Graphic design is a huge part of our lives. It's everywhere, from the apps we use to the advertisements and logos we see every day. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, graphic design can be intimidating at times—but it doesn't have to be. Here are five tips for creative graphic design that will help you create eye-catching designs without breaking your budget:
1. Start with a color palette
One of the first steps in creating a graphic that looks polished and professional is to choose a color palette. A color palette is a collection of colors that work well together, like the ones below. Color palettes help you choose colors for your creative graphic design and make them look cohesive, so it’s important to create one before you start designing! Here are some tips on how to create an effective color palette:
- Choose vibrant colors that complement each other. For example, if you want to use red as one of your primary colors, consider adding other warm hues like orange or yellow as complementary colors (or “complimentary”). These complimentary pairs will look more interesting than just using two shades of red!
- Choose easy-to-read shades of each color family. If you have blue in your logo or website banner text, don't use dark shades—they might be difficult for people who are colorblind or visually impaired to read! The same applies when choosing light shades over dark ones; they should still be readable even under bright lighting conditions.
2. Match the feeling of your brand
When it comes to branding, the colors and fonts you use should reflect your brand's personality. They're the first things that people notice when they look at your website or social media channel, so make sure your creative graphic design is consistent with everything else about your company.
If you want to be taken seriously as a professional business, make sure all of your designs look like they were done by the same person (or team). It's not just about aesthetics; it's also about creating a cohesive image for your business that makes sense with who you are and what you do.
3. Choose your fonts wisely
The typeface you choose will have a huge impact on the creative graphic design and your brand image as a whole. So, before you start designing, make sure that you know what kind of font will work best for your company or organization.
These days there are hundreds of fonts to choose from and it can be overwhelming to find one that is perfect for any project. To help narrow down the selection process, here are some tips:
- Choose a font that matches the feeling of your brand. If you're launching a new product line into an established market niche, then using a trendy typeface might not be appropriate unless part of your strategy is to shake things up!
- If you're trying to convey a certain feeling, then choose a font that matches that feeling. For example, if your brand is all about fun and excitement, then using Comic Sans might seem like an obvious choice. But be aware that this font has a reputation for looking childish or amateurish—so unless you want people to think of your company as being childish and amateurish too, it's best to avoid it.
- In general though, if you want people to feel comfortable with what they're reading right away (or if they're going through lots of text), then stick with something classic like Arial or Times New Roman instead.
4. Break up text using graphics
A common mistake we see is the use of graphics to break up text, but when they don't fit with your brand. A great example of this is using icons or symbols that don't make sense in context.
For example, if you're selling a sports car, you might use a tire symbol next to a quote about driving fast. If the quote is about driving responsibly and safely, then it wouldn't make sense for your graphic element to be a tire.
If you want to use graphics as separators between sections of your content, choose ones that are consistent with what you're trying to convey through the content overall: perhaps something bold and colorful if it's going on social media (like Instagram) or something more neutral looking if it's going onto an infographic landing page where people will be reading all day long (like Workable).
5. Blend images and sharp contrasting colors
High-contrast images can be a great way to add visual interest and energy to your graphic design. Try choosing photos with high contrast, such as black and white imagery or low-color photographs that are printed on colored paper. You can also use gradients to create shades of color in an image, creating a range of tones that create depth and texture in your creative graphic design.
To see examples of this style in action, visit our website for Teamtown's own designs using two high-contrast images—one with dark type on light background and one with light type on dark background—to create an eye-catching design that draws attention from its viewers.
Creative graphic design gives you an edge in any field, not just marketing and design.
Graphic design is a skill that can be used in many fields. Whether you are an artist, a designer or simply looking to make a memorable impression on your audience, creative graphic design can help:
- Use graphics to engage potential customers quickly and effectively (especially in the crowded world of social media).
- Use graphics to convey important information more quickly than words alone.
- Create an image that will appeal to people who have only seen it once or twice by helping them remember what it was about after several days have elapsed since their last encounter with it (this could include logos for businesses).
Creative graphic design is all around us and it can be used in many different ways. Use graphics to differentiate yourself from the competition.
Conclusion
In the end, there’s no one recipe for creative graphic design that works for everyone. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of five hacks that may help you in your own journey towards becoming more creative with your graphic designs. We hope these tips have been useful and that they will inspire you to continue experimenting with new techniques until something clicks!
