For new graphic designers, learning the basics and developing ideas can be frustrating and overwhelming. Here are a few tips I wish I had gotten when I first started out.
Confidence
A designer having confidence in themselves is extremely important. If a designer thinks their designs are bad and will always be bad, chances are they will be. A beginner should not to compare their work to another designer who has a decade more experience. Take it one day at a time and eventually a beginner will gain the confidence and skills to be a successful designer.
Draw Designs First
Drawing designs first is a good indicator of how well the design will transfer from the mind to paper. No matter the drawing skill level, it is important to get the main idea down.
Drawing also helps a designer keep their designs original and (hopefully) decreases the risk of copying someone else’s design.
Web vs Print
It is very important to keep in mind the end product of a project. Will it be printed or go on a website? It is important to set up the document correctly or the finished product’s colors will be different than expected.
When printed, a design must be in CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black) because the printer ink is based on those colors. A CMYK design is typically measured in dpi (dots per inch) because it translates the resolution to the printing device. A designer also must be aware of printer’s marks and bleeds to get a successful printed product.
It is very important to keep in mind the end product of a project. Will it be printed or go on a website? It is important to set up the document correctly or the finished product’s colors will be different than expected.
When printed, a design must be in CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black) because the printer ink is based on those colors. A CMYK design is typically measured in dpi (dots per inch) because it translates the resolution to the printing device. A designer also must be aware of printer’s marks and bleeds to get a successful printed product.
Designing for the web involves a different color model, RGB (Red, Green, and Blue), which has more color variations. These designs use ppi (pixels per inch) instead of dpi because it refers to the computer display rather than the printing device. Most of the time, designing for the web involves creating several different orientations for different technology screens.
In summary
Print
- CMYK
- Measured in inches
- 300 dpi
- Printer’s marks and bleeds
Web
- RGB
- 72 ppi
- Measured in pixels
- Different web orientations
White Space
Designing does not always mean every part of the design has to be a different color. White space can be used cleverly by graphic designers to balance a layout or make an aspect of a design stand out. Many beginners have trouble seeing white space as a good thing and keeping designs simple. Some advice to those who have this problem, K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid)
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