Graphic design
is a useful skill for any marketing professional to have in their back pocket,
whether you’re wanting to create social media graphics or perhaps you’re aiming
to spice up your current marketing efforts with some visual content. While it does take time to develop a full
library of graphic design knowledge, it is certainly possible to create your
own designs even if you aren’t a trained designer. Here are 10 tips to help you get started with
your creative design process:
1. Keep
it Simple
The number one
rule of thumb for new designers! There is nothing worse than an overcrowded and
overwhelming design that is difficult to understand. Use a minimal amount of text if possible, and
keep your color palette consistent.
Limit the amount of graphic elements, and always make sure to include
enough white space to create contrast and balance!
2. Limit Typefaces
Going along with the idea of keeping it simple, limiting your number of
typefaces can help to avoid an overwhelming design. One to two easy to read typefaces are all you
need to make a design clear and effective. Try using two different typefaces
from the same family, or check out our blog post Pairing Typefaces to gather
some ideas for your font combinations!
3. Consider
Visual Hierarchy
Remember to
include hierarchy within your design to make your message easy to read and
understand. Make your headline or main
message the first focus of your piece by placing it at the top of your page and
by using a different font or color than that of the rest of your content. You’ll want the most important information to
be the first seen, so make it obvious of what this is!
4. Always
Use White Space
One
big mistake we often see with beginner designers is the lack of white
space. Don’t be afraid to leave areas of
negative space in your design! Having this white space actually helps to bring
balance to your composition and makes the positive space easier to see and
read.
5. Trial
& Error is OK
Graphic design
is 100% of the time a process of trial and error. There are often multiple sketches and drafts
before a design is complete, so don’t be afraid to push your designs to the
limit! This is where creativity thrives! And of course, you don’t know how
something will look until you try.
6. Use
Alignment for Image Placement
Instead of a
randomly placing images on a page, align them with grids to make a design look
more professional and organized.
7. Keep
a Focus on Balance
To create a more
orderly and visually appealing look to your design, make sure to evenly
distribute the elements on your page, and for a balanced proportion, also
ensure that the thickness of the elements match the weight of your fonts.
8. Use
crisp & clear imagery
Make sure that
any images being used are high resolution so that they are bright and
clear. If you are using text on top,
make sure that it contrasts enough from the image so that it is easy to
read. This might mean that you’ll have
to brighten your image for black text or darken it for white!
9. Use
a cohesive color palette
Choosing your
color palette is just as important as creating the message for your design, and
while it isn’t always easy, there are thankfully many free online color theme
pickers to help you get started! Browse through the many themes before you
start your design to have a solid foundation of color to work off of! Check out
3 color theme pickers in our Color Palette blog post!
10. Know
your composition dimensions beforehand
Before you start
a project, double check the dimensions that your art needs to be. For example, Instagram graphics and LinkedIn
graphics are going to be completely different layouts based on their
recommended image dimensions, and there is nothing worse than figuring this out
after you’ve finally finished your design! Check out our Social Media Image Size Cheat Sheet blog to get a quick look at what sizes you’ll need for social
media graphics!
The application
of graphic design is so vast and versatile that having a basic knowledge will
help you to go even farther with your creative and marketing efforts! Try out
some of these tips with your next design, and if you have any questions along
the way, NorthPoint’s Design Team is here to help!
