123Greetings Studio Artist Community Blog

Category: Guides & Tutorials

guides & tutorials

Moving On To the Mobile Era
This blog brings to you a synopsis of the webinar previously held. Here is some useful information for all those who missed the webinar and a recap for those who were present.

Businesses are developing mobile platforms for their traditional desktop websites as new age technology and change in consumer approach demands this change. Industry insights reconfirm this theory as more and more people are now using internet on their mobile devices. From social media websites to ecommerce websites – all are seeing an increasing number of users, accessing these websites from handheld devices.

123Greetings’ analysis too confirms that its mobile traffic is steadily growing each day. And why not, after all mobile brings with it many advantages such as – convenience, faster access, personalized, saves time and o

n the go entertainment. This is a big positive for us as digital devices are used more times during the course of their day. So instead of logging in once on your computer you can access the website multiple times in a day from your phone or tablet. For example, earlier, you couldn’t send a card on the way to work, but now u can.

123Greetings Mobile Platforms

123Greetings Mobile Website: People viewing the website on hand held devices are redirected to mobile website. It has ecards for all Occasions, Events and Holidays. 123Greetings Main App: 123Greetings has two apps. The main app is for all occasions, events & holidays. 123Greetings Birthday App: This app has birthday and anniversary ecards only. Features of 123Greetings App:
- Free download on both iOS and Android.
- Syncs Birthdays and Anniversaries directly from the phone book or Facebook.
- Notifications – Birthdays/anniversaries and event reminders.
- Option to send ecards via email, SMS, Whatsapp, Facebook and other social media platforms.
- Add personal messages, schedule delivery and read receipts.
Display of Cards:
- Flash cards appear as video cards.
- All cards can be displayed in full screen mode.
- Viewing pane size: compatible to the phone’s screen size.
To suit these platforms below are some recommendations:

Flash cards:
- File Size: Recommended dimension for Flash cards: 500×350 px.
- Lighter file size to allow speedy buffering. Remember not everyone will be on wifi so buffering will depend on their internet connectivity. So lighter files will load quicker enhancing user experience.
- Play music in Loop.
- Replay button to appear 3-4 seconds after the last scene stops playing. So have a gap of 24-36 frames between the last frame and replay button.
Video cards:
- Format: Mp4
- Bit rate: 150
- Codec: HTML5
- Shorter video length (max 1 min)
- Restrict size to 3-4 mb
Card text:
- Clear font: Check font size and style.
- Readability of text – legible, colors.
- Avoid overcrowded frames: divide the message over different frames in the ecard.
By understanding requirements and delivering changes you can make a smooth transition to the mobile platforms!
July 8, 2015
Concepts for 4th of July ecards
American Independence Day is around the corner and our last year’s post, ‘Tips to create Fourth of July ecards‘, gave very detailed information on how to make suitable ecards for the occasion. This year we thought it’ll be great to think a little out of the box and dwell into unique concepts for the holiday. Think American and provide users with what they can relate to. Patriotism is the essence of the holiday but think about modern day celebrations. What do people do on the holiday?

4th of July ecard by Coeur

These are only suggestions and ideas there is a lot more you can do while keeping the sanctity of the holiday in mind.
- Happy Birthday to America: Independence Day is symbolic to America’s birthday. How about celebrating that in a unique style while paying respect to the country?
- Colors: Go crazy with the flag colors. Be imaginative and use it in different elements such as cakes & muffins, flowers, desserts, accessories for pets, balloons, bells, home décor etc.
- Summer: Make use of the season. Summer is big in the US and people enjoy doing summer activities. Beaches, sun down parties, drinks and a lot more. You may incorporate these in the cards to show a relaxing and enjoyable holiday with friends.
- Activities: What do people enjoy doing the most on the day? Family picnics in the park, Summer parties, barbecues, parades and combine these with wishes for loved ones.
- Pets: Use pets adorned in flag colors to send across wishes in a cute or special way.
- Fireworks: This is where the challenge lies. How can you make the most enjoyable element of the holiday different from the existing cards? Have different displays of fireworks or in different settings showcasing typical American scene. The card should be like an experience for the viewers, mesmerizing them in the visuals and touching their hearts with the messages.
So get going, brainstorm and produce some great work!
June 24, 2015
Flash Tutorial – Changing Positions: Flying Effect

In this video tutorial we will learn an effect which is very commonly used in ecards – the Flying Effect!
Flying effect can be applied to any static objects to make them move in a certain pre-defined path. The below video shows the steps involved in creating this effect.

This effect can be used to show effects in butterflies, birds, clouds, etc. For the convenience of users we have the layers designed in advance so we can directly work on the animation. We focus on 2 kinds of movements – flying effect – for butterflies and clouds and in place movement for the flowers.

Changing Positions – Flying Effect in Flash from Ashton Martin on Vimeo.

Other effects can be created and used for changing positions. We will learn about the bouncing effect in the next tutorial.

June 17, 2015
Tips to Create Father’s Day Ecards

“It’s only when you grow up and step back from him–or leave him for your own home – it’s only then that you can measure his greatness and fully appreciate it” – Margaret Truman. These were the wise words from the American singer/writer that leaves an impact on the readers. More so because a large population can relate to this. However, expressing emotions to Dads may not come easily to many, which is why ecards become pivotal. Here are some guidelines to help you make ecards for Father’ s Day 2015.

Cater to the Audience:

Think American and visualize in an American style. Research on what’s trending and how American dads like to spend their day. Read about their lifestyle and identify the emotions they share with their children.

Conceptualize:

This includes the concept and the story line. The recipients of cards in this case are male users. You can incorporate masculine themes or activities such as sailing, golfing, lounging, barbecues etc. Use quality visuals to illustrate the concept. The concepts may differ based on different sub-categories.

The below card is the most successful Father’s Day ecard of last year uploaded in ‘Daddy’s Girl’ sub-category. The card is beautifully themed around a little girl’s thoughts about her dad keeping the key emotions in mind and supporting them with powerful visuals.

Father’s Day ecard by Ashupatodia

Messages:

Messages should express emotions shared on the day and must also be specific to the category the card has been uploaded in. Messages from ‘Daddy’s Girl’ will differ from ‘Father’s Son’. Messages should be written keeping in mind the different equations people share with their fathers. For some it is casual and relaxed where the father is more like a friend, whereas, for some it is formal where dads are like role-models. Wishes for a great or relaxed day are suited for the Happy Father’s Day sub-category.

Colors:

Everything does not need to be blue. Break the monotone and use an array of colors. Among the existing cards you can find colors such as yellow, brown, orange and many more

Father’s Day contest is well underway and it is time to showcase your creativity and win lots of prizes. New cards have started coming in, so good luck and make the most of it!

June 2, 2015
Flash Tutorial – In Place Movement

In the first video based tutorial we learnt simple tricks to change colors using flash. In this tutorial we move on to learning an important aspect of animation i.e. In place movement.

In place movement can be applied to any static object to heighten its presence in the card and to highlight specific characters. It can especially be used to get the desired character expressions and movements. The below video shows the steps involved in creating in place movement. For the convenience of users we have the layers designed in advance so we can directly work on the animation. We focus on 3 kinds of shape transformations – skew, rotation and scaling.

In Place Animation using Flash from Ashton Martin on Vimeo.

You can apply this technique in character animation or text animation. Twinkling of stars is another useful application of this technique.

May 26, 2015
Changing Colors of An Object Using Flash

123Greetings Studio presents a series of short tutorials to sharpen your Flash technical skills.
In the first tutorial we bring to you simple Flash techniques that can transform the look of an object and add depth to the ecard. These short videos will show you simple techniques that can be used to enhance the look of an ecard.

1.1 Changing Colors of an Object – Using Shape Tween

The first video shows an object changing multiple colors. In this case we have used a static image – a smiley. This technique can however be used with any object which has a uniform fill, such as backgrounds or shapes. Example – stars, hearts etc. In this video we first create a smiley, then we add keyframes and add different colors and finally use shape tween to get the desired effect. Shape tween can be used when an object is well defined.

Changing Colors 1 from Ashton Martin on Vimeo.

1.2 Changing Colors of An object– Using Motion Tween

In the second video we learn to change colors of an object using motion tween. When an object is a symbol then motion tween is to be used. In this video we work backwards. We have the final ‘Good Morning’ scene ready post which we change the colors of a sky – depicting changes in shades from night to morning. We also focus at changing the tint and brightness of the colors.

Changing Colors 2 from Ashton Martin on Vimeo.

Moving forward you can adapt these techniques to create complex multiple color changes such as in the wings of flying butterflies. There are other simple tricks that can make a great impact on the quality of ecards and we will share these in upcoming tutorials.

Please feel free to ask any questions or clarifications for the above tutorial in the comments section below.

May 12, 2015
Using Pinterest to Promote Your Ecards
Pinterest is a great platform to promote your creations and attract the right audience for ecards. The biggest benefit lies in the fact that it has a similar audience to that of 123Greetings.com. The audience is mostly women of all age groups but the majority being older than 30. Pinterest, with its emphasis on visuals, is a powerful tool for showcasing and marketing your work and hence will prove to be a useful social media platform.

We have gone through getting started on Pinterest in a previous post on social media. Here are a few tips that allow you to best use your Pinterest profile:-
- Include your studio profile link and a brief about your work on the ‘About you’ section of your profile
- Make multiple boards to segregate your ecards
- Add a description to each of your boards. Example – A Happy birthday board can have a collection of party ideas, your ecards as birthday wishes, etc and in the description you should write what the board contains.
- Use Pinterest’ ‘Popular’. Similar to what’s trending, indicates the most searched things on Pinterest at the time. For example if love is the popular term then love ecards can be pinned so it shows easily on search results. Tip – Pinterest is big on love, inspiration and pets!
- Search for upcoming events or keywords so you know what are the popular search terms. Example if you search for Mother’s Day it displays a set of items or keywords (search most in context to Mother’s day). Cards is one such keyword for this serach hence pinning Mother’s Day cards will be fruitful. Similarly searching for April showers displays ‘bring may flowers’ and we have ecards for exactly these keywords that can be pinned for maximum visibility.
- Use these search terms as hashtags in association with your ecards
- In the description area of a Pin use keywords to describe your cards and provide a link to your card page
- Repin your cards from 123Greetings Pinterest board
- Follow profiles and boards that interest you so they follow you in return.
123Greetings Studio visualizer Janice Martin also known as Bebestarr is very active on Pinterest and categorizes her work on different boards. She has a board for Everyday ecards, Inspire ecards, Humorous ecards etc. “I did follow the advice of 123G in using social media to promote my ecards and I believe it has really paid off. I chose to use Pinterest as it seems to be so popular, and also a very easy way to post all my ecards by category. Having my Studio Profile is great, but having my ecards pinned to category-specific boards is a real asset. Pinterest captures a whole new audience that may not have been familiar with ecards in general, or 123Greetings in specific.” Her about me section is short and to the point. She not only uses Pinterest to showcase her talent but to entice users to send her ecards thus increasing her popularity.

It is time for you to try this out now and explore a new opportunity!
April 28, 2015
Tips to Create Mother’s Day Ecards

Ideally everyday should be Mother’s Day because of the role she plays in a child’s life, nurturing and supporting her children. However the second Sunday of May is especially put aside for Moms to celebrate motherhood together as a community. Our ecards have the power to delight Moms and give their children moving expressions to appreciate and thank their moms for their unconditional love. Here are some guidelines to help you make this wonderful day even more special for our users worldwide.

1) Storyline:

Identify the message you want to convey. Is it gratitude or love or wishes for a great day? A personal situation (applicable to a large audience) can be highlighted and a story built around it. The story must be around the central theme of a one-to-one relationship. In this case from a child to his/her mother. Our storyline expert Paul Solomons, says – “Watch lots of TV, films and be sure to read as much as you can. It’s great fun emulating the style of something your audience might identify with. Keep a notebook with you (or phone). Inspiration can strike at any time (usually when driving or in bed). Even germs of ideas are worth noting down.” With the ideas develop a script. The pieces must fit together and should not be randomly placed.

2) Visuals:

Use clean visuals, ensure that animation/transitions are smooth. 123Greetings Studio visualizer, GrayDreams says, “Images should express the mother-child sentiments. However, these will vary based on the age, and relationship that one has. To an elderly mother the images should convey respect and gratitude while for a first time mother it should be of care and support. Emotional images that depict mothers holding and nursing children in silhouettes format can be used to express the relationship beautifully.” You can also use cute images such as that of animated characters or animals denoting mother-child relationships. Flowers, butterflies and birds are popular with women and can be used to send out wishes.

3) Message:

Important to understand 2 concepts –
1. The target audience i.e the senders – 123Greetings’ statistics show that women send more ecards than men. This highlights the importance they give to relationships and emotions. The target audience in this case are females and mostly middle-aged. If you are creating ecards for Happy Mother’s Day, Flowers, Fun it is meant to be sent by children to their moms. While sections such as, First Mother’s Day and Family are sent by husbands to wives or moms to their daughters. Sections for friends and between women are sent by women to their friends as implied by their names.

2. The sender – receiver relationship – After identifying the audience understand the sender – receiver relationship. In this case sending out wishes to their Mothers, or to women who are great Moms. The ecard must relate to their emotions or bring back key memories that they connect with. Brief touching words, good analogies or quotes and metaphors can be used. Example – you are like a sunrise, that brings in light and hope in my life. Card Copy is the key for Mother’s Day ecards.

Please also refer to our previous post on How to write the Perfect Card Message.

4) Colors:

Not just pink, but shades of lilac, mauve, purple and olive can be used.

5) Music:

The card copy will demand the type of music to be used. Music is the backbone of the emotion that the card is carrying and must further enhance that emotion. A soft tune for a miss you card or a fast tune for a fun ecard are suitable.

Celebrate Motherhood contest is well underway and it is time to showcase your creativity and win lots of prizes for your Mom. Good Luck and let’s make this a memorable Mother’s Day!

April 14, 2015
April Fool’s Day Essentials

1^st of April or April Fool’s Day is celebrated worldwide as a fun holiday. Pranks are the flavor of the day and everyone who tries to be cautious invariably falls prey to the tricks. There are only 2 essentials for this holiday and these are:-

1) Fun:

April Fool’s Day is all about having fun with friends and family. The idea is to trick someone or play a prank. This is the perfect and probably the only opportunity visualizers get to have fun with the users too. Before sending the card any user needs to view the card and in turn falls prey to the prank or fun thrown in by the visualizer. Isn’t that unique and fun?

Well, this is the time to bring out the creative geniuses in you. The fun aspect is more about visuals than it is about messages. Visuals can be playful, funny and even bizarre but must follow a storyline. Since visuals are important animation becomes an important aspect. Show your skills in character animation and transition animation. Focus on smooth transitions, movements and expressions.

2) Humor:

Humor adds to the fun. Harmless April Fool’s Day pranks and jokes all add upto to creating some mischief on the day. Humor is translated through a combination of visuals and messages. The messages is what makes the user realize that they have been fooled and at the same time can send across some teasing or happy wishes for the day. Remember there is always a thin line between good humor and offensive humor, so tread carefully.

The most fun part about the day is that the thank you section (named as smart reply) allows the recipient to get back at the sender. So it is double the fun!

What a great day it is indeed, one where everyone can come together and share a laugh!

Tip: Avoid making interactive ecards as they appear as video cards on the mobile website and mobile application so does not ask the user for a response.

March 24, 2015
Elements/ Ideas For Easter Ecards 2015

Easter Sunday is celebrated by Christians as the day of the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Thus this holiday holds religious significance. Celebrations include special church service, family get-together and Easter parades in some cities. Since Easter marks the end of Lent (a period of repentance) hence it is celebrated with feasts and family reunions.

1) Religious Images and Religious Quotes:

The religious aspect of the holiday must be reflected in ecards and hence the use of images of Jesus or the Cross has become important. Images of churches or paintings can also be used. Quotes or verses from the bible or other religious messages may be included in ecards but must be followed by a sender receiver message for the holiday. Smooth transitions and connectivity in visuals as well as messages are vital. Candles may also be used in the religious Easter ecards.

2) Easter Egg:

Easter egg is symbolic to fertility and renewal. Apart from the religious significance it is an important part of modern day celebrations. Exchanging Easter eggs, painting Easter eggs, chocolate eggs and egg hunts are what most people engage in. Egg hunt games or paint the egg are good ideas to be used in sections such as Easter Wishes, Fun and Friends. There is a special section called Egg Hunt especially dedicated to this.

3) Easter Basket:

Easter basket is usually decorated to carry the eggs and other candies in. Candies and chocolate Easter eggs are popular treats for children and can be incorporated in cards for Wishes, Family, Specials, Weekend, Gifts etc.

4) Easter bunny:

The history of Easter bunny is debatable as there are many theories behind it. However it too represents fertility. Stories for kids highlight the Easter bunny carrying baskets full of eggs to deliver to children. It is a cute animal and is loved by users. It is perfect to use in cards for Wishes, Fun, Love.

5) Spring:

Easter falls in the season of Spring and just as Easter signifies resurrection of Christ, spring brings in new life. The use of flowers especially Easter lily is very common in Easter ecards and enhances the overall look and color of the ecard. Can be used in cards for most sections.

6) Rising Sun:

The Rising sun too is symbolic to the holiday and popularly used in ecards. The new rays bring in fresh hopes and new beginnings. Can be used in cards for various sections.

7) Family celebrations:

Like any other holiday, Easter is a time of getting the family together for celebration and prayers. Family lunches, dinners and get-together are popular holiday rituals. This can be reflected in cards for Wishes, Family, Friends and Weekend

Messages in ecards:

These must differ according to the card type. Religious ecards should include blessings and wishes for positive and renewed beliefs. Ecards meant to send across wishes for the holiday must have a cheer element in them and evoke positive emotions. Fun ecards can be funny and visually in line with the message.

Easter is an important holiday for sending wishes and has religious significance incorporating multiple elements that can be used to translate the sender’s emotions.

March 18, 2015