english-for-designers

Voice & Tone

Creating a voice, tone and style guide helps me to act and speak consistently - through time and across all communication channels. It helps also an audience to understand me and create a relationship with me (and my work). Following that strengthened trust in me. Because who do we feel more? The one who behaves our every meeting differently and changes their opinion every time? Or the one who has their own character and is authentic?

Voice

Voice is how I act, how my personality is.

• I am honest and casual. But building credibility.
• I’m taking it easy! But I’m not indifferent.
• I am proud of what I do, but always humble. Never conceited.
• Straight to the point! I can express myself easily. I simplify it if it is possible. But I’m not afraid „to fly away“ for a while sometimes, if it suits.
• I am alive, enthusiastic, I am not afraid to show feelings. But never affected. I’m staying authentic.
• I am kind and playful. But not childish.
• I am using humor when it comes naturally. Not trying to be funny by force. Make fun of yourself, but never humiliate yourself.

Tone

My tone is how I speak, how I use my voice in different situations. It is similar like face-to-face communication in real life. We use the tone according to who we’re talking to and what we’re talking about, but our personality (voice) remains the same.

Regardless of formality level

• be empathic, try to feel the situation, and respond accordingly.
• go straight to the point! Express it easily.
• stay honest and authentic.
• use humor when it comes naturally, not try to be funny by force.
• be creative! be free to use movie quotes, original metaphor, verse, etc.
• ask questions, open topics, be mysterious sometimes.

Style

Overall

• Use active voice, instead of passive voice.
• Use plain English.
• Write positively, instead of negatively.

Details

• Shorten the words, if it is possible.
• Use a consistent title hierarchy. Use strong headlines.
• Use paragraphs to segment the text.
• Use abbreviations and acronyms in this way:
  • First use: National Gallery Prague (NGP)
  • Second use: NGP

Example (Aboutness)

We perceive the world through images. So is it probably a good way how to communicate with each other, right? That’s the reason I am a graphic designer.

I see every brand, logo, book, magazine, poster, animation, and everything from the visual world, as a being. How to dress this person to attract attention? How to keep eye contact? How to speak for him so that others listen to him, understand and answer him? How to make others want to be friends with him and be proud of it?

Due to my background in production design, I am often thinking about graphics as a part of space. I enjoy applied graphics on the walls, used in projections and installations, in fashion, in print. I am often bringing life and authenticity into the clear graphics through using traditional media, hand drawing, and writing.

I live in Prague, the city of hundred spires, but you maybe know it better as the place, where “I enjoyed the great party, man!”. I am in love with exploring the cultural events of all kinds, finding inspiration for life in movies and serials, gossiping and deep talking with friends, drawing, painting, lettering, building scenographic construction, and creating other handmade stuff, where you can go dirty, riding the horse, talking about going to yoga and gym, and sometimes actually going there.