5 Tips for Creating Exceptional Designs

As communication trends continuously evolve, it is our job to stay on top of what is working to get our client’s messages out there, and what is not. Eye-catching graphics and creative imagery help to spread the word across social media channels, and also help to compliment traditional media pitches. So how do we come up with designs that compliment the client’s brand AND our campaign? Here are five tips to keep in mind.

1.    Design is all about the details.
Lets face it, not everyone notices every last detail of a design, but those with a trained eye (aka other designers) do. As a designer, it is your job to make sure that every last part of your design works. You need to fine-tune each element of the graphic, otherwise you are only setting yourself up for a subpar result.

2.    If its not eye-catching, then what’s the point?
You want your designs to hold their own and grab people’s attention. Everything you do has to have a purpose. Even if it isn’t the most exciting topic in the world, you are using the design to make the information stand out.

With this concept in mind, we designed this graphic for our client, Lone Star Cab. We wanted imagery that would draw the viewer in, creating the desire to learn more about what the graphic is advertising, appealing to a younger demographic and showcasing it’s Texan roots with the Western font.

3.    If it isn’t legible, TRASH IT.
Of course you would think this one would be common sense, but then you come across a design that looks entirely too similar to lorem ipsum filler text. If you want your designs to matter, then you need to make sure that your audience can clearly READ them.

While designing this infographic for Disability Awareness Day for our client, UNlimiters, it was a delicate balance of sizing the text to fit within the graphic, while also making sure it was still large enough to read when posted on social media.

4.    Brainstorm with others.
Of course you are creative. Your job is the very definition of creative. However, at some point in your career, you will inevitably experience the designer’s equivalent of writer’s block. When that happens, the best option is to get someone else’s point of view. You may be stuck on one direction for a design and feel you have no other routes to go down, until a set of fresh eyes challenges that. Ask a friend, family member, fellow designer, team member , literally ANYONE can help you break through that designer’s block.

5.    Trust in your vision, but don’t dismiss critics from others.
We know that once you have an idea for a design, it is hard to steer yourself away from it, but don’t forget that people around you can often offer you suggestions that will only improve your work. Now, this isn’t to say that every recommendation is a great one, but sometimes all it takes is one to turn your design from good to extraordinary.

You always have the opportunity to produce decent work, but wouldn’t you rather create outstanding designs that capture your audience’s attention and communicate your goals? These tips will hopefully help steer you in the right direction, and if you ever need a brain to pick for more great ideas, chat with our resident designer on Twitter, @Caitlynnicolek.

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