From designer and crazy we all have a little. Oops! We think the saying is not like that, but it could be. Everyone, at some point, needs to create images, whether for a post on social networks or for an invitation to a party. These graphic design tips will certainly help.
9 tips and 4 graphic design tools for non-designers
We marketers are increasingly involved in the various stages of content production, and this undoubtedly involves design for print media. After all, content is, in different proportions, the combination of text and image.
Thinking about it, we gathered in this post 9 tips for you to create incredible works, with a very professional face. And in addition I indicate some tools to make your life easier by doing this. What are you waiting for? Come read!
How to make your work professional? They say that one should not buy a book by its cover, but who never chose one to leaf through it attracted by it that throws the first stone! In the digital environment it is no different, however important the information is, design changes everything.
We bet you’ve already been attracted by the look of an incredible Instagram feed, and yet, you’ve closed a blog without even reading it because the design was unpalatable. In addition to having the power to attract the eyes of the public, design fulfills the function of sending a message about a product or content.
On the Internet, there is still an extreme need to be functional, since there are many attention thieves here. Thus, a digital art must be attractive and easy to read for its content not to get lost in this virtual world.
So, even if you are not a professional in the field, you will need to learn a little bit so as not to risk damaging your work.
1. Take care of the outline of an image
One of the trends of an amateur design is to want to take advantage of all spaces, however, the void also has its role. Some white space between the design elements – text and images – makes the result lighter and more objective, and highlights what really matters.
Therefore, use larger margins on the edges and increase the spaces between unrelated elements, giving more clarity to the structure. Before finishing a job, ask yourself if something can be removed. Bet on less is more and get rid of anything that is not relevant to the message.
2. Attention to the sources
Think of a book, the fonts used on the cover and even the chapter titles may be more creative, but for the body of the text, the classic options are the ones that work. This is because the main function of a source is to deliver the text to the reader, and if he finds any difficulty in it, the purpose is lost.
So the golden tip when choosing the font is the balance between readability and style. In general, the more stylized a font, the more difficult it is to read. Typography is an art that no one expects an amateur to know in depth, so try not to mix too many fonts in the same design to minimize the chances of error – two or three are enough.
Bet on those with more personality for the titles and header, setting the tone of the visual identity, and the more traditional ones for the body, communicating the information.
3. Use a color palette that has contrast (to get attention)
After talking about the layout of the elements and the font, it’s time for the icing on the cake, the colors! In addition to ensuring readability, color arouses emotions and therefore influences the viewer’s perception of the image.
Bet on high-contrast, choosing complementary colors, to highlight the most important information – keywords, symbols and data, for example. Don’t venture from scratch, apps like Color Hunt give you palette options that work well.
4. Align the graphic information
Another basic principle of graphic design is alignment. I know I already suggested caution when choosing fonts and colors, but here you can take a little risk and innovate your design.
People with little experience tend to stick to centralization, but it is possible to explore all alignment options. Without a doubt, centralizing is easier, but it is also but boring. Make tests and see what works in each graphic, but don’t forget to create visual ties between the elements, giving organization to the result and comfort to those who visualize it.
5. Bet on simplicity
“Less is more” is a cliché, but it is real. The excess of colors, fonts and shapes will only serve to pollute the final result. Besides getting ugly, it hinders the understanding of the message. Left over elements are like noises in communication.
In addition to helping to convey the message, a simple and clean design contributes to an image of credibility , authority and professionalism. It is as if the content or product does not need makeup, its quality speaks for itself.
6. Find out what’s new
Keeping up to date is essential. Even if you are not a professional in the field, you must follow the trends. Follow blogs, set up a gallery of inspirations, observe and analyze each image stored there. Identify the elements, see how colors and fonts are worked.
7. Always practice
The best way to learn is to exercise. Practice will not only make you more comfortable in using the tools and with more manual dexterity to get details right, such as positioning and alignment of the elements, as it will boost your creativity .
As time goes by, your mental collection becomes broader, the experience helps to know which colors and fonts work and which match each other, etc. In addition, practice also brings security, and who knows, you may not be able to innovate your work yet, risking a little more.
8. Qualify
As you venture into graphic design, you will feel the need to learn more and more. Perhaps you have ideas that you cannot put into practice and the moment will come when you will need qualification to overcome the challenges.
Bet on online courses and study the tools and applications available. Take the opportunity to create designs unrelated to work and explore concepts that you may not have the opportunity to put into practice in your niche.
9. Ask for feedback
Last, but not least, ask for feedback on what you create. Here it is worth listening to the client and also other people, both professionals and lay people. Receive criticism without being defensive and see it as an opportunity to improve your work.
Identify your weaknesses and try to work better on them, seek more references and study. This goes for any professional, in any area, especially when it comes to something as subjective as design.
What tools to use?
If you have created some kind of graphic design, you have certainly encountered some technical difficulties. That incredible effect that you can’t create, a shading, a texture. Anyway, it’s beautiful in your mind but it’s not time to pass on your skill, or lack of it, to the computer, it doesn’t allow it.
So, for that there are the support tools, and to close this top content, we will talk a little about them.
Photoshop
A design wild card. With it you can manipulate images as you wish and thus create layouts from scratch, edit photos, make montages, correct defects etc. Anyway, a tool for you to test your ideas.
Lightroom
Editing photos is an essential step in any graphic design work. Choosing good images makes all the difference in a final result. With this tool you have total control, editing color, sharpness, saturation, lighting. Any photo can be transformed.
Illustrator
To take it a step further and work on illustrations, icons and logos, Illustrator is the right choice. The program allows you to edit images in vectors, opening up infinite possibilities, including the possibility of resizing without losing quality.
Canva
Canva is a non-designer paradise. In it you will find formats, templates, fonts, icons and illustrations to combine and customize according to your need. The tool is very intuitive and easy to use, and even the free version already offers many possibilities.
You can create your brand kit, with your logo, color palette and fonts, speeding up the creation of your designs. In the premium version it is possible to import fonts and have access to more design elements, such as icons and figures.
Anyway, be sure that with these graphic design tips you will become an even more complete professional, capable of creating incredible content with relevant information and a sealing look.