Desktop Publishing: Design Principles and Examples

 
 
      Design Principles and Examples

 
spacer Basic Design Guidelines
Desktop publishing can seem like a daunting task. However, you don't have to be an artist to create effective marketing materials -- you just have to know a few basics. The following is adapted from Robin Williams' book, The Non-Designer's Design Book.

Simplify the process with these design guidelines:

  1. Contrast
    What is it?
    Contrast occurs when elements within your materials are varied in order to attract attention, highlight key areas, and make your materials more visually interesting.
    How?
    You can add contrast to your materials by varying size, color, font, spacing, etc. For example, use a "drop cap," making the first letter of a section very large in contrast to the rest of the text. Using elements that are big and small, or light and dark, is also an effective technique.
     
    Drop Cap The heading font is bigger
    than the font in the text.
    A bold line separates the
    heading from text.

    small VS. BIG

    Example from the Field
    Community Teamwork, Inc., contrasts large white type against a black background to highlight their Foster Grandparent Program. Click to see this example.

  2. Repetition
    What is it?
    Repetition occurs when an element is repeated to give a sense of unity.
    How?
    You might repeat a specific logo or color throughout your document. You might use repetition in the form of a motif that is carried throughout your materials.
     
    The logo is repeated
    throughout the document.
     

    Example from the Field
    Repeated use of star shapes in Dane County's flyer for its annual recognition ceremony emphasizes the event's aim to honor RSVP's "stars" and serves as a tasteful frame for the flyer text. Click to see this example.

  3. Alignment
    What is it?
    Alignment occurs when a consistent layout is used to provide order and increase readability. Align text consistently, either right, left, or centered.
    How?
    You can use a grid layout with consistent margins to organize columns of text. This makes newsletters, brochures, and newspapers more readable.
     
    Three-column
    layout design.    		 All text is
    right aligned.
     

    Example from the Field
    By following a simple three-column layout framed with clean external margins, the front page of this newsletter could contain three stories and logo art without seeming cluttered. Click to see this example.

  4. Proximity
    What is it?
    Proximity occurs when similar items are grouped or placed together in order to visually emphasize their commonality.
    How?
    Rather than scattering several small photos, you can put them together to draw attention and create impact.
    Pictures of the same size
    are grouped together.
     

    Example from the Field
    A flyer advertising a cookbook to benefit Community Services, Inc.'s FGP, SCP and RSVP programs groups related text items together, allowing the viewer to quickly absorb important information about the fundraiser. Click to see this example.

  5. Simplicity
    What is it?
    Always try to keep it simple. For example, using too many different kinds of design elements can cause confusion and decrease readability.
    How?
    Don't mix too many different fonts, colors, or styles on your pages. Keep the alignment consistent, group similar items together, and give the page a sense of unity. The image on the left below is "too much of a good thing"! Keep in mind that less is more.
    Too many design elements are disorienting. Simplicity gives a clean, readable look and feel.
     

    Example from the Field
    A flyer advertising an RSVP annual recognition ceremony is a good example of simplicity. The flyer has been edited down to the essential information, which is lined up on the left side of the page. Click to see this example.

"Before and After" Examples
Here are a few "before and after" examples. Click on the "after" link to see an example of a flyer created with the five basic design guidelines in mind. Notice how the design guidelines were used to dramatically improve the materials.
 

Before After
'before' flyer example created without regard to the 5 basic design guidelines 'after' flyer example created using the five basic design guidelines
Download
Full size 'before' example		 Download
Full size 'after' example

 
Before After
courtesy of Jody Sims
second 'before' flyer example created without regard to the five basic design guidelines second 'after' flyer example created using the five basic design guidelines
Download
Full size 'before' example		 Download
Full size 'after' example

Bringing It All Together
The following flyer makes use of effective design guidelines such as contrast, repetition, alignment, proximity, and simplicity.