Design is more

than just an image

[wpseo_breadcrumb]

As graphic designers, we always must consider the final or finished product. But unlike some people who get hung up on a headline or an image and believe it can make or break the result, we prefer to focus on design as a whole.

To us successful design is about bringing together pictures, colours, fonts and content – main text and/or headlines and subheadings - so that it cleverly and creatively conveys the information required. It’s also critical that it fits with the rest of your brand, so that everything looks like it belongs to the same family.

Over the years we have found that you don’t have to just accept the text as it has been provided. Our brains are always thinking about different ways in which we can rearrange it to work better

Creative thinking

Over the years we have found that you don’t have to just accept the text as it has been provided. Our brains are always thinking about different ways in which we can rearrange it to work better, whether that’s creating box-outs of key information or highlighting quotes/ key phrases there are lots of ways to transform flat text into something that can literally sing off the page.

And whilst we do not claim to be content writers, we can see if a headline needs to be shortened or paragraphs switched around to make it more visually attractive and perhaps a little bit punchier. Sometimes, we consult with our trusted copywriting partners for their advice, just so we can ensure a better final product that will get the right results for our clients.

Finding solutions

But it’s not all about text either, often we are given a picture which is required as the main hero image. The quality of it can sometimes be questionable and when it is we know what to do. By simply substituting a stock image, or referring them to one of our photography partners, we can get the perfect shot.

Freefalling

Sometimes though, we get very little information at all. No images, no text, no examples of what is required. That’s where we must draw on our experience and knowledge to produce something special. In this case, starting with nothing can be good. We are free to let our imagination run amok, and in those moments, we can unearth some creative brilliance that perhaps if we were constrained would not happen.

Want versus reality

As in our previous blogs "Pretty and Precise" and “Good design is more than making things pretty”, pretty is ok but we need to ensure a good layout as well as a top-notch user experience.

We find that design is often a balancing act. Clients may want something mind-blowing and out of this world, but what they actual need is something a little bit more down to earth and functional.

Because it doesn’t matter how fantastic something looks, if it’s not fit for purpose and your target audience are left confused, or worse than that turned off, you may as well start again from scratch.

If you like these tips we can send future ones straight to your inbox…

Scroll to Top