The digital world has continuously been advancing, which also means that the graphic design world has as well. Design software has made it faster and often easier to create designs that years ago took companies months to produce. This seems to have helped lead to the idea that designs need to be perfect. In reality, the “perfect” design does not exist. Oftentimes a design that you have spent days, or even weeks on, may seem perfect to you. However, the design might not be “perfect” to your coworkers or even a client. Everyone has different design tastes and the goal of a graphic designer is to make a design that showcases them.
I have 3 basic tips that always help me before I start any design with.
1. Stay on Brand
Every client has a different style of branding that makes them unique. It is important to understand their mission, audience demographic, color scheme, font styles, etc. While there will almost always be some revisions to be made, knowing these important things about your client’s brand will save you time in the long run.
2. Be Creative
I think when it comes to designing, we often get stuck in a sort of rut. While the branding of a design might be properly executed, the design might be bland or lack creativity. Testing out a new style or skill you learned just may make that design pop! Doing research on a type of destyle or getting inspiration from a design you saw on an ad may help spark creativity. It’s ok to not always to have a style in mind when you start designing, most of the time it doesn’t end up looking like how I imagined it anyway. YouTube can be your best friend when it comes to creativity.
3. Do NOT Be Afraid to Fail
This one has always been a hard one for me and I think as a designer, we often take personal pride in our work. There might be a design that you have worked on for hours or even days, and the client may want you to start all over, because they would like something different. While it can be hard, take a deep breath. It is hard to not take personally sometimes, but it’s important to realize they are not criticizing you. The client is wanting a different type of design. I have learned that oftentimes when I redo a design, I often get a better result and even end up liking the second or third design more.
Take each step as a learning opportunity to grow as a designer and advance your skills. Do not be afraid to create something different. Do not be afraid to receive a rejection on your design from a client. It is all part of the learning process! Remember there is no such thing as “the perfect design.”
Now that you have some design tips under your belt, head over to our last post for tips on Getting Creative With Your Marketing During a Recession!
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