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Does anyone have a recommendation for a single-page brand template I can purchase? There are so many out there; I just want to get one that's well-supported.
Thanks!
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My first thought is that if you need a template, you may not have a set of design chops that will let you make much use of one.
Perhaps kindlier, if you can't create your own template to churn out branding references — given that most existing templates of any kind are quirky to difficult to flat out broken and take a learning curve and some fixes to use well — maybe it would be a good developmental exercise.
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Wow! That's incredibly rude. I thought we were here to support one another—not throw stones. James, you're assuming a lot in your response. If you don't want to help, don't.
The fact is that I don't do enough logo work to justify creating a template that I could probably spend $20 on, so I would rather purchase one and tweak it accordingly.
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Well, the intention was direct, not "rude," but answers from our better-angel Barb do tend to shift the goalposts a bit. 🙂
I'll just note that you —
This, unfortunately, paints you into a fairly small box, and that box is what my response is directed at. Perhaps everything presented is wrong on both sides, in which case, I apologize and hope you find what you're looking for.
Just for context, all of us are here to help each other, newbs and experts alike, and few questions go unanswered in helpful and generally civil ways. But there's a class of visitor here that is not only woefully underskilled/untrained, but asking for help with what are obviously pay projects for clients — and not a few of these posters are rude and argumentative as well; they want a fix/solution/workaround not just now, but framed in exactly whatever inept or unworkable way they have conceived. And hurry, please, their client and hir check is waiting. Your "box" comes awful close to that model.
I gave you a straightforward answer as well: templates are not an good solution unless you're pretty highly skilled and willing to sort out the designer's quirks and tricks (we see many posts from even skilled users trying to figure out how this or that detail was done, and it's often something off-the-charts wonky). Templates for many things, branding sheets included, are not a difficult thing for a skilled user — such as one doing branding and logo work for a client — to whip up, matching their preferences and the "vibe"/needs of the brand presentation, and preparing such a sheet is learning and development time well spent. About the only thing I didn't say was that paying for templates is a very chancy and usually unnecessary thing, with the many free models available, if you insist on taking that route — a route many find to be a bigger PITA, in the end, than just creating their own layout etc. from scratch. And double all that as you say you don't do it often, making investment in a one-shot template even more questionable.
I may be no better angel here, but I do help many visitors, even the kind of frustrating ones. But I have a longstanding bias against those who are in way over their head while charging a client for their work; such types ("But I paid for the Adobe tools! *footstomp*") are legion and it gives all of us and the industry a bad odor. I am always on the side of professionalism first and get a little short with those looking for free passes.
So, very politely, pro to pro and with apologies for any misunderstanding of your position: if you're pro enough to be doing logo and branding work, you should be pro enough to do your own simple support work like branding sheets, and even if a sometime thing it's a useful approach and effort, and most templates will be less help/a bigger annoyance than you think, and paying for templates should be done only on the very, very most selective basis.
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Once again, you're making assumptions. I've been designing for 18 years. I already have my own branding sheet that I designed, but there's nothing wrong with looking for new or better ways to do your job. That's why many "professional" graphic designers outsource some aspects of their work, such as illustration, photography, website development, etc. Could I do all of those things? Sure, I could, and I have. But does it make good business sense to be a jack-of-all-trades? Probably not.
I used to spend hours saving a logo in different file formats to deliver to my clients. Now, there's a tool that does that within a few minutes. Other tools like Corebook allow "professional" designers to create style guides to share with clients via the cloud. Does that mean those designers are newbies, hacks, or lazy? Or are they simply looking for a better, faster, and more productive way to do their jobs?
James, I appreciate your help, but I almost wish I hadn't posted this thread. I'm already up to my ears in work and the last thing I needed was a good berating for a simple template recommendation.
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Okay. Then just take the sincere apology for misunderstanding and we'll let it go. Different strokes and all that.
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Agreed, and no worries. I do admire your passion, though. Have a great weekend!
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On the other hand, I see using a template an efficient way to get organized and can remind us what should be included if this is your first time creating a brand guideline. Take a look at stock.adobe.com. There a quite a few brand templates available, and we can support you on their usage.
~Barb
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Thanks, Barb. I appreciate your advice.
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Vetted templates as a basis for doing repetive work are a good thing. Reaching for an untried template as a shortcut to what should be a professional end, knowing (as we do) that many are quirky, broken and far more difficult to adjust and adapt than they should be... not so much. I am always leery of requests for a specific template, whether it's from a newb thinking one will let them turn out a pro result with few skills or a fellow pro not aware that they are only sometimes a good off-the-shelf substitute for scratch or adapted work.
And, as I said above, double down on that when lack of skill and/or a reach for a shortcut seems to be on some unsuspecting client's nickel.
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