My Tips for Design Beginners

Hello all,

Today, I finally submitted the final draft of the business card, letterhead and envelope for Diamond K Leather Co. I have truly enjoyed working on this project and I have learned so much about designing. As a little reflection post, I am going to share a few things that helped me create these designs.

First off, research is KEY. Never ever jump into designing without thoroughly researching the company’s values, characteristics and current stance as well as what competitors are doing. Graphic design is an opportunity to visually send a message, and if you want your design to be effective in doing so, you have to do your research.

Design, revise, repeat. There is a very good chance that your first draft of a design is not going to be the best version of it. It’s so important to try different styles and combinations and continuously edit and improve your drafts. Sometimes, it’s easy to get stuck and not know how to make a design better. This is when you need another opinion. Have your teacher, peers or organization members look over your design and provide feedback. Take a look at some of my original logo drafts below. After talking with the owner of the organization, I was able to redesign one that better suited his brand.

Finally, understanding design elements is one the best way to ensure a design that stands out in the viewer’s mind. Every aspect of a design works together and affects the message, this includes colors, fonts, spacing, layout, balance, etc. Check out my blog post, Ten Design Elements Everyone Should Know to get a base understanding. Once you know the terms, look at the work around you to develop your skills. Look at advertisements, posters, covers, stickers or any other graphic design materials. What is working? What isn’t? What would you do differently?

Here are my final drafts of the business card, letterhead and envelope.