Graphic design is a necessary and crucial element in advertising. Logos, images, and design textures and patterns are used on websites, business cards, brochures, and signage. Without a doubt, a companyÔÇÖs graphics is as important as their content. Here are a few tips if you are new to the world of graphics.

Start a collection

Every time you find something (online or otherwise) that you like, bookmark it or take a picture. You will start to develop a taste for certain elements, which you can use later when you are designing. As you have time, look through the items youÔÇÖve collected. Why are they appealing to you? Is it shape, color, texture, or layout?

Study logos

Logos represent a company or business. A good logo elicits a feeling of familiarity, trust, and recognition. When designing a logo for your site or business, you want to keep these tips in mind.

• Keep it simple
• It should work with or without color (what if you want to advertise in a newspaper?)
• It should look okay at multiple different sizes
• It should be unique yet recognizable

Always create a few different logos and get anotherÔÇÖs opinion. They may see something that you didnÔÇÖt. Oftentimes, adjusting a font, size, or color makes a dynamic difference. You also want to make sure that there is no strange association or odd shape that triggers a negative emotion or thought in the viewer.

Learn Photoshop

Without a doubt, Photoshop is the go-to program for those in graphic design. In addition to creating logos, you can virtually change any image. Photoshop is a robust program, so taking a class or viewing online tutorials is a must. In the meantime, there are plenty of other online and free photo editors that can do simple design changes to your photos, logos, or fonts.

Understand the importance of fonts

Graphic design is not only about the image. Font types play a big role in the feel of a graphic. Look at a website like FontSquirrel to see how many thousands of fonts are available. Choose five or six that catch your eye for the particular project you are working on, and play around with them. Use italics, bold, and caps sparingly. You want the text to be clear and readable.

Understand the value of space

Sometimes people add too much to their graphics. Think about the Nike logo. It is a simple wing-like shape. It can work with or without the company name under it. Try adding some more space to your logo or image if something isnÔÇÖt working.

Take a lesson in color contrast and pairings

Color is one of the most fascinating and complex principles of graphic design. The more you study color, the better you will get at identifying which tones work to elicit the response you are looking for. Remember that color on the web is very different than color in print, so pay attention to the rules that are different between the two mediums.

Graphic design is a big field. It will take you years to learn the skills and principles that designers use, so be patient with yourself- and of course, keep practicing!