Typography is an issue that most designers have to spend a lot of time thinking about. A lot depends on typography when it comes to graphic design. Each typography font has its own visual qualities. They not only make your design more attractive but also communicate your message wonderfully. Because there are so many varieties of typography font, it becomes difficult for designers to choose the typeface and font that would be ideal for their graphic designing.

In this post, you will find some ideas which are intended to help you make a better decision about your typography font.

First of all, the most basic thing to keep in mind is the design’s purpose. Why you are creating the design and for whom you are creating the design. These two questions need to be answered in your mind before beginning the project.

Visual Appeal: As a graphic designer, you can’t deny the fact that typography really adds a lot to the beauty of your design. So, when you choose a typography font, make sure it really looks good with your design and would suit the purpose and audience you are designing for.

Space For Text: Every typeface and font needs different space to accommodate the text. You have to go for several trials and errors before making up your mind about how much space to use in your graphic design.

Typographic Legibility: Do not mix this with readability. Legibility has a direct relationship with the design element of the fonts you have used. This needs to use the space cleverly between the text. If your design has many words in it, use a simple font to make it legible but if it has little text, opt for decorative fonts.

Mood of Typography: Not every typeface and font convey the same mood. Depending on your website’s purpose, you should choose a typeface and font that expresses a relevant mood. You are trying to appeal to particular emotions with your typography. So you have to make sure that you select the right combination to wow your target audience.

Font Category: Depending on your design, you have to make up your mind and choose a Slab Serif,  Sans Serif, Decorative, Script and Modern etc. Be 100% sure that the font category you choose, conveys your message the way you wanted.

Restrict the Number of of Fonts You Use: Do not get carried away and use a plethora of typography fonts as that would only make your design less legible and cluttered. Stick to the number of font styles that you generally use.

Typographic Hierarchy: It means using different typography for the different layers of information that your design will convey. There can be different typefaces and fonts for the heading, the content and the call to action. You should select those that match your design best. Experiment with different sizes of fonts and find out how your audience is identifying the heading, content and call to action.

Readability: This is the cumulative impact that all your font elements have on the reader. It clicks when readers do not have any difficulty reading your message. Good readability comes from proper use of color, spacing, alignment etc.

See What Others are Doing: I am not telling you to be a copycat. Just keep a tab on other graphic designers’ work and you will have a better idea about the typography trends in your field.

Else, get in touch with a web graphic design India company for some expert advice.

What are the other ways you select the typography for your graphic design projects? Tell us.

Do you offer corporate identity design services? If so, you must be well-aware of the difficulties in negotiating about project fees. While experienced designers feel confident about quoting a high rate, inexperienced designers usually quote low price. This is because they believe that quoting a high price would result in loss of designing projects, which in turn would affect their financial condition.

It is true that if inexperienced designers quote a high price, it will not be a practical approach. However,  they can still opt for some intelligent strategies to negotiate about their price. To know more, read on.

Develop Self-Awareness

Smart negotiating starts with developing self-awareness. Study your strengths, weaknesses, and the services your offer. Understanding yourself and gathering useful information about your field will increase your confidence and help you to approach the client smartly.

Do not be Intimidated

If you are an inexperienced designer, feeling intimidated in presence of a powerful client is natural. This is especially true if they request you to visit their office. The high-rises, huge conference table and smart assistants are enough to make you nervous.

However, consider the fact that the client had asked you to visit his office for a reason. You possess the expertise to deliver something that they require. Use this expertise to your advantage.

Avoid Excessive Talking

Most people talk excessively, when nervous. And it is obvious that an experienced client will take advantage of your nervousness. This means that even if you are nervous, avoid revealing it. If necessary, participate in mock conversations prior the meeting to get rid of the nervousness.

Do Not Focus on your Weaknesses

Some shrewd clients make designers accept a lower price by highlighting their weaknesses. If you want to protect your interests, avoid falling for this trap. Even if the client points out your weak areas, try to divert the conversation about your strengths. If you had opted for a specialized corporate identity or newsletter design course to get rid of your weaknesses, highlight it as well.

Consider the fact that every person possesses some weaknesses. However, if you appear vulnerable, it will be implemented against you. Therefore, appear confident and be proud of your strengths.

Keep your Calm

Some designers work hard to develop the perfect proposal. However, when it comes to submitting the final pricing, they freak out and reduce the rates. This is a wrong strategy. Stick to your rates and be prepared to defend it, if challenged.

Opt for these strategies to convince the client about your expertise and thus, your rates. If you want to gather in-depth knowledge about how web graphic design India handles pricing issues, get in touch with them.

The primacy of web graphic design professional is to design exactly according to the wishes and requirements of the clients. The irony is that your artistic quality as a designer is pushed behind and the customer’s often impassioned and rigid requirements are given a kingly treat. This is drastically changing the very concept of the word “design”.

Design always implies the presence of the designer’s unique aesthetics. But unfortunately, the client’s interest and commands are far too respected at the cost of artistry of an extremely talented designer. The old saying “Customers are always right” seems fanatically attended to many graphic design services companies.

Let us suppose that you are a gym trainer and your trainee tells you against your advice that he/she is going to eat lots of cheeseburgers. Would you still give him/her the permission to eat them though you know clearly that the food is going to harm your client’s fitness?

The same ridiculous affair happens to us as visual art designers. We sacrifice our sense of creative vision and our aesthetics at the cost of our customers’ often dull and drab suggestions. We are swayed by the nagging of our customer: “I think green color will add better elegance.” “This must be aligned this way.” Make this shape smaller” and endless barrage of suggestions and commands.

Many a times, clients, relying on their inexperienced artistic sense, reject the best decisions we make for their design which is not only annoying but discouraging. At times it is a shame to have designed, say a logo or a brochure design that looks so lusterless and dreary just because you have entirely relied on the customer’s directions.

As a designer, you have to pave your way into working successfully with your clients and avoid such a discouraging situation. Basically, there are two modes of dealing with this state of affair. First, learn the art of convincing your clients that you are competent and trustworthy. Second, learn to instruct your clients in a convincing manner.

The Importance of Educate oneself and gaining credibility

This is the most important part that needs to be taken care of by you as a designer. Educate yourself and be clear about your techniques. Unless you learn to justify your decisions and choices incorporated in the design, it is unlikely that your client will trust your credibility.

Your success rests on your size of knowledge and confidence in the process of your decisions. This does not mean that you have to be blatant and disrespectful. There is always a pleasant way to defend your design in the most effective way.  Keep in mind the following when advocating your stances:

- Be very clear about the purpose of your design. Only then you will be able to defend your decisions convincingly to your clients.
- Maintain decorum and composure. Never express yourself rudely. Be respectful.
- Learn to defend your design with your previous successful designs and take pain to conduct your own research so that you know clearly why your design is as such.

The Importance of Educating Clients

Educating client is vital if you want to achieve success in any business undertakings. As a designer, you need to lay emphasis on this aspect more than anything else. Educating you clients on certain choices in your design using the right language is highly important. Just because you are a computer expert does not mean that all your clients will understand the technical terms you used. Use the simplest language possible. A very effective way of educating your clients is by creating a blog where your can post articles defending your design and also introduced them to the world of popular designs and provide links to design resources.

It is high time to alter the myth and say that the “CUSTOMERS ARE NOT ALWAYS RIGHT”. The graphic design services India has to redefine the seller-buyer relationship. Just because the client is paying the bill, he/she need not be the entire decision maker. Let us not undermine our artistic abilities; rather, let us use all our brilliant skills in providing highly fulfilling and efficacious design to our customers.

In the third part of our graphic design series, we will be discussing about composition and its surrounding elements. More specifically, we will highlight the different ways you can highlight website elements or a particular element.

Emphasis on a Single Visual

Using a single visual in the website design is a good way to highlight a particular element. Ofcourse, the image must be a powerful one, because the whole design is based on it.

Achieving a single visual composition is easy. However, you need to be careful about selecting the image. The primary logic of this technique is to ensure that typography and other elements complement the visual element and do not dominate it.

Utilize the Golden Ratio

Golden ratio refers to a numeric value, almost equal to 1.618. It is extensively used in geometry, art, and designs. Arranging the web elements, according to the rules of Golden Ratio can be a good idea.

This is because of the fact that Golden Ratio considers ways human eyes work. Utilizing it will allow visitors to notice the intended elements, such as corporate logo design or flyer design.

Managing the Focal Point

You can also consider the focal point strategy for highlighting a particular section of thewebsite. Various ways of achieving a focal point exist. You can highlight focal point of a site by opting for an image, button, or simple typography.

You can also consider the focal point strategy for highlighting a particular section of the website. Various ways of achieving a focal point exist. You can highlight focal point of a site by opting for an image, button, or simple typography.

It is true that focal point should be the first element to grab attention of visitors. However, over-emphasizing it can interfere with the layout balance. Remain on the safe side by keeping the focal point neat and simple.

You can also cleverly highlight purposes of your site by utilizing the focal point. If you want the visitors to act, use the call-to-action button as focal point of your site.

Opting For Grid Design

Most web designers are aware of the grid theory and design. For those who are unaware, we may point out that grids maintain balance amongst various elements of the site.

Grids do not have to be overwhelming always. You can opt for subtle grids. However, you should always ensure that the design assumes a clean look.

Gestalt Laws

Gestalt laws revolve around human perception and interpretation of elements and things. Morespecifically, these laws are associated with five principles that can include similarity, proximity, closure, continuation, and alignment. We will explain these elements in brief -

• The law of closure states that we tend to close things in our brain, when they are not closed in reality. For example, if you draw an unfinished circle, the brain will still perceive it as a complete circle.

• The law of proximity highlights that human beings tend to associate things that have similar shapes or colors.

• According to the law of continuation, people usually include objects under a single group, if they are placed in the same direction.

• The law of alignment states that items are arranged based on centerlines or edges.

F and Z Layout

Z layout utilizes regular movement of the human eye. We will explain this point in details. Most people, while checking a site, follow the Z pattern. They start observing left-hand corner of the site and stop at the bottom right section. Arranging your website elements, according to the Z layout, will increase readability of the site.
F layout, on the other hand, is based on the idea that visitors interpret first section of the site, move on to the second section, and so on.

Acquiring in-depth knowledge about design principles will improve appearance of your site and offer readers a better experience. Of course, acquiring knowledge is not enough. You have to implement these principles in reality to understand how they work. If you are an aspiring designer, considering these strategies is especially important.

In our last post, we discussed the critical elements of web graphic design. Today, we will highlight some important design principles. Knowing about these principles is crucial, because it will help you to create perfect graphic designs, not just good ones.

Graphic Design Principles

1. Balance

Balance determines the distribution of design elements throughout a layout. Balance is usually of three types – symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radius.Symmetrical balance takes place when both sides of a web graphic design contain similar lines, texture, and other elements.

Balance determines the distribution of design elements throughout a layout. Balance is usually of three types – symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radius. Symmetrical balance takes place when both sides of a web graphic design contain similar lines, texture, and other elements.

Asymmetrical balance takes place when two aspects of a website design are dissimilar, yet contain similar elements. Though it is termed as ‘asymmetrical’, it offers symmetry to a certain extent.

Radius balance occurs when various elements of a design are placed in a circular way. They create an image of fluidity and dynamism.

You can create balance by playing with various design elements, which we discussed in our previous article.

2. Priority and Dominance

The principle of dominance segregates various elements and prioritizes them, based on their importance. A call-to-action statement or headline serves asthe primary element. Secondary element can include pictures and navigation systems. Tertiary elements can include meta information and footer links.

In most cases, web designers aim to guide users’ eyes towards the dominant element.

3. Proportion

Proportion refers to the size of various elements. It is critical, because it creates a strong impression on the audience. As compared to smallerelements, for example, larger ones grab attention more quickly.

It can be added here that to create a beautiful effect, all these principles should work together. If font of your footer is larger than that of your text, it is obvious that it will not create a positive impression.

4. Contrast

Most people are aware of the fact that main purpose of contrast is to highlight one element, against the others. The most popular way of creating contrast is by using colors intelligently. However, in recent times, designers are creating contrast by using texture and typography.

Intelligent use of contrast can attract attention of users. If you have an e-commerce site and want to highlight your call-to-action button, you can use a happy color, such as green.

5. Rhythm

Rhythm influences human eye movement from one element to the other. It determines the order of viewing elements. Implementing the principle of rhythm, however, is difficult. This is because everyone observes sites differently and you cannot always influence the way they will notice the different elements.

Rhythm is of two types-progressive and fluid. With progressive rhythm, you can guide the eye in a clear-cut direction. Fluid movement is also about directing the eye in the same direction. However, it differs from progressive movement by offering variation in the movement.

Movement of the water can serve as a good example of fluid rhythm.

6. Unity and Harmony

This principle ensures that various elements of the graphic design complement each other. Implementing this principle is critical, because if you place elements blindly in a site, it will not create the right effect. To ensure that all the elements reflect the same purpose as that of the site, you need to consider this principle.

While creating a website design, paying attention to these principles is critical. It will help you to create a site that appeals to the aesthetics of users and offers them an enriching experience.

Experienced designers would agree with the fact that graphic designing is a broad concept that includes various elements. These can include line, texture, color, value, space, and shape. Today, in this article, we will discuss these elements in details and further highlight their importance in web graphic design.

Elements of Graphic Design

1. Line

Line is usually a critical aspect of any design. They can be of various types-black, blue, long, curved, straight-in brief, anything. Designers usually use lines to segregate various sections of a website or to guide a user’s vision in a particular direction.

Different lines create different effect on minds of the audience. As compared to a thin line, a thick one, for example, can capture attention of people more easily. The style of a line is important as well. A solid line, for example, creates a more powerful effect than a dotted one.

2. Textures

Surprisingly, textures were not popular even few years back. However, in recent times, web designers are experimenting with various types of textures and creating interesting effects.

Examples of popular textures can include brick, paper, stone, and natural elements. Depending on your personal preferences, you can allow textures to dominate the site or use it sparingly. Whatever you do, ensure that the textures do not interfere with readability of the site.

3. Color

Of course, we all are aware of the importance of colors and effect they can create. Different colors encourage people to react in various ways. While blue creates a soothing effect, red promotes passion. Green, on the other hand, is associated with nature.

For these reasons, designers should carefully assess the impact of different colors, before using them in the site. If you have a travel site, for example, using green would be a great idea. Studying color theory will help you to understand the psychology of various colors.

4. Value

In simple terms, value represents lightness or darkness of a design. An in-depth knowledge of colors will help you to create a perfect website design, but an understanding of value will help you to gauge potential emotional response of the users.

Consider the fact that lighter and darker designs encourage visitors to react in different ways. You should understand the subtle differences between these two and choose the one that complements your site the most.

5. Space

Depending on the usage of space, a site can look cluttered or neat. In recent times, white or negative space has become quite popular. This is because designers have realized the fact that clever usage of white space can enhance readability of a site.

Home page of Google can be a good example of correct usage of negative space. The site offers an airy feeling, with the white space guiding the eye towards various aspects of the site (search bar, mail, images or videos).

6. Shape

Shape is another commonly used element of graphic design. Shapes can include circles, squares, ovals, or even abstract shapes.

Similar to lines, human beings interpret each shape in a different way. Most of us, for instance, associate circles with nature and movement. Squares, on the other hand, create a structured impression.

We have highlighted the important elements of graphic design. It can be added here in recent times, the minimalist style has become quite popular. The reason is that this style creates a sleek look, thus creating a positive image on minds of the audience.