EricaKarmes-Jesonis

Cecil County Public LibraryWeb Manager & Graphic Designer

ChristineKarpovage

State of DelawareDivision of Libraries

Government Information CenterWeb & Graphic Designer

GraphicDesign:101Great Graphics on a Shoe-String Budget

• Time• Training• Resources• Focus

Top Design Challenges for Libraries

• Communication• Impact

WHY graphic design is critical

limited

the pitch

Purpose• What do I need to communicate?

Audience • Who am I trying to get to my event?

Gather Information • Logos, photos, specific colors, date, time location

• Are there special details needed? Driving directions? Do they need costumes?

Design Tips… Where do I start?

Keep it simple… Remember, less is more • Can you look at it with in a few seconds and understand what, when and where?

Treat it like a billboard

Grab their attention• Create a larger headline, use a fun (but readable) font

• Keep it short and sweet

• Use a graphic element in the header

Body Text, Headlines and Fonts… Oh my!

Remember readability for all text

• People read left to right, not sideways, or stacked

• Keep body text in easy-to-read fonts (Helvetica, Calibri, Times, etc.)

• Be careful with all caps

• Keep font variety to 2, otherwise your design can look chaotic

• Consider pairing fonts to create contrast – a bold, fun font for your header, with a thinner font for a subheader

“White Space”

• “White Space” is negative space.

• Gives the eye a rest.

• It is not your “Enemy” and no need to fill up every inch of the page.

• We want people to feel pleasure when viewing your item, not have a seizure.

Bad Idea Good Idea

Color

• Keep colors to minimal combinations

• Think of nature with neutrals and pops of color

• Goal is to make it easy on the eye, not cause headaches.

• Create balance with “white” space and color blocks

Color

Complimentary Colors causes “vibration”

The eye has a difficult time viewing and focusing.

Red & Green are used at Holiday times and use sparingly. Try not to directly use next to each other when possible.

Many sports teams use these bright vibrating color combinations for uniforms. You can definitely find your team on the field!

Grab their attention but don’t give them a headache

When used sensibly you can put vibrating colors together for a powerful punch. Finding the right balance is key.

Use color common sense.

Layout & Color

“Color harmony delivers visual interest and a sense of order.”

In visual experiences, harmony is something that is pleasing to the eye. It engages the viewer, creates an inner sense of order and balance in the visual experience.

When something is not harmonious, it's either boring or chaotic.

Layout – the secret of the 2 Ls

• Lump• Line Up

Program TitleDESCRIPTIVE SUBHEADER

Paragraph of text that describes the program. Paragraph of text that describes the program. Paragraph of text that describes the program. Paragraph of text that describes the program. Paragraph of text that describes the program.

Program Date & Time

PHOTO

Phone #Website address

Mandatory ADA statement. Mandatory ADA statement. Mandatory ADA statement.

Library

Program Title

Descriptive Subheader

Paragraph of text that describes the program. Paragraph of text that describes the program. Paragraph of text that describes the program. Paragraph of text that describes the program. Paragraph of text that describes the program.

Program Date & Time

PHOTO

Phone #Website address

Mandatory ADA statement. Mandatory ADA statement. Mandatory ADA statement.

Library

Doodle time! – Have a plan

• Yes! I said “Doodle” Put some thoughts on scrap paper Your sketch is your road map

• You don’t need drawing skills! No detail required. It is just to give you a starting point for your layout.

• Group items Put like items together to create distinct sections. Most flyers have general info like logos, phone numbers, and ADA statements… put together to make a footer.

Phone #Website address

Mandatory ADA statement. Mandatory ADA statement. Mandatory ADA statement.

Resources:

Questions?