As a designer, you have to be aware of the ever-changing trends taking place so your designs integrate only the latest and greatest visual elements. There are, however, a few backbones to design that don’t depend on those trends. Rather they get uniquely highlighted by trends but will always remain necessary to create quality design. Keep these six global elements in mind when designing ads, websites, print material and other graphic work:
- Great Images– Your design should tell a story and it’s always best to tell it with as few words as possible. Images are an easy and very effective approach to telling your story. When you choose the right hero image to support your overall design, it will have a positive effect on your viewer. You can choose an image that your design will work around, or you can choose an image that supports your current design. Either way, images are a great visual element to include in your site, ad, or any other work.
- Buttons– They’ve been around for quite a while and buttons bring out the inner child in us. We use buttons as an interactive design element through the web because they catch the eye and we automatically feel the calling to click on them. Implement them into your design to provoke a strong call-to-action.
- Unique Typography— Typography is a design element within itself. Graphic designers often take classes that are focused solely on the subject of typography. Good type can make the act of reading effortless and you want your viewers to know what they want and how to get it, fast. Pay attention to various fonts that visually complement each other. While keeping the number of fonts at a maximum of around 3, use one unique font that can be balanced by a more minimal font.
- Icons— You can use them from a pack or create your own, but either way icons are essential to any design. If you use them properly, icons can make any graphic much more engaging. Again, telling a story in a visual way will provoke your viewers to interact quickly with your ad or site. Use icons instead of bullets whenever possible.
- Space— What does space do in design? Using consistent white space provides a layout for your design. It prevents your viewers from experiencing visual chaos. Leaving space between elements will provide a cue to the eye that there’s a break in content. Negative space gives any design a clean, modern feel especially in web design. Use it actively.
- Strong Branding— Your brand is your identity. Never start a design concept without implementing elements of your brand. Include your company logo whenever and wherever possible. The more your audience sees that logo, the quicker they will come to recognize your service. It’s okay to venture off with other colors to create a visual hook on occasion, but for the most part, stick to your branded color scheme. Color is an important factor in design and you want your audience to quickly recognize your brand.
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