Aug

29

ALWAYS establish a clear visual hierarchy

Filed Under Design Refresher, Print Design, Web Design | Leave a Comment

Hierarchy is setting the groundwork for your document
You determine hierarchy by deciding the order of importance of your page elements and content.
You should always set a visual hierarchy to a page because it provides the structure that your readers need to go through your piece. Therefore, what’s important in setting your hierarchy is knowing how [...]

Aug

27

Quit centering your text! How to use alignment in your layouts

Filed Under Design Refresher, Print Design, Typography, Web Design | Leave a Comment

My sister once asked me what was a quick and easy habit for a non-designer to break. I said “quit centering text”. Now, of course, I’ve centered text and haven’t totally banned it from my designs. However, in general, amateur designers use too much of it.
Unfortunately, good alignment is not something that is visible. It’s [...]

Aug

23

Keep it focused or you’ll risk losing readers

Filed Under Content & Writing, Marketing, Print Design, Web Design | Leave a Comment

I recently had a client who could not wrap his head around the concept of focus. The argument was to put E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G he possibly can on a postcard! Use every available inch of it.
More is better, right?
Now, I understand the compulsion impulse of adding lots of text because you want to make sure that you’ve [...]

Aug

21

Creating a look for yourself on the web

Filed Under Branding, Marketing, Web Design | Leave a Comment

They say that the hardest thing to do is come up a concept for yourself. Boy is that true! I have no problems creating sites that are on-target for my clients. But when it came to coming up with something for myself; doubt, procrastination and designer’s block set in.
I had to go through three versions [...]

Aug

15

White space is not passé!

Filed Under Design Refresher | Leave a Comment

Whenever most people think of white space they think of it as being dead space or wasted space. The novice designer will be tempted to cram every single inch of a page with something. That’s a fatal error and a sign that you are indeed an amateur.
The white space in a page is what’s organizes [...]

Aug

13

Keeping it simple for maximum impact

Filed Under Design Refresher | Leave a Comment

Less is more.
How often have we heard that famous saying? And yet, it’s so true.
I looked simplicity up in the thesaurus: words like “effortlessness, ease, easiness, straightforwardness” emerged. Isn’t that what design is really all about? Often the simplest things are the things we remember — not the complicated ones.
Complex layouts can be counterproductive. They [...]

Aug

9

Consistency is still key

Filed Under Design Refresher | Leave a Comment

The other day I was talking about how repetition is one part of being consistent.
Consistency is really about behaviour. It’s the pattern you establish in your design as well as your business. You must do everything consistently; that is, all the time.
Why should you be consistent?
When you are consistent, you show that you are dependable, [...]

Aug

7

Use repetition for maximum effect in your designs

Filed Under Design Refresher | Leave a Comment

Repetition is one small part of being consistent.
Usually, we associate “repetition” with very negative connotations. We often associate “repetition” as being boring. We think of repetition as doing the same thing over and over again. Do we really want that?
Short answer: yes. Repetition is all about promoting harmony between all the different components in your [...]

Aug

1

Keep it appropriate

Filed Under Branding, Design Refresher, Marketing, Print Design | Leave a Comment

Ever look at a design and think to yourself “something’s off?” Chances are — more often than not — it’s because the design is not appropriate for the intended audience.
Appropriateness is about suitability
Would you use multi-syllabled words with a child? No, because under those circumstances, it would not be appropriate. The child would not know [...]