Kimberly Provo
Administrative Assistant, Training and Marketing
Fogelman Management Group
Memphis
1. Plagiarism. Aside from copyright issuesand potential legal consequencesthis should be a matter of integrity. Try using a new color scheme or layout that still grabs attention but doesnt mimic the exact original. No one should be OK with copying anyone elses work, nor should you ask someone to do so.
2. Low Resolution. Without knowledge of photography and resolution, it may be hard for some to understand pixilation and dpi, but anyone can understand blurriness. While there are millions of photos on Google, they will most likely not print well from screen to paper. There are many, many quality (and free) stock photos and resources available.
3. Wrong Font Size. Use large, readable fonts. Its popularly accepted that-in print-serif fonts are easier to read. Those are fonts with feet on the letters, such as Times New Roman, Palatino, Georgia, Courier and Bookman. Normal print size is 12 points and large print text is at least 14 points.
4. Using the Same Color. You have one glance to grab someones attention. High contrast between elements can help you do that. Forget a monotone color palette with pale gradients; go bold with color and type options. Poster design is a great time to try a typeface or color palette that might be too crazy for other projects. Experiment with it.
5. Veering From Your Brand. Brand recognition is so important in todays market. Creating a strong brand that is memorable in peoples minds is crucial! Stay with your companys colors and fonts.
6. Forgetting a Call to Action. The goal of every design is to expose people to something. Most of these touches involve inviting someone to something, such as an event. For that reason, a call to action is vital. Think of it in the same way you would if designing a call to action for a website or appgive it a high-level of prominence in the design.
7. Being Too Vague. Include all of the details that your audience may need to know. The main takeaway here is that some pieces of information will be more important than others and you need to take care to give those special attention. This gives your work visual variety and makes it easier to browse.
8. Too Much Blank Space. Paying close attention to spacing and alignment is an important step in the design processone that can make or break a project. There can be a lot going on, but with proper spacing everything fits together nicelyalmost like puzzle pieces without looking crowded.
9. Forgetting Your Creative Side. One of the best things about design is that you can let your creativity shine. Of course, different projects will have different guidelines and requirements, but if you find yourself in a situation where you have free rein, use it.
10. Not Proofreading. Have someone else proofread your work. Check your contact information. Dial the phone numbers on the flyer to make sure they are correct, and type in the URL of your website to make sure it is correct, too. If your basic information is incorrect, your materials are useless.