Reading through what the last class of Publication Design had to say about the course, there were tons of great gems of knowledge dropped. There were four common themes that I found particularly interesting while I was reading through the posts.
- Plan. Plan. Plan.
Design is about planning every step along the way. If you don’t have a plan, then your work won’t be purposeful. Plan every step from the typeface to the colors to why you chose triangles over circles. Have a plan for your design, so that you stay on track and focused. I like to think that I’m a good planner, but I know I could be so much better, especially when it comes to design; writing down and sketching things out. - Do sweat the small things
The small things are what make or break your design. Make sure everything from the alignment to the copy is correct. Make sure you put your best work forward. The little things, or things you think wouldn’t make a big deal is what makes a world of difference. I’m such a big picture person that sometimes I tend to overlook or not think too much about the small stuff. - Purpose is everything
Have a reason for why you’re doing what you’re doing. If you don’t have a reason, then chances are you don’t have an effective design in place. Everything has a rhyme or reason. Sometimes my reasoning for design is because it looks nice, and that just won’t cut it. Decisions have to have meaning. - Timing is key
Make time for whatever you’re going to do in this class. Even make more time than you originally thought you needed. Things happen and ideas change. Don’t wait til the last minute to do anything. Make time, then add extra. It’s hard for me to make time for things sometimes, but if I don;t have time, then I’m not putting out my best work.
