Remember when all the Microsoft Office windows were umpteen million shades of gray and plain old white?  It used to drive me crazy.  I would change my font type color just to put something attractive on the screen even if I didn’t keep the document that way in the end.

What is it they say?  “Things have come a long way baby!”?

If you like things a little hotter when it comes to your materials there are plenty of ways you can do that without adding cost.

Color is my all time favorite!

Here are a couple of tools to help you set a pallete or determine the exact colors of a client logo. 

The web-based Color Palette Generator allows you to deposit a url in the slot and voila!  Instant color sensation.  If you aren’t into the cute default pallete try Saturn or an ultra-modern deco drawing in the url box.  The generator will provide you with multiple colors in the bold or muted sides of the photo’s pallete.

Maybe a specific color is more of what you had in mind.  Instant Eyedropper is a freeware tool which will tell you the exact color you are looking for in many different color formats to use on the web or in documents.  This tool is the handiest for getting your documents to match client color schemes exactly.

Text and nothin’ but text…

Makes your participants very bored!  If your text is long and daunting then break it up.  My journalism professor used to say, “What space sells.”  I’m not sure how true that is these days but it sure is easier on the eyes.

If you don’t have an enless supply of clipart, and most of us don’t, then create some of your own.  Not everything found in your materials needs to be ubber serious.  One of my favorite photo modification websites is the Warholizer.  This thing is fun on top of fun as each click gives you a brand new random creation based on the file you upload.

What Andy missed in effects variety he made up for in color.  If the colors there weren’t enough for you then give the effects at Dumpr a try.  They offer a variety of effects for free and some at a premium.  (Psst!  The coolest ones are free!)

White binder, anyone?

Use some of the above tools to make your binders stand out too.  If your white binder looks like everyone else’s white binder your participants will have a hard time using it as a reference.  Create a custom cover and bridge using the tools mentioned above to really make your binder pop.

If all the cheap and free stuff is more than you can handle then try these sweet things!  (You know how sometimes after a product is introduced you realize you should have produced it yourself a long time ago because you could have used them a bunch before they really hit the market?  That is what happened with me and these babies!)  They are called Ready Index Double-Column Table of Contents Dividers by Avery.  They provide a double set of 8 tabs for a whopping 16 tabs total.  Get you some at the nearest office supply super store!

Bonus!

If you want to jazz up your computer then try these items of freeware at Stardock for color and variety!

Munching away -

Sundi