Masthead design process for Karobar Rastriya Arthik Dainik

Monday, 19 October 2009 at 05:02
The masthead design for Karobar Rastriya Arthik Dainik started with a simple concept that it should reflect the nature and content of the newspaper. The keywords I kept in mind were “business”, “money”, “finance” and “transaction.” After consulting with the team (I work in-house as chief of the design team in Karobar) we came up with few prototypes out of which one was the final design itself.


We decided to incorporate a banknote bill with the design. The bill need not be a regular bill, therefore we decided to stylise it using arrows to denote the flowing concept of money (this concept frankly, worked out incredible.) The only place we could do that was on top of the “ro” letter. We also had a coin in mind, but felt that a coin would not have worked as good as the note worked. That the note was finalised, we tried a real banknote (see below) which looked funny, and we realised the possible problem a low-resolution photograph of a banknote could create. That led us to agree that the note should be a vector shape and not a photograph of the note. We tried two variations of the note, out of which we agreed upon the one that contained a mountain in it (real banknotes have mountain on them too.) The possible colours we zeroed down upon were purple, orange and red. Purple, because no publication had used it before, orange for elegance and red for powerfulness. Finally, we decided a brownish tint of red for the masthead colour.

Next was the typography. I certainly did not want to use any known typeface for the design. This led me to create an entirely new type for the masthead design. I set out to breakdown the Franklin Gothic Demi Bold font for the typeface. See the breakdown process below:

Here are other masthead designs that did not quite make it:


Check out the masthead in action:


Many thanks to editor Prateek dai, Vijayababu dai and dear friend Ankur who made the design process possible. Thanks to all!

फेसबुकमा सुरक्षित कसरी रहने

Monday, 21 September 2009 at 22:36
नभईपनि नहुने भएरपनि पिरलो पार्ने सामाजिक संजालहरूले प्रयोगकर्ताहरूमा पारेको सकारात्मक र नकारात्मक घटनाहरूका बारेमा हामीले पढेका छौं र बेलाबखतमा सायद सुनेका र प्रत्यक्षरूपमा भोगेकापनि छौं । करिब तीन-चार महिना अघिको कुरा हो, मेरो एउटा साथीको फेसबुक अकाउण्ट ह्याक भएछ । साईबर क्याफेबाट ईन्टरनेट चलाएर हिंड्ने बेला साईन आउट गर्न बिर्सेछ, मौका छोपेर कुन सड्को अर्को चाहीँले हात पारेर नानाथरि आल्तु-फाल्तु कुराहरू पोष्ट गरेर कत्रो आपत ! फेरि एकएक जनासंग नगरेको भुलको माफी माग्दै हिंड्नु पर्यो बिचरोले । कतै तपाँईपनि यस्तो कुनै समस्याको सिकार त हुनु भएको छैन?

फेसबुक, ट्वीटरजस्ता सामाजिक संजालका सेवाहरूले हाम्रो जीवन सरल पारेर हाम्रो सु-सूचित रहने चाहनालाई पूरा त गरिदिएको छ, तर त्यो संगसंगै हाम्रो व्यक्तिगत गोपनियता र सुरक्षाप्रति ठुलो प्रश्नचिन्ह खडा गरिदिएको छ । तर यसको पुरै दोष प्रविधि र संजाल सेवा प्रदायकहरूलाई दिन भने मिल्दैन । व्यक्तिगत गोपनियता बनाईराख्ने जिम्मेवारी सेवाग्राहीको आफ्नो हो । संजालमा आबध्द भएर मेरो गोपनियता भंग नहोस् भनेर सोचिराख्नुपनि एक किसिमको गल्ती हो । यदि तपाँईलाई आफ्नो गोपनियता भंग हुने शंका छ भने यस्ता संजालहरुमा आबध्द नहुनुनै बेस हुन्छ ।

यदि तपाँई हैन म फेसबुकजस्तो सामाजिक संजाल सेवा सुरक्षित तरिकाले चलाईराख्छु भन्नुहुन्छ भने यो कुराहरू ध्यानमा राख्नुहोस् ।

  • आफ्नो फेसबुक प्रोफाईलमा रिलेशनशिप स्टेटस, लुकिङ फर जस्ता कुरा उल्लेख नगर्नुहोस् । बाहिरबाट मान्छेले तपाँईलाई सर्च गरेर भेट्टाउन सक्ने मापदण्डहरू यिनै हुन् र यो नराखेपछि तपाँईको नाम सर्चको नतिजामा आउनसक्ने सम्भावना घट्छ ।

    BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384166674934178370

  • नचिनेको वा कुनै म्युचल फ्रेण्ड नभएको व्यक्तिको साथी बनाउने अनुरोध स्वीकार नगरिहाल्नुहोस्।

  • साईबर क्याफे लगायत कलेज, अफिसबाट नेट चलाएर छोड्दा सधैं लग आउट गर्न नबिर्सिनुहोस् । पासवर्ड आदि सेभ गरेर राखेको आफ्नो ल्यापटप वा व्यक्तिगत कम्प्युटर कसैलाई छुन नदिनुहोस् ।

  • BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384166674934178220यदि कसैले तपाँईसंग नराम्रो व्यवहार गर्छ भने उसलाई त्यस्तो नगर भन्नुहोस् । तर नमानेर त्यस्तै व्यवहार गरिरह्यो भने उसलाई आफ्नो फेसबुक मित्रहरूको सूचीबाट हटाईदिनुहोस् । यदि तपाँईलाई उक्त व्यक्तिले दुर्व्यवहार गरेको जस्तो लागेभने फेसबुकका अधिकारीहरूलाई त्यस व्यक्तिको बारेमा“रिपोर्ट” गरेर जानकारी दिनुहोस् ।

  • धेरै राम्रोसंग परिचय नभएका फेसबुक मित्रहरूसंग आफ्नो स्कुल कलेजका साथीसंग गर्नेजस्तो व्यवहार नगर्नुहोस् । राम्रोसंग चिनजान नभएका व्यक्तिसंग अचानक अनावश्यक रूपमा घुलमिल गर्न खोज्दा समस्याहरू पर्न सक्छन् । त्यसैले पहिला के कस्तो खालको व्यक्ति हो राम्रोसंग बुझेर मात्र मित्रता अघि बढाउनुहोस्।

  • कुनैपनि क्वीज वा फेसबुकभन्दा बाहिरका एप्लीकेशनहरूलाई तपाँईको विवरण स्वत: प्राप्त गर्ने अनुमति नदिनुहोस् । तपाँईको नाम र ईमेल ठेगाना प्राप्त गर्नसक्ने एप्लीकेशनले खोजेभने अरू जेसुकैपनि प्राप्त गर्न सक्छ ।

    BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384166674934178370

  • कुनैपनि चीजको फ्यान बन्ने वा ग्रुपमा सामेल हुने काम नगरिहाल्नुहोस् । यसो गर्नाले तपाँईको प्रोफाईल तस्वीर र नाम तपाँईले नचिनेका करोडौं मान्छेहरूले सार्वजनिक रूपमा देख्न सक्नेछन् ।

  • BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384166674934378370यदि कुनै व्यक्तिका एक्टीभिटी वा क्वीज तपाँई आफ्नो फेसबुक होमपेजबाट हटाउन चाहनुहुन्छ भने उक्त एक्टीभिटीको दाहिनेतिरको “हाईड” थिचेर व्यक्ति वा एप्लीकेशन के हटाउने हो हटाउन सक्नुहुन्छ । फेरि देखाउन चाहनुहुन्छ भने एक्टीभिटी फिडको अन्त्यमा गएर दाहिने तिर रहेको “एडिट अप्शनस्”बाट के के राख्ने हटाउने तय गर्नुहोस् ।

  • तपाँईका मित्रहरूले तपाँईलाई एप्लीकेशन चलाउने र फ्यान बन्ने निमन्त्रणा पठाईरहन्छन भनेपनि स्वीकार नगर्नुहोस् ।

  • BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384166674934178370कसैकोपनि बारेमा केहीपनि भन्न नहुने वा लेख्न नहुने कुरा नलेख्नुहोस् । तपाँई र उक्त व्यक्ति फेसबुक मित्र नभएपनि अरू मित्रको माध्यमबाट त्यो कुरा उक्त व्यक्तिसम्म पुग्न सक्ने सम्भावना हुन्छ । हेर्दा एउटा कोठामा एक्लै बसेर लेखेकोजस्तो लागेपनि त्यो कुरा संसारभरिका जुनसुकै व्यक्तिले जहाँसुकैबाटपनि पढ्न सक्छन । होसियारी अपनाउनुहोस् ।

  • तपाँईले अपलोड गरेका तस्वीर तपाँईका मित्र नबनेकाले सोझै हेर्न नसक्ने भएतापनि गुगल, बिङका माध्यमबाट खोजेर हेर्न सकिन्छ । यदि तपाँई कुनै साथीले तपाँईलाई उसको तस्वीरमा ट्याग नगरोस् भन्ने चाहनुहुन्छ भने “प्रिभेसी सेटिङ” मा गएर गोपनियता परिवर्तन गर्नुहोस् । अथवा साथीले उसको तस्वीरमा तपाँईलाई गरेको ट्याग तपाँईले मेटाईदिनुभयो भने त्यो साथीले तपाँईलाई त्यही तस्वीरमा फेरि ट्याग गर्न सक्दैन ।

  • साथीहरूलाई जस्तै “स्कूलका साथी,” “कलेजका साथी,” “अफिस” र “नेटमा भेटेका साथी” भनेर वर्गीकरण गरेर राख्नुहोस् । त्यसो गर्दा कुन वर्गका साथीलाई के के हेर्न अनुमति दिने भनेर छुट्याउन मिल्छ । यसरी वर्ग तोक्नाले च्याटमा पनि कुन वर्गलाई अनलाईन राख्ने र कुन वर्गलाई अफलाईन देखाउने भनेर छुट्याउन मिल्छ ।


  • र, यदि तपाँईलाई हैन अब अत्ति भयो र म यहाँबाट निस्कन चाहन्छु भन्ने सोच राख्नुहुन्छ भने “अकाउण्ट सेटिङ्स”मा गएर आफ्नो फेसबुक अकाउण्ट निस्क्रिय पार्न सक्नुहुन्छ । त्यसो गर्नाले फेसबुकबाट तपाँईका पोष्टहरू, तस्वीर, नाम र अस्तित्व सबै हट्छन र तपाँईका साथीहरूले तपाँईलाई भेट्टाउन सक्दैनन् । तर याद राख्नुहोस् निस्क्रिय पारेर फेरि तपाँईले लग ईन गर्ने बित्तिकै सबैथोक फेरि दुरूस्त रूपले सक्रिय हुन्छ ।

    BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384166674934178370

तर तपाँईले आफ्नो फेसबुक निस्क्रिय पारेर नै सबै समस्या समाधान भने हुदैंनन् । फेसबुकमा एकदम शालिन, सुशील भएर प्रस्तुत हुनुहोस् र सधैं भलादमीजस्तो बानी गर्नुहोस् । त्यसो गर्नाले कहिल्यै तपाँईले बिदा लिन्छु भनेर सोच्नु पर्दैन । यदि फेसबुकको उस्तै खालको पट्यारलाग्दो दैनिक गफगाफले थाक्नु भएको छ भने ईन्टरनेटको लाईन थुत्नुहोस्, कम्प्युटर बन्द गर्नुहोस् र दुई चार दिन पोखरा बन्दीपुर घुमेर आउनुहोस् ।

10 Nepalese you should follow if you're into technology

Thursday, 3 September 2009 at 21:04
If you're looking to connect to the best technology people in business in Nepal, perhaps this list should give you an idea about whom you should be following in twitter. Since this isn't an exhaustive list, I would appreciate if you could recommend your tweeple by commenting on this post.

Alok Thapa @aa1ok



Anjan Shrestha @anjhero



Deep Sherchan @bexdeep



Bibek Shrestha @bibstha



Freddie Benjamin @freddie_b



Geshan Manandhar @geshan



Kailash Gyawali @iklash



Bhupendra Khanal @leplan



Mahésh Shrestha @maheshcha



Manoj Chandi Shrestha @manojchandi



...and to mention the 11th one... (doing just a bit of self-promotion here) ;)

Swapnil Acharya @schwafnil



I ♥ Wallpapers

Wednesday, 26 August 2009 at 03:31
Do you love typography just like the way I do? If yes, here is a set of 7 colourful minimalist wallpapers featuring the best names in typography. There is one for every day of the week. (Click on the image below to download the full resolution. All wallpapers are 1280x960.)




Enjoy.

Say No to Plagarism

Sunday, 9 August 2009 at 09:36
My website cucweb.org has been stolen: not by one but by two different websites.


Original cucweb.org website.


As stolen by OP Turkey website.


Stolen by Vivvo.cz website.

A Mindful Design

Tuesday, 4 August 2009 at 09:32
The name of my latest venture is "Mindful Medicine Worldwide" for which I developed the logo and the website. It is a healthcare campaign run in developing countries by a Seattle-based volunteer Grainne McKeown, whom I got to meet through Liz Lance, whose website (http://fulbright.lizlance.com) I worked on previously.

I met Grainne two days before she left Nepal. I've interacted with her very less during the making of this project as she frequently went to rural places when Internet wasn't accessible. I've met her through IM only twice while while this was project was in the pipeline.


Mindful Medicine website homepage screenshot.


Screenshot of "Get Involved" page (L) and the MMW logo with bodhi leaf (R)


Alternate versions of the MMW logos that did not make it.


Rejected, dropped and alternate versions of the MMW homepage designs respectively.

Visit the website in action at http://mindfulmedicineworldwide.com and visit MMW Blog at http://mindfulmedicineworldwide.com/blog.php.

10 Worst Nepali Websites

Saturday, 1 August 2009 at 03:25
Gosh, It certainly does not feel great writing this post, but if I don't write somebody else will eventually do. I spent the last three days digging for not-so-great Nepali websites over the Internet. Out of all the outrageously uncool websites I discovered, some were thoroughly amusing, some were innocently humorous while some were outright ignorant and stubborn. Though this is not an exhaustive list, however I've tried jotting down 10 websites I don't think rock big time.

I do not intend to offend anyone, as I am trying to show designers where they're lagging and the importance of possessing the ability to accept one’s incompetence and work harder to live up to the mark. Please do not take anything personally, as I am criticising your work and not you as a person.

Sambidhan.org




We're supposed to be proud of this website that it is about the great Constitution of Nepal, but wait - you'll very soon start pulling your hair once you've navigated a bit through this website. Horrible design, spelling mistakes all over the place - I had never seen these many spelling and grammar mistackes (oops, mistakes) in a single web page, (and please don't aplologise for anything, we understand the problem of this website very well.)
http://www.sambidhan.org/


Inland Revenue Department




Okay, lets face it - this website is downright tacky. I've been helping out dad fill out the VAT forms and let me tell you the process sucks. Apart from the hideous design, every time you need to create a new user account for every transaction, the website makes no use of Unicode (so many modern browsers can't render the site,) information is hard to find, every time you make a mistake the session cookie collapses and you're bounced back to the homepage... phew! what more can I say? You see it for yourself.
http://ird.gov.np/


Ministry of Labour and Transport Management




Okay, how about some animated gif National Flag waving in the background? Now THAT is innovative. Once in, don't forget to check out the floating left navigation panel that appears differently in different browsers (it's also got this incredible feature of being able to overlap, hide and displace content below it.)
http://www.moltm.gov.np/

(Note: I will only include one government service sector website in this list, because this list is most likely turn into a novel-length book titled "Horrible Websites" if I start including all .gov.np websites.)


Tribhuwan University



This website has been down for couple of months now for maintenance. Tribhuwan University is Nepal's (and in fact one of the) largest university. It's utterly ridiculous and humiliating that TU has absolutely no idea of keeping the website regularly update. (Even when this so-called "new" website launches, I don't hold high hopes from TU website.)
http://www.tuexam.edu.np/


Nepal Research



Ouch. Your choice of colour is hurting my eyes. Somebody please turn this off!
http://www.nepalresearch.com/


Sirrose



This website is wrong for so, so many reasons. But what amuses me the most is the "Exit" link in the homepage. Perhaps the designer of this website turns to porn websites for design inspiration that he's decided to incorporate an "Exit" link here. However, the internal pages too are not less off-putting. (please by-pass the background music, this folk knows nothing about copyright laws.)
http://www.geocities.com/sirrose99/


Roshan Basnet



I think personal website excel the art of looking horrible than any other website genres. The header is seriously kicking in action: two Flash and one Java animation. Geez, this site makes me remember good ol' days when Monotype Corsiva used to be such a sweetheart. (tip: Nepal is no more a "Kingdom," update your website when information becomes obselete!) Good ol' days, good ol' days. Wow! Guestbook used to be so popular once - didn't know they were still in practise.
http://roshanbasnet.iscool.net/


Creation Soft Nepal




This site is where all your dreams come true. They even provide web design service (which is still under construction.) So if you're really looking for web designers who can make you want to cringe and cry, I think they're best suited for your requirements.
http://www.creationsoftnepal.com/


Yama to Nepal



This website sticks to a strict one page-one JPG policy. See how economic it becomes when the entire website is one standard JPG file. Saves time and space, doesn't it? It is a must see. (tip: hyperlinking pages outside the site domain requires an http:// suffix, in case you didn't know that.)
http://www.yamatonepal.com.np/


Right Education



Just doesn't look right. Don't you think it's a bit overdone? The colours? The (too many) typography? Please for god's sake stop using that magic eraser tool in Photoshop. I don't know - I just don't find this website right. Something wrong, somewhere though I understand perfectly what the designer is trying to do here. Maybe a little more effort and it could've worked better!
http://www.rightedu.edu.np/


Honourable Mention
And before I go, I must not forget all the other 40% of the Nepalese websites that proudly display "Under Construction", "404 Page not Found" or "Site Expired" messages.

Bravo folks!