Before we dive into the nitty gritty of graphic design, let’s go over exactly what print design is. As a subset of graphic design, print is a style of tangible communication that conveys information via tactile goods, such as a business card or brochure. Apparently, 49% of SMEs rate print’s importance as ‘very important’ (FinancesOnline), suggesting an opportunity to take advantage of direct marketing in an increasingly digital landscape. Read on for the key principles of print design, and how we can help you with your direct marketing efforts.
1 – Alignment
A great print design needs to be aligned for aesthetic appeal. Orderly design is easy on the eyes and will boost its quality. Strong alignment strengthens visual messages for a tight, well presented design that avoids a messy effect on the material.
2 – Consistency
Consistency is crucial for creating familiarity whilst presenting a brand identity. Consistent font, type style, colour and spatial arrangements will improve overall quality, in addition to considering contrast to create patterns.
3 – Contrast
Contrast directly impacts the emphasis on different parts of a design. Making things bigger or smaller, and wider or shorter organises the information on a design. It gives us an idea of where to look first which is important for making a good first impression. For print to have the proper impact, it needs to be clear to see!
4 – Hierarchy
Visual organisation of information gives the audience an idea of where to start and finish when looking at a design. Rank this information in order of priority, such as logo, brand message and then call to action. Positioning, size, contrast and colour is crucial here, especially to achieve the desired hierarchy for the message to stand out.
5 – Balance
Finally, balance gives that stability and structure via symmetry or tension of elements. Think of it as the weight distributed on the design by the placement of elements. Designs can achieve symmetrical balance with an invisible center line, where both halves of the design are equal – like the ying/yang symbol. Whereas balance through tension is created when the positioning of something plays against the positioning of another, creating a dynamic, bolder design.
These key principles of print design are second nature to our graphic design team, who will create bespoke graphics for tangible goods such as business cards and brochures – designing cool merch to bolster direct marketing efforts and improve the pipeline! Fancy a chat?
Contact the Momentum team for printed design!
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