Graphic Design Tips and ToolsDifferent tips and strategies for graphic design .pdf
- 1. Graphic Design:Tips & Tools for the Non-designer mParks Conference 2018
- 3. Intro ➔ Not a teacher. This is a first. Be gentle. Let’s journey together, treat it like a conversation, and break if necessary. ➔ Theme for today: If you don’t have it, “steal it”.
- 6. Graphic Design is the process of visual communication, and problem-solving through the use of type, space, image and color.
- 7. 7 Graphic Design Principles to Up-Level your Graphics Free Cheat Sheet from http://mariahalthoff.com/
- 8. 1 | Balance Your graphics need to have a sense of balance. This isn’t to say that each side needs to be perfectly symmetrical, but the amount of visual weight on each side should feel cohesive and intentional to create this feeling of balance.
- 10. 2 | Proximity Proximity is when you group related items together so that it is visually clear they’re related. This helps create organization within your graphic which causes information to be remembered more easily. Our brains love organization, so when a graphic is organized appropriately, it's both visually appealing and easier to consume.
- 11. >>> Screenshot of Helen & Hard’s “About” page.
- 12. 3 | Alignment Every design element placed in your graphic should be visually aligned to something else on the page. Whether that’s the side of the page, the edge of an image, the text that’s above it, etc. Nothing should be placed arbitrarily on the page. This is probably the #1 beginner mistake I see in graphics and possibly the easiest to fix.
- 14. 4 | Repetition Repeating certain characteristics (ie. fonts, colors, layouts, design elements, etc.) within your design will keep the design unified and cohesive. This then creates a visual theme that creates this unification and consistency. This is especially helpful when designing multiple related graphics or a multipage document because the repetition of design elements will tie them all together and make them feel unified and consistent. Repetition is also the number one way to create a recognizable brand identity.
- 16. 5 | Contrast If two items are not exactly the same, make them different. And it most cases, make them really different (while still keeping them within the same visual theme, of course). This creates more interest on the page and makes certain elements stand out among the rest. This also creates visual hierarchy, which aids in the organization of the graphic (we’ll get to hierarchy in a second).
- 18. 6 | White Space "White space is the art of nothing” – I have no idea who said that but it wasn’t me so I put it in quotes. Nonetheless, I thought it was a great way to describe this concept. White space is the absence of text and graphics. This can also be referred to as negative space and therefore, doesn’t actually have to be white. White space can be whatever color the background is.
- 20. 7 | Hierarchy The definition of hierarchy is "a system or organization in which people or groups are ranked one above the other according to status or authority." Hierarchy, when implemented, literally creates a path for your eye to move around the page. Yes, you can in fact control how the viewer consumes your graphics. Viewers will start with the most dominant feature of your graphic, then move to the next dominant, and the next until they’ve looked over the entire thing.
- 22. Tip ➔ Don’t get intimidated by the concepts. Strip it down to some basics and start your journey there.
- 23. “Oh, I love that font.”
- 24. Fundamentals ● Type is fundamental part of design ● Type conveys emotion & mood
- 25. Fundamentals ● Less is more - keep it to two fonts per piece ● Use contrasting fonts for impact ● They can stand on their own as element
- 26. Font Types: Serif San Serif S Hand Drawn Display Retro categories | http://bonfx.com/types-of-fonts/ https://www.fonts.com/content/learning/font ology/level-1/type-anatomy/type-classifications Slab Serif Comic Sans
- 27. 1. Is type appropriate? Keeping with the message? 2. When using more than one, do they contrast or conflict? 3. Is it the right size for message? 4. Is the type more on the timeless side or cheezy and dated? Tip Pick a couple styles for your brand and use them over and over again. Four Questions
- 29. https://www.canva.com/learn/the-ultimate-guide-to-font-pairing/ Canva's Ultimate Guide to Font Pairing
- 30. Tip ➔ Use Pinterest to search ‘free fonts’ and you will find a never ending supply. I currently have 294 pins in Free Fonts Board
- 31. Design On a Dime
- 32. Canva Features ● Layouts for every occasion ● Stock images and illustrations ● Social media graphics ● Library of fonts ● Drag & drop editor ● Custom templates ● Customizable branding ● Photo editing ● Resize designs ● Branded templates ● Share photo folders ● Organize images into folders ● Upload fonts ● Transparent backgrounds ● Design folders ● Photo filters ● Stock vectors & photographs ● Icons, shapes & elements ● Presentations ● Multiple document types ● Graphs, mind maps, charts, & diagrams ● Collaborate with partners ● Color code thoughts & ideas ● Blog and website posts ● Cards and invitations ● Business cards ● Snapchat geofilter templates ● Business logos ● Share via email, text, messaging apps ● Publish for web & print https://www.canva.com/
- 33. for Work All the power of Canva + features to boost your productivity: Save your brand colors, logos and fonts Magically resize your designs Save your own brand templates Organize your images into folders Mix and match your designs Upload your own fonts Transparent backgrounds Design folders Design search $ 12.95per user / month Free for 30 Days
- 34. Hub storage for 50 images Sort Hub images Save, Export, Share Advanced touch up tools Primo effects, overlays, fonts Re-editable images, in Hub Top-shelf templates No ads Premium Features $72 Annually
- 35. App Features Desktop Features Photo Editor Portrait Retouching Design Maker Collage Maker Mobile Version + Chrome Editor & Extension
- 36. Design Assets Creative Market is a platform for handcrafted, mousemade design content from independent creatives around the world. https://creativemarket.com/ Photos + Graphic Elements + Templates + Themes + Fonts + More
- 37. Tip ➔ Sign up for free Creative Market account and get 6 free design every week.
- 38. A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
- 39. Ansel Adams. “There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs.”
- 40. Tip ➔ Use original photography when possible. ➔ More authentic.
- 42. Authentic Photos Stock Photos Negative Space Death to the Stock Photo Picjumbo Stokpic Kaboompics Startup Stock Photos Freerange LibreShot Fancy Crave Unsplash StockSnap.io Pixabay SplitShire Life of Pix HubSpot Pexels Gratisography Jay Mantri ISO Republic New Old Stock Free Stock Photo Sites https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/free-stock-photos
- 43. More Cool Tools
- 45. www.layoutready.com/ 10 Pack $79 50 Pack $139 Free templates to try Professionally Designed Templates for Word, Publisher, PowerPoint. Full line of print products, as well as, presentations. Fully customizable. Precisely executed for output on printers or to display on screen.
- 46. https://pixlr.com/# Pixlr is an online photo editing tool. Web-based app used for moderate-level photo editing. You can create a new image, upload an image, or grab one directly from a URL location. Good for someone with basic Photoshop skills. Free Photo Editing
- 47. https://spark.adobe.com/ Free Or $9.99 Per month A post A page A video Transform your ideas into stunning visual stories Create impactful graphics, web pages and video stories in minutes with Spark’s free graphic design app.
- 48. PowerPoint based templates great for content creation, such as a manual, quick guide, or digital brochure. 13 Free Ebook Templates https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/free-ebook-templates
- 49. The JPEGmini Web Service is a free online service for optimizing your photos using JPEGmini technology. Reduce image size by up to 80%, without compromising quality - for faster website loading. Free http://www.jpegmini.com/main/shrink_photo
- 50. Infographics
- 51. Tip ➔ Think of yourself as a curator and collect the great work of others.
- 52. Good Design is as little design as possible. Simplify the Complex as much as possible. - Dieter Rams
- 53. Good luck! Enjoy the journey. Some of your best work is ahead of you! Chris Blunden [email protected] 248-473-1800