Going back to 1996 when I was studying graphic design at college we were taught key principles which we applied to every design. I still use these principles on a daily basis which help me create high impact and effective logos and brands which we apply to vans, signs, banners and pretty much anything that we produce for our customers.
A good logo design will never fail to get you noticed. Not only does the logo have to be well designed but the rest of the artwork needs to be well laid out. Time and time again I see sign companies (the ones who have little or no design background) make terrible mistakes when creating artworks and producing badly laid out graphics which produce little or no impact.
Top this off with a poor fitting service and bad manufacturing decisions and you have a finished product which is going to harm your credibility - not promote it like it should. I have even had some of my own designs ripped off by local companies undercutting our prices, and every time the design has been ruined because the key elements have been watered down or destroyed in the copying process.
The moral of the story is, ‘You get what you pay for’ so bear in mind that its always worth the extra money to get your design right first time. Every artwork that we produce gets my seal of approval. Each design we produce is created by our imagination, creativity, & attention to detail, which has been developed through years of college tuition and hands on experience in the industry. Myself and colleague Craig have a combined experience of over 36 years, so its safe to say we know how to design, produce and install your graphics and signs.
As well as a design background, over the years I have developed my own marketing strategy. I always put myself in the customers' shoes when designing their artwork. I calculate what will work best for them and get their company noticed. In this article I explain the various elements which make up a good design.
At Blackpool Signs & Graphics we always give you the best value for money. We will create the best looking design and graphics for your money. Please have a look at our gallery which shows a vast amount of our design skills going back through the years.
So going back to the design…….
The four key principles of any design are:
Contrast, Repetition, Alignment & Proximity (CRAP for short)
CONTRAST
Contrast in simple terms means the ‘Difference’. This could mean the difference between colours, text thickness, space.
REPETITION
Put simply, repetition means re-using elements through your design and keeping it fluent throughout. For contrast we use elements that are different - with repetition it's all about using subtle similarities throughout the design. You need to carry repetition throughout a design for it to become as one.
ALIGNMENT
Alignment is where we align certain text and design elements so they run through and all look ‘together’. Alignment is about creating unity throughout the design. A good way to describe alignment would be to create an invisible grid with elements aligning along a horizontal and vertical axis. Good alignment will give your design a clean and crisp look.
PROXIMITY
The use of proximity is imperative in producing a well organised, good looking layout. We use space to move elements together or apart to achieve a clean , sharp look. Proximity relates to producing elements of a design which are grouped together to create one object.
SUMMARY
Remember, Good design sells. Design is not about being decorative and splashing information wherever. A Design is about making communication easy, and as understandable as possible. Always create a strong visual, don’t rely too much on text. Don’t over clutter and create empty space. We need empty space just as much as populated space. Create high impact by using contrast effectively. Use alignment to connect elements of the design.
Thanks for reading
John
No comments:
Post a Comment