Technique in Designing - Experiment! and Seek Inspiration

Let's dispel the myth that design solutions appear like magic in burst of creative

energy or like a light bulb illuminating over the head of a cartoon character.

Successful graphic design usually emerges from trial and error. Solutions are the

result of a willingness to try various design options until one looks right.

Although desktop publishing lets you produce graphics on your computer, it's often

best to loosely sketch initial ideas and trial layouts with pencil and paper.

Try out ideas. When you finish one sketch, begin another. Let speed become a

stimulant.

You'll find your ideas flow much faster-and you'll arrive at a design solution much

quicker-if you sketch out alternative ways of arranging text and graphics by hand.

Don't bother with detail for now. Think big: use thin lines for text, thick lines or

block lettering for headlines,Hp Pavilion dv4 battery and "happy faces" for art of photographs.

Train yourself to constantly analyze the work of others.

Sensitize yourself to examples of good and bad design. If a direct-mail piece you

like appears in your mailbox, examine it and determine why it appeals to you. If you

see an advertisement in the newspaper that's all wrong, Hp Pavilion dv5 battery dissect it and identify why

it doesn't work.

Most experienced graphic artists maintain "inspiration" files containing samples

they like.

When you get stuck on a project, spend a few moments reviewing your favorite designs

on file. Chances are, they may serve as catalyst for your design decisions.

It's easy to become so involved with desktop publishing hardware and software

features you forget that they're simply tools-that your real challenge is creating

the overall design.

To focus on design without the technological trappings, skim professional design

publications that showcase elegant,Hp Pavilion DV6 battery excellent design examples (see the

bibliography).

Join a local advertising group, art directors club or communications forum. You may

have more in common with advertising and public relations people that you think: you

share a common goal of informing and persuading others. You're likely to return from

these meetings with a fresh perspective on your communication and design efforts.

Stephen Timothy Matthew, aside being an altar boy also writes online and he's been

doing it for more than 3 years now.