What NOT To Do As A Graphic Designer

People so often get focused on "Do this, do that, do it this way" and forget about what they shouldn't be doing. Why acknowledge the things you shouldn't be doing as a designer? Because, as a designer it is your job to stay up to date on trends, media, and styles, and yes, the things not to do. It is your job to inform your company, your department, your client, or those you are teaching the do's and the don't's of the market and designing. So here are some things that I've learned so far of what not to do as a graphic designer.

1. Do not go overboard on fonts

I've said It once, and I'll say it again. Less is more, especially in the field of design. It's not all about making things look pretty to you, but rather be legible and attention grabbing. You would think more fonts would make it more attention grabbing, but that is far from the truth. A graphic design piece with too many fonts can actually be an eye sore and cause people to look away, which is the opposite of what we want. So really sit down and think about the fonts you want to use, and see if they really work well together as a unit.

2. Making a piece that is super hard to read

Whether the design has too much typography, too much going on, or is just a jumble of things happening in one piece, it all comes down to it being too hard to read. Whether you describe that as legibility, ornate, or whatever word you want to use, viewers don't want to spend a long time figuring out what they are looking at, especially if it is an ad or a logo. Making something super hard to read and understand because you think it was a creative way to portray whatever it was, that's great and all, but don't expect a majority of people to get it or waste time on it.

3. Poor Choice in Color Selection

This one is a big one. People want what they want, and that can't be helped sometimes. As a designer, it is our job to inform people about color theory and why things won't work. A primary red and standard green are complimentary colors, yes, but they also will give off a Christmas vibe year round. Red and yellow will always look like ketchup and mustard, which is fine if you are in a fast food chain, but not so much for an office setting. Standard Green or a bright green on a standard blue background you will not be able to read it; and if you do, the viewer is going to have a massive headache after reading it, if they can read it at all. Really focus on how the colors will interact with each other, overlay with each other, and even look to those who have a color blindness. Making sure that your design is legible color wise to all people is super important.

4. Not Using Guides When Placing Elements

This is something I was guilty of in my college days because I thought eyeballing it was fine. I was beyond wrong. Using guidelines isn't a crutch, it doesn't make you any less of a designer, or any of that other stuff you may think. Guides are a tool to make your pieces cohesive, and taking the time to place them properly is important. It's not time wasted, if anything it's time gained because you are saving yourself from a lot of revisions.

5. Improper Scaling on Text or Images

This is one that people who aren't designers are super guilty of, but I've met a lot of designers who are guilty of this too. SO.... I'm going to say this once: Keep. Your. Font. And. Your. Images. To. Scale. And. Keep. Them. Proportionate. That image/font/logo that you are scaling was designed to look like that. It doesn't need to be squished or stretched in order for anyone to place it on a surface. If it's too big, proportionately scale it down. Keep in mind the space around your item you are scaling, as well as the document as a whole and how big it actually will be.

6. Not Communicating as Well as You Should

I've said it once, and I've said it twice, so I'll say it again. Communication is key. From designer to client, designer to designer, designer to engineer, whatever. You need to effectively and openly communicate ideas, changes, thoughts, and opinions on the designs you are working on. Again, it is your job to effectively communicate the trends, the do's, the don't's and everything in between with the people you are working with. Make sure you lay it all out in a a professional manner, but lay it out. If they choose not to take your advice, then that's on them, but you did your part.

There are probably hundred's of other don't's that I didn't cover when it comes to design, and some of them come from learning the hard way. Just remember, you are a knowledgable and creative person who is taking on a lot of projects and design opportunities. Do not let anyone make you feel less because you are a designer. What you do is so important to the business, the client, the program or whatever else you are designing for. So make sure you cover your bases and work through what you need to do.

Sincerely,

Just Your Average Graphic Designer in totally Digital World

#GraphicDesign #GraphicDesigner #DosAndDonts #CreativeLiberty #CreativeFreedom #Communication #Businesses #Designing #Branding #DigitalCreations #DigitalArt