The Do’s and Don’ts of Graphic Design

Trends in the graphic design industry are changing all the time. Once you get the hang of a new trend, a new one has probably already taken its place. In order to be successful in this industry, graphic designers must stay on top of current trends to make sure their designs are as relevant as possible. We have put together a list of do’s and don’ts of graphic design to help you learn some of the things that work and don’t work.

DO use simple fonts

A common thing graphic designers want to do is use big, bold wording within their designs. While this can be eye catching, it is very easy to go wrong. When you make your wording bold, you are essentially turning it into imagery. Using a fancy font can make it hard to read and comprehend among your design. Make sure and use simple fonts to keep your type attention grabbing, but still easy to read.

DON’T make things too complex

Designers can fall into the trap of complexity by thinking the more complex their design is, the more unique it will be. While that may be true, making your design too complex will make things look cluttered and unorganized. You want to make your design as cool as possible but still make the information easy to find.  Keeping the complexity to a minimum, you can find ways to make things look unique while keeping things neat and easy to read.  

DO use symmetrical designs

Customers have a very quick attention span when looking at designs. Whether it is looking at print designs or web designs, their eyes are moving a mile a minute. If you use an asymmetrical design, it can be very easy for content to get lost. Making customer search the page for information will result in them either giving up or missing something. Keeping things symmetrical will keep information organized and easy to find.

DON’T use bright colors

Bright colors attract attention and can put a brand apart from others. But, they are also hard on the eyes and can take attention away from what is most important on your page; the information. Text can be hard to read, especially if bright color is behind it. On the other side of things, using dull colors can make things look worn down and boring. You want to limit the amount of colors you use and make sure to balance things out using white space.