In the spirit of Valentines Day, we thought we would share seven things we love that are FREE. Check out these great items below:

1. Pinterest

This user-friendly internet application allows you to categorize, bookmark, and share anything you find on the web. It can be a powerful tool for sorting inspiration and ideas so they are easily accessed, but doubles as a fun way to share things you love with friends.

http://pinterest.com

2. Color Palette Generator

This free tool allows you to upload a photo and instantly make color palettes based on those that are in the image, allowing you to quickly and easily come up with a beautiful color scheme for any design.

www.degraeve.com/color-palette

3. Google Analytics

While this one has been around for awhile, we’ve feel that it’s usability is underrated. This powerful web tool allows you to track the traffic of any website or web page, and breaks it down into categories for easy comprehension. Using this tool could really help you boost your web presence, and with such an easy install it’s a win-win!

http://www.google.com/analytics

4. What The Font

This free iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad application allows you to photograph any type you see, and instantly tells you what the font is. This is an awesome tool for on-the-go design sleuthing, emulating a particular style, or simply being able to identify a font you find out and about.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/whatthefont/id304304134?mt=8

5. Google Chrome

Yes, another Google product. Here’s why: Google Chrome not only has a super-intuitive and clean user interface, but get this — it has amazing developer tools! What’s more, they’re just as easy to use as all of the other services Google offers, and allow you to quickly and easily pull colors, images, type formatting, code, and even scripts from websites. This could cut time on low-budget web products, especially if you’re updating an existing site and need to pull elements from it to create new material.

http://support.google.com/chrome/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=95346

6. Prezi

For those of us who dread creating a PowerPoint presentation for our clients, Prezi offers a unique and easy way to create presentations that go above and beyond the expected. As designers, we’re generally expected to be able to create visually stimulating presentations, but let’s face it: The more time you spend on a pitch presentation’s design, the more money you’re wasting. Prezi allows you to create an interesting, unique presentation that will wow your clients and save you time.

http://prezi.com

7. Font Squirrel

Okay, so not all of us have thousands of dollars to spend on augmenting our font libraries, but as professionals, free font sites are a touchy subject. Fontsquirrel offers a quality assortment of high quality free fonts that you’ll love to use and most likely won’t pop up on any High School yearbooks.

http://www.fontsquirrel.com

Out of ideas for your Valentine? The day is coming…it’s almost the 14th! If you have the ability to get creative, here are some different ideas that you just might be looking for.

1. Mix a CD with custom album artwork

If your valentine appreciates good music, why not put a new spin on the classic mix tape by putting together a special playlist and designing fabulous album artwork that your favorite person can enjoy for years to come. Better yet, do it every year so your valentine can collect volumes of music that you both love.

2. Valentine coupon book

The coupon book is something you can buy almost anywhere on the internet, but creating your own takes it to the next level. Think up cute themes that your valentine will appreciate, and earn yourself some extra points!

3. Custom print materials

Websites like Apple Book, Shutterfly, Blurb, and even Kinko’s all offer fantastic rates for low volume runs, great ideas for personalized gifts, and the opportunity to print more if the need arises. Creating a calendar, photo album, custom mug, or personalized king size blanket will most definitely make your valentine happy this year.

4. Custom designed candy packaging

Who doesn’t love candy for Valentine’s day? I’m pretty sure no one in their right mind would turn down a box of chocolates or candy hearts with personalized packaging. This idea will get you major brownie points.

5. Personalized slideshow or video

Use your photoshop skills to create a slideshow or video of you and your valentine. Post it on your Facebook wall, Youtube, Vimeo, or put a disc in an old fashioned valentine.

6. Original animated e-card

If you’re well-versed (or willing to experiment) in Flash or other animation programs, consider creating a personalized animated e-card to send to your valentine’s email or post online for them to see.

7. Personalized glassware

The fancy valentine’s day dinner is one of the best ways to show your significant other you love them, and personalized glassware that they can keep forever will make the night memorable for years to come. Come up with a fun logo that visually describes you and your valentine and it’ll add that special extra touch to your home-cooked valentine’s day dinner.

Have you been playing our Facebook Logo Mystery Game? If not, you should really consider joining in the fun and enter for a chance to win a free gift card from us! (Become a fan of “Jennergy” on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennergy/96663530644) This month we decided that for each person who attempted to guess our daily mystery logo, we would put their names into a drawing. It didn’t matter if someone had already guessed it, or if 50 people got it right. You simply took your honest guess each day (no cheating!), and we entered you into the drawing. All that mattered was you attempted to participate and interact with Jennergy and our fans (and of course, you had to “like” the page to be an official winner). The more you played, the more you are likely to win (and hey, let’s keep it fun. One guess per logo). Today is February 1st, and we drew January’s winner. We had over 105 names in our drawing today!

For the month of February, we decided we are going to continue the same game this month. So, get to “liking” Jennergy on Facebook, and get into our game! Share with your friends, and spread the word. A little competition is always nice in friendly fun. Don’t you want want a free gift card? After all, who doesn’t like free stuff?

January’s winner is (see below…)

Ever wonder what goes in to the design of a logo? Well, there are many essential steps and elements of good identity design, but use of shape is one of the most important things in effective logos. While there are many logos that are instantly recognizable because of their color or imagery, the majority are recognizable because of an overall shape or outline. In fact, there are a host of logos that would be recognizable strictly in black and white outline, and the addition of color only makes them more unmistakable. Today, we’ll explore how important shape is to a successful logo, how shapes are implemented, and why they work.

The first, most important aspect of logo design is that it must be functional. Functional meaning it must match the identity of the company and the logo must have the ability to be shown in a variety of mediums and contexts. If the design of a logo uses too many colors and complex shapes, it will be more difficult to reproduce and may not even be applicable to certain media such as embroidery or black and white printing. On the other hand, too simple can mean an uninteresting and unmemorable identity. There’s a fine balance between too complex and too simple, and a good logo rides right in between the two. Simple, clean, easy to reproduce, yet unique and eye-catching.

Logos like Shell, Apple, and MasterCard have a distinctive outline that is simple, yet would be easily recognizable in a strict shape. Over the years, all three of these logos have undergone changes of every sort, but have retained a similar or unchanging outline. While Shell’s logo has changed the most, all three have undergone minor facelifts. Because the basic outline hasn’t changed, they are still highly recognizable no matter which version you were looking at. In fact, it probably wouldn’t matter what color or pattern they might have, they would still remain distinguishable.

Some logos rely on a complex outline, or even the shape of type to create their outline. The McDonald’s logo, the Cummins logo, and Fed Ex are all great examples of strictly typographic logos that art highly recognizable because of their overall shape. Again, in any color, texture, or pattern — all three of these logos would maintain their original character, strictly because of the shapes that form them.

So next time you look at a logo, picture it only in outline, in black and white, and any context you can think of and consider how well it would work. You’ll probably find that the logos you instantly thought were the best are able to be manipulated this way and retain their identity. Better yet, post links to your favorite logos in the comments and tell us why you like them to continue the conversation!

Today, there are hundreds of thousands of eager creatives pounding the streets outside design and marketing corporations, fighting for the meager chances of employment. Because our economy is currently suffering, companies are employing less and less, and the number of the unemployed continues to rise.

In such a competitive job market, it’s more important than ever to stand out amongst the masses, especially in a job interview. Everyone is hopeful that they will stand out to a potential employer, but we’ll divulge a few surefire ways to the second interview, or possibly get you hired.

1. Dress Nicely

This means dress appropriately for the interview. Dressing nicely doesn’t mean showing off your fanciest club outfit or your favorite pair of skater shoes. The goal is to be respectful and professional. Yes, you are a creative. But it doesn’t mean that a Tshirt and jeans are acceptable interview attire. Time to grow up!

It is okay, however, to add a few touches that bring out your personality. If you love funky belt buckles, consider pairing your favorite piece with some nice slacks, a button down shirt, and some dress shoes. Or, if your “thing” is your crazy hand-made brooches, pin one to a nicely tailored blouse. After all, you’re applying for a creative position, not a bank. Just use good taste and common sense.

 2. Bring A Fantastic Sketchbook

A sketchbook isn’t something that everyone thinks to bring to an interview; after all, it contains the most raw, unrefined examples of your work, and maybe some ideas you weren’t so crazy about. This doesn’t matter. The reason your interviewer will love to see your sketchbook is not for your amazing draftsmanship (although an added bonus), but to see your thought process, how you work through a design problem, and even how you approach design. Showing your sketchbook could mean the difference between being hired and being immediately forgotten, so bring it!

 3. Have A Killer Portfolio

Everyone knows to bring their portfolio, and everyone knows to present a nice portfolio, but going the extra mile here is really where it counts. Make sure that your work is represented accurately, truthfully, and in the best way possible. This means using your photoshop skills, your printing skills, and your design skills to the best of your knowledge. After all, if you aren’t willing to go the extra mile to make your own work fabulous, then what will you do when it comes to clients? Do whatever it takes, spend whatever money you have to, but be absolutely certain that your portfolio is amazing on every level, from your own work, to the book it’s self. Remember, it represents you.

4. Know Your Adobe Software

Being able to not only articulate, but demonstrate your knowledge of creative software is crucial. Be prepared to be honest about what you know and don’t know. Also, let them know which programs you are more confident in than others (I’m terrific at Indesign, however, I’m still learning how to take my illustrations to vector format in Illustrator). If you’re not as fluent as the firm might like, a great way to approach this is by stating that while your experience is limited, your desire to expand your knowledge and skill in this area. A “willing to learn” attitude is helpful…just be prepared to prove it.

5. Have A Website And/Or A Blog Of Your Work

A web portfolio can be a fantastic tool for phone interviews, giving your interviewer the virtual view of your portfolio, and a place to refer back to when considering you for the position. Also, being able to provide a link to your website or blog can be the piece that gets you the interview in the first place.

In addition, keeping a blog of inspirational material or your work process is the equivalent of a great sketchbook. It shows not only that you are responsible enough to post on your blog regularly, but will show a great chronicle of your problem solving, where your inspiration comes from, and what your visual style is.

6. Have A Positive Attitude

When you go in for an interview, your attitude can make or break your chances of being hired or even considered for a job. There are several key reasons for this, but chiefly that they want to hire someone that they want to work with; If you portray yourself as fun, dedicated, willing, and sufficiently humble, you are more likely to be hired.

While confidence is a must, so is a bit of humility— no employer wants to hire a cocky, entitled person to work in their firm, and the line between cocky and confident can be a fine one indeed. Just make sure you don’t cross over.

A positive attitude also means that you should be willing to do whatever it takes to become the person your interviewer is looking for. Again, being honest about your shortfalls and eager to eliminate them is a must. Remember, no one will exactly match a job description; it’s your job to make sure you find out what it is they want from you, and how you can deliver. If this means taking some extra hours in the evening to learn a new skill or brush up on an unused one, be willing to do so and be sure to let your interviewer know.

7. Be Kind…Send A Thank-You Card

This may sound like an old fashioned thing to do— after all, you’re not even sure you got the job yet. Sending a thank-you in any form, especially in a nicely designed printed card, will put you leaps ahead of the pack in several ways.

First, you are giving your potential employer another piece of your design, which hopefully adds another dimension to the amazing design of your personal identity. They’ll be sure to keep it in their desk, on a bulletin board, or wherever they put pretty cards and notes, yet another opportunity for them to remember you.

In addition to seeing more of your design, they’ll be flattered that you sent a thank-you. Sending a thank-you is something employers rarely see after an interview (do people think we don’t like to be thanked for our time?!), and by doing so you’ll become more memorable to your potential boss.

All of these tips are important, and if you follow them you are guaranteed to have a better chance of being hired for a position. Most importantly though, you should do your research on the places you intend to apply for. Find out names, design style, who their clients are, what they prefer to design, and anything you can possibly learn. Finally, just be yourself, relax a little (though not too much) and enjoy the interview. After all, what is an interview but a conversation about yourself and your work? Keep your fingers crossed, a smile on your face, and brush your hair. You’ll do great.

Come Join The Jennergy Fun!

There’s been something buzzing on our Facebook page, and it doesn’t have wings — it’s our new logo game! We have been placing a picture of a popular logo on Facebook and stripping most of the information out of it, and it’s your job to guess what company the logo belongs to.

In the short time that we’ve been doing this contest, it’s popularity has grown so much that we’ve decided to add a blog article every month to give our viewers some insight on logo design. In addition to expanding on the mechanics of logos and how they are designed, we will be posting links to our Facebook so you can join in on the fun.

In this series, you’ll find out how logos work, why they are so recognizable, how they affect you, and some fun facts about semiotics, color, shape, and the human brain. Stay tuned for our next article on the principles of shape in logo design! This is going to be a fascinating investigation into the design of logos, so make sure you get in the game!

While we’re on the subject, do you know that colors like yellow, red, and orange are used in fast food logos (such as McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Burger King) because they make you feel hungry? The colors send signals to the brain that mean that it’s time to eat, and actually make you think that you are hungry. If you want to learn more, be sure to stay tuned for our next article, and don’t forget to like our Facebook page so you can participate in our contest!

As everyone knows, the holidays are a time when we are bombarded with more advertisements than we can possibly take in, and for most people it is both exhausting and annoying. If you are a creative person, however, the holiday advertisements are the gifts of people’s ideas for the world to see, and can be a great source of inspiration for us.

We’ve included some of our favorites which are either inspiring, laugh-inducing, or a little of both to get you in the holiday spirit. Enjoy!

1. Target— 2011 Ad Series

These series of commercials for Target proves that if you invent a great character, it’ll last through more than one concept. The artistic direction, choice of actress, use of color and pure energy make this holiday ad a winner. Bravo!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIEvvriLDdY&feature=related

2. Tommy Hilfiger: House Par-Tay

This style icon has always been known to have only the coolest advertisements, and this Christmas commercial is no exception. From the music to the eye candy, this ad makes you want to jump up and dance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyyI3WtKMO8

3. Target— Last Minute Santa

Although this commercial aired on a past holiday season, we thought it ranked so high on our great holiday commercial list, we had to post it. They did alter it in 2011, but the first version is just pure classic. Because of the strong conceptual vision of this ad, all that was needed were music and visuals. Done deal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOgslt3MjKE

4. Pampers Peace on Earth

Okay, so who doesn’t love babies? Yeah, we thought so. This veteran commercial gets us every year with it’s quiet, beautiful reminder of how something as simple as a sleeping baby with Silent Night A Cappella can move your audience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxnP17r8E5o

5. John Lewis Christmas Advert 2011

This commercial puts a fabulous twist on a kid that can’t wait for Christmas. It’s enough to make even the most cold-hearted Scrooge melt. Oh yeah, and the Morrissey cover makes it even better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSLOnR1s74o

Those are our favorites from this year, but we’d love to know about your favorite holiday commercial! Feel free to share your favorites too! Did we forget any?

According to many people, Google+ is the next big thing in the social networking world, and will wipe Facebook out of existence just as Facebook did with Myspace. Whether this is true or not, there will be thousands of people jumping on the bandwagon now that Google+ has gone public, creating the perfect social networking opportunity for those of us who are looking to generate clients using this avenue. In this article, we’ll tell you why it’s a good idea to jump on this bandwagon and how to best use it to your advantage.

First of all, Google+ is largely like Facebook, and can be used in almost the exact same way. However, it does have a few innovative new ideas that make social networking easier to handle. Some features include circles, some sweet formatting commands, video chatting, news, custom viewing based on geographic area, and a few more fun things.

The use of circles is the biggest difference from Facebook, although the latter has recently incorporated a similar feature in their newest version. The difference is the ease of use in Google+ and the flexibility it gives you when posting. When you open an account on Google+, you’ll have four circles to start with. You can re-name, add extra circles, and you can organize these circles as you choose. When you make a post, you can share it to all of your circles, one circle in particular, a specific group of people, or one specific person.This comes in handy for a business who needs to organize people based on relationship or audience, and streamlines posting so that the account owner can target a specific audience when posting.

As for the individual post, there are some fun new formatting commands that Google+ has included that allow the user to send a clear message. For example, the wrap_around a phrase — it sets the text in italics — * for bold, and _* for bold italic text. To tag people in posts, add @ or + and the person’s name to the post. Additionally, you can mute comments on a particularly popular post, so that you don’t receive a thousand notifications that people have +1 (the Google+ equivalent of “like”) or commented on your post.

By far, the coolest and fanciest feature of Google+ is the Hangout feature. With this fun application, you can create a video chat session in which multiple people can participate. Google+ also offers a conventional chat application that works the same as the Facebook chat feature.

Another cool feature is the ability to customize a news page based on your interests, feed viewing options that allow you to only see posts from certain circles or people in your geographic area, and options for alert delivery. However, we couldn’t find a way to create an event that people can be invited to, RSVP, and provide comments. Google+ didn’t seem to have this incredibly useful feature, but we are sure they have something up their sleeve.

Overall, as stated before, Google+ is a lot like Facebook, with a few more bells and whistles. We wouldn’t recommend you dump your Facebook account yet, but the sooner you jump on the Google+ bandwagon, the better you’ll be at managing it when it really picks up. For now it feels a bit like a big empty room, but we expect Google+ will become a full house within the next year.

Looking to find a perfect gift for your creative friend or family member? These are the gifts that keep on giving all year round! We found some things we’d love to see under the tree this year. These gifts are sure to make your letter to Santa a little longer too. Be sure to put this on the Christmas list this year:

1. Wacom Inkling Pen
Forget the scanner! This is a hot new little number that allow you to sketch on paper while it draws your image on the screen. See it here: http://www.wacom.com/en/Products/Inkling.aspx
Cost: $199 at Amazon.com

2. Subscription to Lynda.com
Lynda offers an online training library that provides anytime access to over 69,000 easy-to-use video tutorials from experts on Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Flash, web design, digital video and audio, creative inspiration, and much more.
Cost: $25—$375
http://www.lynda.com/

3. Typography Fashion
Allow the artist to wear their work!
Cost: $4+
http://www.zazzle.com/typography+clothing
http://shop.cafepress.com

4. Subscription to a design magazine like Print or How
It doesn’t matter how far along you are in your career — we all need constant creative inspiration. These are vital subscriptions to any creative in the industry.
Cost: $40
http://www.howdesign.com/
http://www.printmag.com

5.  A good design book like The Smashing Book or Logolounge
Hitting a creative slump? Get inspired! See what other are doing by simply picking up a book.
Cost: Free—$49.80
https://shop.smashingmagazine.com/
http://www.logolounge.com/

6. Bose Headphones
We all need to tune out all the extra “noise” sometimes. A lot of artists like to work with music, especially if they work in cube farm. Give your quality person quality sound.
Cost: $299.95—$349.95
http://www.bose.com

7. Moleskine or Field Notes sketchbook
It always feels great to start with a clean slate. Consider purchasing a new sketchbook to start the New Year fresh.
Cost: Around $10
http://www.moleskine.com/
http://fieldnotesbrand.com/