Design Tips

This week I finally was able to get the burden of the presentation off my shoulders.

My main focus was a redesign project that I explained in one of my blogs (Before and After). Additionally, I provided some design tips on my own process. These are things that I keep in mind.

The visual for the presentation was a combination of our brand and a little of my own flare. I believe subliminally I realized that I was inspired by my juggling act at work.

I decided to cover six tips which really is a little broad because I did cover more than one point for each but I wanted to try to simplify the title.

1 – Brand

- Logo size and space surrounding it needs to be adequate, never embellish on the logo

2- White Space

- Summarize content

- Text too close to the edges becomes a problem (2 reasons trimming and reader obstructs text)

- Provide adequate space around an image

- Border overload - images and the page don’t need to have a border

- Keep text/images at least 3/8 of an inch away from the edge of the layout

3- Design Focus

- Decisions should be based on the target audience

- Time to listen to the client and ask questions

4- Color

- It’s non-verbal communication and creates an emotion

- Best used as a background element

- Colored body copy is difficult to read and printing it is more prone to registration issues unless it’s a spot color.

- Make the most of your color limitations by using screens of a spot color for varying tones and colored paper.

- Always keep your Audience in mind: Another factor to consider are those that are color blind.

5 - Fonts

- A design/message could be achieved by clever use of type without an image.

- Our responsibility is that it’s legible for the reader and that we respect the typeface we chose to employ.

- Use one typeface family for a layout more than 3 typefaces can make a page feel cluttered

- Keep body copy between 11 pt and 9.5 pt in size

- Distinguish content by importance. (What message should be large and read first and so on.)

6 - Photography

Taking photos:

- Photos of staff – check for any wardrobe issues: buttons, zippers, transparent material

- Not to close to a wall

- Get a permission form signed.

Using images:

- Some photographers only allow a limited number of years for the image than charge an extra fee to extend it. There are also fees for the application that it will be used on – such as National Magazine ads or billboard.)

- Directional use – where are the shoulders facing or the eyes this would be the appropriate place for the heading or key message

- Photography is key to the success of the layout

Many of these I'm sure that are on the top of the list for many designers but I hope a few were reminders or something new.

Survivor Outreach Services Campaign

A campaign that comes to mind that I designed from conception to production is the Survivor Outreach Services (SOS) material.

SOS is an Army program that was developed to serve the Surviving Families of the Fallen and provides the long-term support, resources and emotional connections.

In the design process it was important that we keep the sensitive subject in mind. What is a survivor that has just lost a loved one going to be able to look at without being offended?

One of the main focuses for this material was to provide a sense of hope. In order to reinforce it I chose a color that symbolizes hope which is green. Then the marketing account manager and I decided to use images of survivors themselves. We decided to use hands as the main image used throughout the materials. The image we chose to use were two holding hands one of a child and another of an adult, it is what you would see when someone is being guided.

I don’t want to get spiritual because I like to respect everyone’s beliefs but there is scripture that states that we should become like children in our trust in God. So the image of the child’s hands has multiple meanings. It depends on how the viewer looks at it.

SOS Materials Developed

In the brochure, we provide the immediate information needed and faces of those that have experienced a loss their names are captioned with the year of survival. Hopefully the visual will provide a sense of not being alone as well as a place that can help. Other materials we created were cards, ads, bookmarkers, posters for the installation SOS offices, folder and more.

I’ll leave you with a video that really speaks to this program. Interestingly the seventeen year old that composed it also used green.  Click here to see the video "Remember Me".

Rushing = Mistakes

Many of my freelance projects that I worked on were building campaigns. I shared a logo that I did for the United Cerebral Palsy Building Campaign in my blog “The Customer is always Right.”

This time I'll share the Holy Spirit Catholic Church Building Campaign. In general, I was happy with the materials on this project. Yet there was one particular mishap that I could have prevented.  I learned my lesson. Last minute changes need to be reviewed carefully prior to hitting send.



Brochure Cover - 14" x 11"

On the informational brochure (cover pictured) we had originally created a letter sized booklet that folded in half. The day the brochure had to go to the printer they decided more information was necessary so the layout was resized. This is where things went wrong. I made the size larger but I didn’t pay attention to how I had the document setup. Bottom-line we ended up with a super size booklet the client had to pay a special fee to bind the book.  The lesson learned was to always print out the piece and review. If I had, I could have avoided this mistake. Another lesson was to put the brakes on and have the client understand that the production needed to be delayed in order to be able to provide a quality piece.

Campaign Logo

Overall what inspired the look of the pieces of this campaign was the spiritual subject matter along with the illustration provided. Because the logo is the first item that is created it is the most influential piece for the creative of the other materials. The discussions that take place are noted for direction on the other items being created. Using the dove in the logo guided me  towards using dove grey color and from there I made the combination with the other colors. The images used were supplied by the parish allowing for the piece to be more personalized.  (Logo and Stationary pictured)

Campaign Stationary

A couple of days ago I was rushing around again and I remembered this project. I made sure I printed the Soldier Show poster before I hit send. I was so glad I did there were several things that needed to be corrected.

"Before and After"

Lt: Original Design   Rt: New Product Design

I have been working on my presentation for the symposium. I will talk on “Graphic Design – from conception to production”.

There is a section that I will discuss a “Before and After” project.  In 2001, I was working for Protective Life Insurance Company in their Annuity Division. It is here that I had the perfect redesign project. 

The company was adding a new product to their variable annuity package. Along with the additional product it was decided to redesign the old variable annuity materials.  This product was originally designed with the visual of musical instruments (see cover image).  The two products were the same cover and colors so neither was easily distinguishable. In the redesign, I collaborated with the marketing manager and copywriter.

First of all the image for the cover (top left) that was used left much to be desired. It didn’t have much color and it was static.  The red-brown colored border on the inside pages and copy really wasn’t very attractive. I did like the idea of the line art images of an instrument placed inside the red-brown border; I did use this idea in the redesign.



Top Lt: Original Layout   Btm Rt: Redesign

 Our main goal was to make the information friendlier for the user. Our inspiration came from the idea of the musical aspect of the original design. When we developed the idea, Jazz music became the overall theme. The soothing feel of jazz also took over the look of the piece. Below are a few of the areas we improved.

• Used a different prominent color for each product to make each distinguishable visually

• Placed images of individuals that represented the target audience to make the information more approachable

• Designated one focal instrument per product. (To carry the Jazz mood I made the images Black and white and I spot colored the instrument.)

• Added colored bars along a chart of information to make it more legible (compare the inside pages pictured)

• Added Jazz themed “Pull quotes” to help break up the intimidating text.

I’ll leave you with one of the quotes we used in the booklet that I feel could apply to designers as well.

“Musicians don’t retire; they stop when there’s no more music in them.” 

- Louis Armstrong, Jazz Trumpeter