me.

So, branding your business is a big deal, this is why it’s important you understand what you are paying for!

Alright, let’s dive deep into my branding design process.

my branding design process

1- ENQUIRY FORM + PHONE CALL

So, the first step in the process is the Enquiry form!

If you wish to work with me, you will have to answer a couple of questions I added in my Enquiry Form.

equiry form design by justine lamer
Justine lamer Branding services

Once you’ve entered your information, I will review them.

From there, you will receive an email from me to schedule our phone call.

So, during our phone call, we will talk a lot about you and your business.

I will ask you some more questions about your goals, design styles, and more.

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2- FINDING DIRECTION

Let’s start by identifying the design style following the brief.

I will put together 2 one page design inspirations to help you discover which design style you feel most connected to.

Those two mood boards will have deep explanations on imagery, colors, and typography chosen.

You won’t be lost and will understand my choices perfectly.

 

3- BRAINSTORMING AND SKETCHING

So, this step is made for me only!

Basically, I will generate as many ideas that adhere to the agreed-upon style.

So, based on the research previously made, I will brainstorm and start sketching logo designs.

Related: BECOMING A BRAND DESIGNER

4- CONCEPT SELECTION

So, once the best of my sketches is chosen, it is time to digitize them into workable vector objects.

I will send you 2 to 3 different logo design ideas in black and white. 

Why black and white? So, you can focus on the concept, not on the colors.

Once the concept is chosen, I will start making tweaks and changes.

This is when your dream branding comes to life.

5- DEVELOPPING A BRANDING SYSTEM

Once the logo concept is approved, and I have an overall style direction. 

I can start picking typography pairing, color palette, color combination, and other supporting brand assets.

6- PRESENTATION & DELIVERABLES

The last step is to create and send the final files in CMYK, RGB pdf, jpg, png & more.

I will send you a brand presentation and brand guidelines Manual.

BRAND PRESENTATION

is a PDF document with a heavy description of the reasons “why” and talking about how the design can support the overall company story.

BRAND GUIDELINES MANUAL

is a multiple-page document that outlines how to use the brand on a wide variety of assets. 

It will outline the “do’s and don’ts” for the company’s new design.

FINAL FILES

All your files will be sent thanks to a sharing folder on OneDrive!

You will get:

  • CMYK, RGB & Pantone colors.
  • PDF, PNG, JPG, SVG, and EPS file.

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Thank you so much for reading about my branding design process!

Before you leave, you might be interested in reading about the tools and software I use as a Graphic Designer.

See you back here soon

Justine Lamer

HOW TO START WITH GRAPHIC DESIGN

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You are here because you wish to know how to start with graphic design.

In this blog post, I will share the tools you need to get started, as well as the basics theory of Graphic Design you need to learn.

So, if you wish to start learning graphic design because you are a small business who to start creating its own design projects, this is for YOU!

Let’s dive right into how to start with Graphic Design.

1- LEARN THE BASICS

So, if I was to start from the beginning when learning Graphic Design, I would start with terms, words, and quick rules.

It is important to know the differences between typefaces and fonts but also understand shapes, perspectives, and layouts.

Where to learn the basics of Graphic design?

So, you can get free, quick, and basic knowledge on YouTube.

There is a lot of awesome designers out there that share very useful information.

However, if you are looking to get more explicit information like in-depth courses and projects, I encourage you to subscribe to a platform like Skillshare.

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What is Skillshare?

Skillshare is an online learning community where you can explore thousands of classes in design, photography, business, and more. New customers can get started with a free trial to get unlimited access to the entire catalog with a Premium Membership.

I wrote an article called: SKILLSHARE CLASSES YOU MUST TAKE TO MASTER GRAPHIC DESIGN!

Go check it out, this is the classes to take if you want to start with Graphic Design.

Try Skillshare Premium for one month for free

Justine lamer Branding services

2- START WITH EASY GRAPHIC DESIGN TOOLS

So, if you want to start with Graphic design without becoming a Graphic Designer, using the adobe creative cloud is not necessary.

Unless this is exactly what you want to master. (In that case, you need to learn those heavy programs)

Now, if you only want to know how to make quick designs for your business, like Instagram post templates, social media banners, and other digital designs, you can start using apps like Canva and Over.

Related: THE BEST 9 FREE MOCKUPS WEBSITES

What is Canva?

Launched in 2013, Canva is an online design and publishing tool with a mission to empower everyone in the world to design anything and publish anywhere.

Try Canva for free

What is Over?

Over is everything you need to be a brand-building, social-media marketing guru. With beautiful, hand-curated, and easy-to-edit photo and video templates, Over helps you create impactful content that will make your brand stand out. Customize your designs with colors and captions, videos and photos, graphics, and fonts.

Try Over for free

So, those two graphic designs tools for beginners helped me realized how much I loved creating, from there I learned Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, and more!

Thank you so much for reading about how to get started with Graphic Design.

Before you leave, you might be interested in reading about the tools and software I use as a Graphic Designer.

See you back here soon

Justine Lamer

TOOLS AND SOFTWARE I USE AS A GRAPHIC DESIGNER

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tools and software i use as a graphic designer

You stopped here because you want to know the tools and software I use as a Graphic Designer.

So, in this blog post, I will share everything I ever used to create amazing designs!

I am about to upgrade some of my tools, (coming up this week).

Therefore, I will share that as well!

Now, let’s dive right into the tools and software I use as a Graphic Designer.

tools and software i use as a graphic designer

1- TOOLS

So, let’s start with the tools I am using to run my Graphic Design Business.

Desktop & more

As of right now, I am using a Laptop!

So, I have the Macbook Pro 13inch from 2019.

This is my main tool! I do absolutely everything on it, like video editing, photo editing, logo design, etc.

Now, I told you I was upgrading some of my tools. I am getting the Mac Mini (desktop).

So, I will keep my Macbook Pro for when I need to work on the go!

With the Mac Mini, I’ve got a brand new LG 4k Display that I cannot wait to use!

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iPad & more

I have quite a lot of little tools I am using every day as a Graphic Designer.

One of them is a really cool gaming mouse that I literally stole from my husband.

I loved it so much that he had to buy a new one for himself 😂

So, the mouse is a Logitech G Pro wireless

With this mouse, I also got a really cool keyboard from the Brand Jelly comb!

I love it because I can add multiple devices and switch between my computer to my iPad.

Here is the Keyboard: Jelly Comb Bluetooth Keyboard

Last but not least of my tool is my iPad Pro 11inch 2020 and my Apple Pencil 2nd generation.

2- SOFTWARE

The Adobe Creative Cloud

Alright, I use multiple software as a Graphic Designer.

A lot of them are included in my Adobe creative cloud subscription. 

  • Adobe Illustrator: Logo Design
  • Adobe Photoshop: Photo editing, social media posts.
  • Adobe Premiere Pro: Video editing
Related: THE BEST 9 FREE MOCKUPS WEBSITES

More Software

  • Astropad Studio: Turn your iPad into a drawing tablet with Astropad Studio. Extend your Mac display to any iPad or Mac.
  • Procreate: Most powerful and intuitive digital illustration app available for iPad. It’s packed with features artists love, and it’s an iPad exclusive.
  • Canva: Create beautiful designs with your team. Use Canva’s drag-and-drop feature and layouts to design, share and print business cards.

Thank you so much for reading about the tools and software I use as a graphic designer.

Before you leave, you might be interested in reading about Skillshare classes you must take to master graphic design.

See you again soon,

Justine Lamer

SKILLSHARE CLASSES YOU MUST TAKE TO MASTER GRAPHIC DESIGN

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You stopped here because you wish to know what Skillshare classes you must take to master graphic design.

Let’s start with what is Skillshare and how much does it cost?

So, Skillshare is a learning community for creators. Anyone can take an online class, watch video lessons, create projects, and even teach a class themselves.

How much is Skillshare? So, first, know that Skillshare is offering one free month of Skillshare Premium, which is a great way to get started.

Once your free trial ends you can either pay a monthly subscription of $32/mo or be billed $168 annually.

So, know that you have the basics, let me share with you the Skillshare classes you must take to master graphic design.

Skillshare classes you must take to master graphic design

1- MASTER ABODE ILLUSTRATOR

So, thanks to Skillshare, I have learned to master Adobe Illustrator!

Here are the classes I have taken to do so:

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2- MASTER GRAPHIC DESIGN

So, in this category, I have a favorite teacher and watch all of her classes about graphic design. The teacher’s name is Lindsay Marsh!

Here are my favorite classes:

3- MASTER ADOBE PHOTOSHOP AND PREMIERE PRO

As a graphic designer, I am using Photoshop and Illustrator quite a lot!

But I also do a lot of video editing.

So, here are all my favorite classes about Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Pro:

Related: THE BEST 9 FREE MOCKUPS WEBSITES

Here you have 11 Skillshare Classes you must take to master Graphic Design!

So, that is a lot of time learning, making passion projects, taking notes, and re-watching some parts! It is all worth it and hopefully, you will enjoy those classes and the teachers as much as I did!

Thank you so much for reading about Skillshare classes you must take to master graphic design.

Before you leave, you might be interested in reading about becoming a Graphic Designer.

See you again soon,

Justine Lamer

BECOMING A BRAND DESIGNER

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becoming a graphic designer

You stopped here because you want to know why I decided to become a Brand Designer?

Maybe, you also wonder why becoming a brand designer? What does it take?

In this blog post, I am going to share with you why I am switching career paths and build my graphic design business.

I will break this article into a couple of different sections:

  • From Digital Marketing to Graphic Design
  • What is a Brand Designer?
  • Why did I choose this aspect of Graphic Design?
  • My services & Enquiry Form

Now, let’s dive right into why becoming a brand designer?

1- FROM DIGITAL MARKETING TO GRAPHIC DESIGN

Here is my story:

My background is quite interesting! I was born and raised in France where I’ve got my bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing.

Shortly after that, I decided it was time for me to go on an adventure before starting a real career in Digital Marketing.

Therefore, in 2016, I landed in The United States of America. So, Welcome to Florida!

In 2020, after working for an amazing family for 4 years, I made the decision to open my online business where I offered Digital Marketing services.

My services included some graphic design work!

And I quickly fell in love with making designs, drawing digital illustrations, and creating brand identities.

After rebranding my company, Justine Lamer LLC, I am now offering businesses the opportunity to work with me to build an amazing brand for themselves.

Brand design ad leaterboard

2- WHAT IS A BRAND DESIGNER?

So, that is the question you are probably asking yourself.

What is a Brand Designer anyway?

A brand designer is a person that is going to use graphic design to create and build a brand for a business.

Basically, he or she will create your logo suite (primary logo, variations, sub marks), your color palette & typography pairing, but that’s not it. It goes way beyond the logo.

So, brand designers are making sure your brand is delivering a message and share a feeling. That includes a lot of research, time & guidelines.

Related: THE BEST 9 FREE MOCKUPS WEBSITES

3- WHY DID I CHOOSE THIS ASPECT OF GRAPHIC DESIGN?

Graphic design includes a lot of different project types and niches.

Here is some of them:

  • Logo design
  • UX/UI & Web design
  • Editorial Design
  • Branding
  • Social media & Digital Design
  • Illustration & Digital Art
  • Package design

Instead of doing a little bit of everything graphic design, I decided to focus on Logo, Branding, and Digital Design.

The reason is that I love building brand language (meaning how to communicate through words and stories) and brand visual (meaning how to communicate through photos, graphics, and colors.

I also love typography and find myself customizing fonts often!

I do have a hobby of drawing digital illustrations and I like to be able to draw unique pieces for brands.

Brand design ad square

4- MY SERVICES AND ENQUIRY FORM

So, I am offering 3 different branding packages.

  • Branding Basic
  • Branding Startup
  • Branding Ultimate

You can go check them out here: My Services.

If this article already sold you and you wish to work with me, simply answer the Enquiry Form Here!

If you can’t find what you are looking for and wish to get further info, you can always contact me at Justine@justinelamer.com

Thank you so much for reading about why becoming a brand designer.

Before you leave, you might be interested in 10 amazing free fonts for commercial use.

Until next time,

Justine Lamer

How to design a quote graphic with Over App

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Have you ever wondered, how to design a quote graphic for your social media platforms?

Today, I am going to show you step by step, what you have to do to create and design a quote graphic using the Over App.

Not familiar with Over App ? don’t panic!

You can download the App on your phone for free, and use the free features to create your quote.

Without a subscription, you will be limited because you won’t have access to every graphics or fonts, but you will have enough resources to be able to create a quote graphic.

Without further due, let’s get started.

BACKGROUND SEARCH

The first step to design a quote, is to find the perfect background.

It can be a picture from your phone, an image, or just a background color.

What I like to do is going on Pinterest and search for “Wallpaper” or “Background”.

But if I know exactly what I want to create, I would be more precise on my search, like: “Blue butterfly wallpaper” or “background jungle pattern”.

Sometimes, it’s hard to think of what you want to create.

If you need inspiration and want to browse backgrounds before making your decision, you can go to my Pinterest Profile.

I created a board called “Wallpaper for content creation” where I pin a different kind of wallpapers (Image, Colorful, Pattern, Illustrations, etc.)

You found your background? Great! 

Now download the image on your phone. 

QUOTE SEARCH

If you already know the quote you want to add to your design, you can skip this part.

You can create your QUOTE! Meaning writing whatever is on your mind.

But you can use a quote from a movie, a tv show or search for an inspirational and motivational quote on Pinterest.

(I also have a board on my Pinterest Profile called “QUOTES” if you want to check it out)

I love short quotes because it’s easier to make a cute design.

Go on Pinterest or Google search if you like it better, and get a meaningful quote to add to your background.

OVER APP

Add your background and choose your Fonts.

Now, we are getting into the fun part!

After you downloaded your wallpaper/background, it’s time to open the Over App.

Once the App is open, tap on the + button and choose transparent.

From there you will be able to choose the size of your quote graphic. I always choose Instagram Story size which is 1080×1920.

Then, you need to transfer your background from the image section, bottom left.

Your image will look small; you will need to zoom in until you can’t see the transparent background. Center your image how you like it and DONE.

From there, you need to add your quotes, so let’s tap on “text” beside the image section and start writing your quote.

Then you will be able to choose whatever Font you like!

If you go to the left in the “text section”, you will see an arrow, click on it! It will bring you to the Over App library Font!

Custom your design by adding Graphics

After adding your background and your text, you can choose to keep it that way and save your work, or you can add some graphics to make it more your own.

To do so, you will have to go to the graphic section and search for graphics that can match your background or your quote.

For example, if your quote is about nature, you can search for birds, flowers or clouds, etc.

You can add as many graphics as you want!

You can decide to put them on one part of your text or between letters. Everything is possible.

EXPORT AND SHARE

Once you are satisfied with your design, save your work in PNG or JPG. It’s up to you!

Then, it’s time to share it with the world!

Add your perfect and unique creation to your Instagram story or make an Instagram post.

You can also add your quotes to one of your boards on Pinterest and call it a day!

You DID IT! That was how you create and design a quote graphic with Over App.

If you are posting your creation on Instagram, please Tag me @justiinelamer. I would love to see your work.

I hope you guys liked it and I cannot wait to see your design.

Until next time,

Xoxo, Justine.

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