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 How to Make Graduation Invitations

(ARA) - Whether you're inviting friends and family to a graduation party, a ceremony, or both, it's easy to make your invite a unique reflection of who you are, what you've accomplished and what's in store for the future.

According to Graphic Design faculty at The Art Institutes, you don't have to have a design degree to give your invitation a personal, one-of-a-kind feel that's uniquely you.  

Beth E. Remsburg, instructor of Graphic Design at The Art Institute of Indianapolis recommends using a software package such as Adobe Illustrator or InDesign to help with layout and structure. After that, says Remsburg, keep the design personal. "Use illustrations, photography, and other art work so that the recipient gets a sense of your own personal style and visual language."

For fonts, keep it simple, says Remsburg. "A good rule of thumb is to use such readable fonts as Verdana, Arial or Lucinda Sans, with script as an accent," she recommends. Start with a 10 point font, print it out, and see how it looks. "You can always enlarge it, and you want to make sure everybody can read it, even the grandparents."

Stephanie Warnesky, chair of the Graphic Design department at The New England Institute of Art suggests a nostalgic approach would be to feature a baby or childhood picture of the graduate doing a job or activity that is similar to their anticipated job or major.

"My daughter graduated from a culinary program, so I would use a photo of her baking cookies and scan the photo into black and white for a more 'designer' look and then place it directly on the cover of the invitation," says Warnesky. On the inside cover, she says, you can use a phrase such as "Her dreams have finally come true," and then a line or two about what college they plan to attend, or job they are taking after graduation.  

Whether you decide to send your invitation digitally, or make hard copies, or both, the following are several other tips for your do-it-yourself graduation invitation:

* A "page torn from your journal" speaking about your dreams for your future.

* A look back from the future -- where you want to be 20 years from now.

* A map through your life that thanks those who have helped you along the way.

* A design that looks like a mortar board.

* Send a sheet of paper along in the invitation that people can write advice to you and bring it to your party.

* For your hard copies, use special papers/envelopes that are relatively inexpensive.

Last but not least, make it easy for people to respond electronically, and be sure to include a phone number for those that like to do things the old-fashioned way.

To learn more about The Art Institutes visit www.artinstitutes.edu.  The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), with 34 education institutions located throughout North America provide an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.   Courtesy of ARAcontent

A clever activity for guests to take part in at your graduation party! Remember the wishes of everyone who attended the graduation party by having them write notes on personalized white cards and dropping them in the glass vase. After the party, have fun assembling the cards into the keepsake book.

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