Key Elements of Good Graphic Design
Great graphic design is more readable, conveys information quickly and persuasively, and draws attention to the key points within the message. Although there are many design principles and psychological techniques to assist even non –designers, many businesses still use printed material that is not appealing to their customers. Print material is a powerful marketing tool because it relies heavily upon human psychology, which is how people think. This is especially true when it comes to the “purchase decision”. Advertising design graphics are designed to engage and connect with the target audience. They must be able to understand and respond to the marketing material. Study after study has shown that printed or digital materials can be successful or not by the choices of colors, shapes, text styles, and images used within them.
“All printed marketing materials are not created equal!”
At Creative and Digital Services, our designers use many visual concepts to create for both digital and printed materials. The five essential components of good graphic design listed below will assist project managers and stakeholders work with our designers during their next event promotion and advertising campaigns.
White Space
Negative or white space is often overlooked but essential for creating clear communications. White space refers to the “blank space or unpatterned space between elements in your design.” While passive white space naturally occurs between words and text lines; active white space is deliberately included to help the reader find the most important parts. White space can make text and graphics more readable, understandable, and lively, regardless of color.
Contrast
Contrast can be used to create a new layout. It will help you emphasize the key features of your graphic design using color, shape, and size. By establishing a clear relationship between the different areas of the page, contrast can increase impact and readability. You can use the psychology of contrast to attract attention to the most important information by including large and small elements, bold and subtle, subdued and bold, slow and fast, and big and small.
Repetition
A good advertisement will make use of repetitions or repeating elements to strengthen certain information and add unity to the layout. You might use repeating elements such as colors, lines, fonts, and spatial relationships. Good designers will be able to tell the difference between adding variety and keeping items the same.
Alignment
Alignment is simply the arrangement of elements in an advertising layout. Alignment principles are based on how a person scans and reads printed material. This ensures that the most important information is easily accessible. Graphic designers will often use grid systems or invisible lines to align information. This will avoid chaos and add balance to the message. Poor alignment, which is usually unattractive, can give the message an unorganized feel and make it difficult for the reader to find a “visual logic”.
Composition
A graphic designer’s choice of how to tell the client’s story is called composition. A good composition makes the material visually appealing and gives it a professional finish. The proper arrangement of all graphic and text elements, as well as the use of styles and colors, is called composition. A good design layout will result in your materials hitting their mark.
Print Material Design Mistakes to Avoid
Utilizing words when an image will do
Also known as wordiness. This design error will make your audience feel disoriented faster than any other. Too many words can distract the reader and derail their interest.
Alignment Chaos
Avoid aligning all elements in the middle or scattering them around without any patterns. Text arrangements that are left and right–justified are easier to read and neater than those that align with the center.
Long Sentences
Research shows that sentences should be between 45 and 75 characters to improve readability and decrease eye fatigue.
Font and Color Variety Overkill
Contrast is essential, but too many colors or different text styles can overwhelm the reader. It’s best to use a maximum of three fonts in a given design project ; two is often even better. It keeps your design uncluttered and straightforward. Pair serif fonts with sans–serif fonts, such as putting the main body text in a serif font and your title in a sans–serif font, or vice–versa. This will allow you to emphasize important information and add interest.
Bad Kerning
Poor letter spacing, or “kerning”, can decrease the amount of white space in a project and make it look messy. A greater amount of space between letters can give the text a feeling of luxury. However, a natural amount will bring balance and calm to the message.
It is important to follow best practices in design elements and composition when printing material your reader holds in their hands. This is where minor imperfections can be easily noticed. Your intended audience will evaluate your advertisement based on its professionalism, value, and impact. Many major brands directly attribute the success of a new product launch or sales campaign to smart advertising graphics.
Here at Creative & Digital Services, we offer affordable print advertising design by our professional in–house graphic designers. Our team’s vast experience in communicating the right message, combined with the best graphical and textual elements, will engage your audience and help them make a decision. Let’s bring your design vision to life—contact us today!
