Design is an ever-evolving field, with new techniques, tools, and best practices emerging all the time. It can be hard to keep up with all the latest trends and advice. Here are 11 great design tips you might have missed this past week.
Focus on the Fundamentals of Good Design
With so much emphasis on flashy trends, it’s easy to forget the foundational principles of effective design. This week, we were reminded how important the basics are.
Embrace White Space
Don’t be afraid of open space in your designs. White space helps declutter layouts and makes the key elements stand out. Leave plenty of breathing room around text, images, and other components.
Use High-Quality Visuals
Investing in professional photos, graphics, and illustrations is worth it. This gives your work a polished, credible look. Make sure any visuals are relevant and enhance the overall aesthetic.
Choose Fonts Strategically
Typography has a huge impact on how designs are perceived. Limit your font choices and be intentional about which ones you pick. Pair sans serifs with serifs for visual interest.
Focus on Readability
Make text easy to read by having ample line spacing, avoiding long paragraphs, using black or dark gray text over a white background, and employing legible font sizes.
Know the Principles of Alignment
Align page elements in an orderly, purposeful way. Use the grid system, and be consistent with things like spacing, sizing, and positioning.
Learn From the Best Designs
Looking at beautiful, effective designs made by professionals can inspire your own work. Here are some standout examples from the past week.
Hotel Website Redesign
This gorgeous hotel site redo uses full-width imagery for impact, bright accent colors, and generously spaced text over a clean white background. The polished yet simple style really makes it shine.
Minimalist Branding Mockups
Muted earth tones, neat custom icons, and plenty of breathing room give this brand identity design a refined, contemporary look. A great exercise in restraint and elegance.
Bold Package Designs
Vibrant colors, abstract shapes, inventive typography, and asymmetric angular layouts make these product package concepts leap off the shelves. Fun, vivid, and full of personality.
Stylish Editorial Layouts
Fashion magazine layouts need to be edgy and engaging. These examples use staggering vertical text, handwritten fonts, and photos bled off the pages for dramatic effect.
Vintage Monogram Logo
Traditional engraved illustration styles combined with a modern color palette give this monogram logo design a classic yet fresh vibe. Proof that vintage inspiration can still feel current.
Use Creativity-Boosting Exercises
Flexing your creative muscles will help generate unique ideas and prevent design ruts. Try these exercises for a boost of inspiration.
Mind Mapping
Write down a core idea, then quickly brainstorm any related words, phrases, images, colors, and so on. Connect them visually to see new creative pathways.
Limit Your Palette
Restrict yourself to just 2-3 colors per project. This pushes you to use them inventively instead of defaulting to expected combinations.
Sketch 10 Layouts
Challenge yourself to sketch out 10 different page layout options for the same design. Explore various compositions and approaches.
Find Real-World Textures
Take photos of interesting textures like weathered paint, rusty metal, cracked cement. Incorporate these into digital designs for an organic feel.
Custom Brush Lettering
Using brush pens, draw out display lettering for headings and titles. Scan them into your projects for a handcrafted look full of personality.
Learn From Your Design Mistakes
Nobody creates perfect work every time. But making mistakes provides valuable lessons. Reflect on recent design flubs and what you can learn from them.
Relying Too Much on Trends
P interest and Behance can provide inspiration. But don’t just copy the latest trendy aesthetics. Stay true to your own creative vision.
Not Leaving Enough Time
Rushing through designs always shows. Leave adequate time for idea generation, feedback, revisions, and polishing.
Choosing Unsuitable Imagery
That award-winning photo might not work for your brand. Carefully select images that align with the desired tone and messaging.
Overcomplicating the Layout
Just because you know every Photoshop trick doesn’t mean you should use them. Stick to uncomplicated layouts and clean aesthetics.
Using Too Many Fonts
It’s easy to go overboard mixing scripts, serifs, sans serifs, display fonts, etc. Limit yourself for better consistency.
Stay Up to Date with Design News
Reading design blogs, books, magazines, and more will provide you with an ongoing education. Here are some great resources.
The Dieline
This website offers an insider look at captivating packaging designs and case studies from top creatives. It’s a packaging buff’s dream.
Communication Arts
With gorgeous layouts and illustrations, this respected magazine has showcased the best creative work for over 60 years. Both informational and inspirational.
Design Observer
Thought-provoking articles on design’s role in culture, history, and society make this blog compelling for both design nerds and the casually curious.
Brand New
This blog offers an honest take on brand identity work, calling attention to both the impressive and the questionable. The critiques are insightful.
How to
Bursting with tutorials, resources, an inspiring gallery, and more, HOW Magazine’s website helps designers sharpen skills and get inspired. Their images especially are top-notch.
Optimize Your Creative Space
To do your best work, you need an environment that fuels productivity and innovation. Optimizing your physical or digital creative space can work wonders.
Organize Your Files
Clean out cluttered folders so you can easily access past work and inspiration when needed. Back up files regularly as well.
Personalize Your Workspace
Add inspiring art and objects, as well as functional items like whiteboards and extra screens. Make it a fun yet functional space.
Experiment with Lighting
Harsh florescent overhead lights aren’t very conducive to creativity. Try using lamps or natural lighting instead.
Block Distractions
Turn off notifications, close extra browser tabs, silence your phone, and use apps to reduce interruptions during design time.
Gather Inspiring Imagery
Having attractive photos and art around you, whether physically printed or displayed digitally, stimulates creative thought.
Get Away from the Computer
While digital tools are vital, sometimes you can benefit from sketching ideas by hand, playing with different materials and textures, and thinking in an analog mindset.
Sketch Wireframes
Use pen and paper to quickly map out website layouts. No need to start on the computer.
Make Collages
Gather magazine cutouts, papers, photos, and other physical materials to collage interesting color schemes, textures, and compositions.
Model in 3D
For product design, mold clay or paper into simple 3D models to bring your vision to life before refining it digitally.
Conceptualize on a Chalkboard
Sketch out design concepts, make lists, or map out ideas on a big chalkboard. The hands-on process can energize you.
Look Through Design Books
Curl up with printed volumes showcasing gorgeous design work for a dose of inspiration. Make notes and page flags on intriguing layouts and styles.
Conclusion
In the fast-paced world of design, new pointers and lessons emerge constantly. Make time to regularly try new approaches and techniques so your skills continue to progress. Refer back to these tips when you need a boost of inspiration or want to challenge yourself creatively. With an open, learning mindset, your design abilities will only get better and better.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some basic principles all designers should know?
Some key design principles include negative space, alignment, contrast, repetition, and hierarchy. Mastering the basics helps create professional, effective designs.
How can you avoid common design mistakes?
Do your research to ensure you use suitable visuals, leave adequate time for revisions, limit color and font choices, focus on simple clean layouts, and stay true to your creative vision vs chasing trends.
Where can I find new design inspiration?
Great sources for design inspiration include websites like The Dieline, Behance, and HOW, magazines like Communication Arts, and design blogs such as Brand New and Design Observer. Look for fresh examples and case studies.
What are quick exercises to boost creativity?
Mind mapping, limiting your color palette, rapid sketching, photographing textures, hand lettering, and collaging are all exercises designers can use to ignite creative thought and break through blocks.
Should I still sketch concepts by hand?
Yes, taking a break from the computer to sketch ideas on paper, chalkboards, or whiteboards can stimulate creativity in new ways before refining the designs digitally.
