A graphic designer’s tool kit at first glance is very basic. It is made up of elements we’ve all been taught about in pre-school: line, shape, color, etc. However, successful designers and artists use these tools in ways that appeal to their audiences with principals they’ve learned through their education and designing careers about how to make a pleasing composition that captures a viewer’s attention and draws them in. There is a fundamental set of design principles that play into every layout and can be followed or broken in order to achieve the mood and look of a piece.
I recently attended a Social Media Workshop sponsored by the Grand Haven Chamber of Commerce and was inspired to start a blog for Duneside Design after hearing a presentation by Chad Huntley on Blogging and why businesses should take on the endeavor. I always thought blogging was for those author wannabees who want to get their ideas out there quickly and easily, but really who reads the stuff. Well, I was surprised to learn that there is a strategy behind the blogging and can actually lead to getting your business to the top of the Google search results with better SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for your website.
Is there a magic touch that only some of us have in designing a cool layout for that flyer or brochure? Do you either have an artistic bent or are you simply creatively challenged? Did you know that there are actually a set of design principles that can be followed to improve the look of your layout and can help make your collateral look professional, clean, and stylish? In order to understand the fundamentals of design we first need to look at the graphic designer's tool kit.
Read more: Building Blocks of Design: The Designer's Toolkit