Do It Yourself Design

What Goes Into A Design 

• Typefaces
  
  This is letter styles. Computer literate people know them as fonts.
  
  This is where a lot of people come unstuck, especially when they're doing a flyer.
  
  Some people tend to think 'more' is better but nothing looks as amateur as a page full of different typefaces. Check out advertisements placed by businesses with marketing budgets bigger then the average Small Businesses gross profit. You might find the odd ads that stray from the rule of 'no more then two typefaces' and still be effective. But don't try to break the rules unless you know them.
  
  
• Emotion
  
  Choose letter styles with an image in mind.
  
  When you design a sign or a logo, the choice of letter style is probably the most important design decision you'll make. Try to match the personality of yourself and the nature of your business to the appropriate typeface.
  
  Typestyles can create a certain mood or convey a particular era. So be careful of typefaces that are dated, unreadable or overused.
  
  
• Colors
  
  Design first with black on white. Color won't save a bad design. Black and white stands out better then any other contrasting color. It also costs a whole lot less too. But color does serve a purpose, it can be part of your image.
  
  Color drives emotion. Keeping this in mind you might want to research the influence of color on mood and the message it conveys.
  
  Color might not save a bad design but it enhances a good design, so long as you can keep it repetitive and uniform. It's the same principle as a design: find the most appropriate and stick to it. Don't confuse prospective customers by using one colour on this brochure and a different one on a leaflet. Every time you make this mistake it chips away at the professionalism and image that you're trying to create.
  
  Could you imagine a McDonalds sign with a big Blue M, or Coca Cola using any color except red?
  
  
• Layout
  
  The book Graphics: A Visual Language describes layout as thus: layout refers to the way the information is presented. Each element is positioned and sized for the most visually effective result. This includes graphic devices, illustrations, photographs, headings, logos and text.
  
  Organisation of the information- written text, graphic devices and headings- is an important component of layout. Each piece of information should be related to the other. The advertisement or information carrier should be united and must have some sort of focal point. This can be achieved with the use of a dominant element. The rest of the info should be arranged so that the, audiences eye will move from one element to another

The Pitfalls of Do It Yourself Design 

(in no particular order)

1. Making or changing a design without much thought: Consider who your customer is, and what image you need to portray.
2. Using different designs: After you've designed the best possible, most appropriate Graphic Design that conveys the image you need- use it. On everything. How many Small Businesses whack out a letterhead without much thought from the computer, rubber stamp the invoice with whatever the stamp shop put together, hand out a card that the printer designed and drive around in a vehicle that the signwriter considered to be a one of a kind work of art.
   
   It's not the fault of the printer, signwriter, rubber stamp maker. Give them the design that you want so they've got something to work off.
3. Changing designs without a new plan of implementation: if you're updating your image or never had one in the first place then don't do it gradually. Plan and organize.
4. Using the wrong typeface: just because you think it's the coolest looking font on the computer doesn't mean it's the best one for your business name.
5. Don't slant left: it makes the words look like they don't want to be on the page. Then if you throw a few italics (right leaning) typefaces and as soon as you turn your back they're all gonna make a bolt for it.
6. Don't use more then two fonts: you either break this rule if you're ignorant, have the design sense of a camel or you know the rules well enough to break them creatively.
7. Don't use the initials of the business unless it already has a recognition factor of IBM: Nobody's going to know you unless you're VW, BMW, ABC, KFC or CC's. It costs a lot of dollars in marketing before anybody, let alone your prospective customers, will know who you are or what you sell. So think twice before becoming an advertisement for alphabet soup.