NorthPoint Blog: August 2019

Forced Perspective is an optical illusion that makes objects appear larger, smaller, farther or closer than they appear. Using both eyes, we can get a sense of depth in space allowing us to tell how far something is. When only one eye (or camera lens) is being used, this ability of sensing depth is flattened to one focal point, or perspective. And with that, some interesting things can happen!

Have a look at these 10 examples of Forced Perspective, it just might spark a fresh idea for your next campaign.

Need help with an upcoming campaign? From brainstorming and design to production and fulfillment, NorthPoint has you covered!

Glasses that are made for staring at a screen for prolonged amounts of time

Price Point: $3.64 - $9.00

Available Colors: Custom

Perfect For: Employee Gifts / Client Gifts / Corporate Swag Stores / Tradeshow Giveaways / Travel Items / Swag Store Real Estate / New Hire Giveaways

Take a step into the future with me friends! Have you ever been looking at a screen for so long that your eyes start to strain, you begin getting headaches, your vision becomes blurry, and you mentally become tired? This is due to blue light, a kind of light that effects the back of your eyes. However there's no need to worry! Put down the ibuprofen, because we have a fun and fashionable fix for you! These Blue Light glasses have special light blocking lenses that stop the exposure of blue light to your eyes and have attractive unisex frames that are COMPLETELY CUSTOMIZABLE! (Say whaaaaaat?!) Get super creative with your designs and create the perfect pair of glasses that your client will want to show off all day and all night!

Ever want your full color logo (which might include some gradients) imprinted on a t-shirt but find yourself having to defer to your one-color logo with screen printing? Well, heat transfer imprinting could be your solution!

How it works:

There are two main methods of heat transfer. Either with special ink printed graphics on transfer paper, or vinyl cut outs of your intended design. Both ways use the same process of applying the design. Using a heat press, the pressure and heat will melt the adhesive on the back of the graphic and adhere to the item, creating a lasting bond.

What is it used for:

Apparel such as sports uniforms, corporate wear, comfy clothes, etc., also drinkware, notebooks, umbrellas, collateral and more!

Pro: These kinds of prints produce high-quality, colorful prints of photo-realistic images, which allows for extremely detailed and design crazy prints. These prints are also very durable and work well for objects that exposed to the elements making it a good long-term solution. Not limited to certain t-shirt blends.

Con: Large quantity runs can be a little bit expensive. The graphic is not fused to the material of the item like in dye sublimation, but rather sits on top.

Need graphics or apparel printed for your upcoming tradeshow? Utilize the printing expertise of NorthPoint!

Price Point: $21.43 - $23.38

Available Colors: Camo / Black / Silver / Copper

Perfect For: Employee Appreciation Gifts / Client Appreciation Gifts / Corporate Swag Stores / Tradeshow Giveaways / Travel Items / Barware Items

If you asked us to name the three things we like least about the summer, we'd probably say the traffic, sunburns, and warm beer. Seeing as we can't do anything about the traffic or your sunburn, we thought we'd solve the warm beer problem once and for all! The Frosty Beer 2 Go is inspired and created to keep your bottles icy cold and crisp to taste! Don't worry if you're not a big beer drinker either, as the Frosty Beer 2 Go also works with any type of bottle or can. It's made with vacuum insulation and has a double wall of stainless-steel technology to ensure that all beverages stay frosty cold. It also comes equipped with a bottle opener on the top (yup, it's got everything). Etch your gorgeous logo onto this product and be the life of the party, king of the office, and savior of the beach!

Ever find yourself singing a commercial jingle or repeating the same few notes over and over again? That’s Audio Branding doing it’s job.

Branding can go beyond the visual aesthetic of your company or product. Audio signatures or jingles can plant a seed for recall in your customer’s brain. In today’s digital age where video marketing is one of the most effective tools, perhaps it’s time to add an audio signature for your brand to go along with your logo if you don’t already have one. Ask yourself, “what does my brand sound like?” Remember to keep it short, unique, and pleasing.

Let’s look at some big names across all industries to see how effective their audio branding is at staying memorable.

1. Intel

2. THX

3. Nintendo Switch

4. Netflix

5. South West

6. McDonald’s

7. Walt Disney Pictures

8. T-Mobile

9. XBOX 360

10. NBC

Price Point: $19.90 - $22.90

Available Colors: Black

Perfect For: Tradeshow Raffle Prizes / Client Gifts/ Employee Gifts/ Tradeshow Giveaways / Desktop Swag / Office Swag / Swag Store Real Estate

Let's bring a little bit of battery life to your phone, some organization to your desk, and light to your workday! The Illume Wireless Charging Station is the ultimate desktop accessory for all you workhorses out there! This charging station conveniently sits on your desk (or anywhere you choose to put it) allowing you to easily charge your phone. The Illume also has three built in USB hubs which provide charging options for your friends, family, or co-workers. Also, this product allows for a really 'POPPIN' design with a light up logo that sits against a jet black exterior to make it truly shine!

Dye Sublimation

Dye Sublimation. You may have heard this term before when ordering booth graphics for an upcoming tradeshow, but do you know what it is or how the process works?

Let’s start with the basic definition -- sublimation is the change of solid particles into a gaseous state.

How it works:

Your logo or design is printed on transfer paper material using sublimation ink. Then, the transfer paper and fabric (or item) goes into a heat press (350-400 degrees Fahrenheit), this is where the magic happens. Due to pressure and heat, the ink changes from a solid into gas. Once in a gaseous state, it will permeate the fibers and pores of the material. After the pressure and heat are removed, it changes back into a solid for a permanent finish. Then the fabric gets trimmed and sewn for it’s intended purpose.

What is it used for:

Tradeshow fabric graphics, polyester apparel, mugs, phone cases, awards, and more! Essentially products that are deemed compatible with sublimation, however, it’s mainly used with fabric printing.

Pro: Compared to direct to garment printing, dye sublimation offers crisper detail and brighter colors. Ultimately, this process provides a full color print option where it wouldn’t be possible otherwise. Need an all-over printed t-shirt? Dye sublimation makes that possible.

Con: The process takes longer due to the extra steps after printing but is worth it in the long run to have a better looking print.

Need graphics printed for your upcoming tradeshow? Utilize the printing expertise of NorthPoint!

Price Point: $8.33 - $9.93

Available Colors: White, Gunmetal, Champagne, Black

Perfect For: Tradeshow Giveaways / Client Giveaways/ Employee Gifts/ Travel Items/ Office Swag/ Swag Store Real Estate/ New Hire Giveaways

It's a bird...No it's a plane...NO, oh my gosh it's...it's...THE POWER PEN! If you've ever fallen victim to the evil low battery notification on your phone, or if you're just in need of a pen that goes the extra mile, then the Power Pen is the hero you need! It has a built in 650 mAh battery, data sync capabilities and the ability to power up your average smartphone all combined into a medium point pen with black ink and an added stylus at the tip for even more functionality. Be the superhero of your tradeshow, company, or event by giving the gift of the Power Pen adorned with you stunning logo!

Digital Painting is a new medium for the digital age -- creating beautiful artwork without the mess of paint and no need to wait for drying. Programs today can mimic the physics and texture of paints on screen, although it still requires the same skill and knowledge of regular painting. Choose any color you want, any style of brush, and any texture of canvas.

Using some sort of interface, either graphic tablet or display, in conjunction with a stylus to act as your brush, allows you to get started painting digitally. Programs such as Adobe Photoshop or Procreate have special features that are perfect for digital painting, such as the ability to simulate pressure from the stylus, or paint on separate layers to allow you to tweak them when needed. Make a mistake? Just hit undo! The digital process is streamlined and more convenient than traditional painting.

Have a look at these works of art below to see how beautiful and unique digital painting can really be.