Layer Studio

THE NOTEBOOK

Useful reading. Practical next steps.

Complete guides to the decisions behind clearer design and more usable brand materials.

Choose the question you need to answer.

Start with the design brief if you need to put a project into words. Read the identity guide when the question extends beyond a logo. The print checklist helps prepare a conversation with your printer, while the asset-folder guide is for the people who will need to find and use the finished files.

Each guide includes a practical walkthrough, a working checklist and answers to common questions. Use them to prepare decisions and identify missing information. Examples are illustrative; your scope, deliverables and responsibilities are agreed around your project.

GUIDE 01 · 5 MIN READ

How to write a design brief that gives a project direction

A clear design brief aligns expectations before work begins. This guide shows how to separate confirmed facts from a possible deliverable list, covering audience, objective, constraints, supplied content and approvals. A hypothetical independent bakery illustrates each section so you can apply the structure to your own project.

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GUIDE 02 · 5 MIN READ

Build a visual identity that works beyond the logo

A logo is only one part of a visual identity. This guide explains how to build a system that works across screens and print, covering variants, spacing, typography, colour contrast, image direction, templates, and real-world checks like mobile headers versus printed labels.

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GUIDE 03 · 5 MIN READ

Before artwork goes to print: a practical handover checklist

A practical guide for UK businesses preparing artwork for print. Layer Studio explains what to ask your printer about dimensions, bleed, safe area, colour profile, resolution, PDF proofs, dielines and signoff. Use the checklist to collect the production requirements for your particular job before final artwork is approved.

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GUIDE 04 · 4 MIN READ

A usable brand folder: organise files for the people who need them

A clear brand folder keeps your visual assets accessible and safe. This guide shows how to separate source, export and preview files, name items consistently, manage licences and permissions, archive versions, and hand over a manifest so anyone can find what they need.

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