Presented by

Designing Brochures, Newsletters, Reports and More

Rachel Fisher

10 Questions to ask before plunging

into a design

Sell

Inform

Educate or persuade

10 QUESTIONS

What is the purpose of the piece?

• Who will be reading the publication?

• What is the type of publication you are creating?

• What is the essential information you must convey?

• What image does your organization or business want to project?

10 QUESTIONS

• How much time do you have to complete this project?

• Are there any limitations and how can you accommodate them?

• What other pieces have similar organizations produced?

• What resources are available?

• What help do you need?

10 QUESTIONS

Hallmarksof a great design

Hallmarks of a great design Elements

White SpaceParts of the document with no text or image:! Help put more focus on a specific

aspect of your design! Help balance your elements! Add sophistication to your design! Add meaning to your design without

adding another physical element

Hallmarks of a great design Elements

White Space

B al an ceEqual distribution of the visual weight in a design

! How elements, lines, shapes, texture, colors are placed and arranged on your design

! Can be symmetrical—more formal—or asymmetrical

! Helps provide harmony between text, photos and colors

Hallmarks of a great design Elements

White Space

Balance

HarmonyAll parts relating to and complementing each other

Hallmarks of a great design Elements

P roportion! Relationship of size between two or

more elements in a design and how they compare with one another

! Harmonious relationship between size and quantity

Hallmarks of a great design Elements

Proportion

RhythmAllows your design to develop an internal consistency to make it easier for your customers to understand

Hallmarks of a great design Elements

Proportion

Rhythm

C ontra s tOccurrence of different elements such as color and size. Creates interest and pulls attention to the focal point.! Font sizes! Layout shapes

! Images

Good and poordesign

LinesHelp to separate thoughts or experiences in a clean,

simple way.

MassMass equals size.

Design has a physical mass within the graphics, photos,

lines, texts and blocks. Each element has its own mass

relative to its own piece.

ShapeLess is more.

ColorNot as essential. Does add great dimension and can evoke moods and powerful statements even before your audience interprets the copy.

Good and poor design Lines, Shapes, Mass, Color

Aids readability, message, approachability,

feelings and moods.

Good and poor design Questions: Have you …

• Gotten your readers’ attention?• Made your message clear?

• Accomplished your purpose?

Selectingthe right type size

11 point is considered acceptable as

standard type size.

Home printing or professional?

How are you going to layout your message?

Power of color

Power of color

WARM COLORS—rev us up, get us going.

COOL COLORS—create a calming effect.

Tips for designingresults-driven, professional-

looking brochures

Brochure mission:1. Get someone to read it2. Find motivation to keep it

! Brochure sizes! Generous margins! Easy to read text! Catchy phrases or new terms! Formatting! Quality of paper! Logos

T reat as m ark et ing piec e— ad d d esig n elem ent s

Tips for designing results-driven, professional-looking brochures Proposals and Reports

U se b u llet ed list s

E m ploy w id er m arg ins and u se d ropk ic k ers and sid eb ars

U se g raphs and c hart s

I nc lu d e int ros and su b head ing s

Designing adswith punch and sizzle

Use a headline to present a direct message.

Use appropriate language for your audience.

Use humor.

Think about your competitors or like-minded organizations.

Be honest.

Be approachable.

Crash coursedesigning Web page layouts

SequencingThe users’ comforts or expectations of how to logically move through information

Web page layouts Three main considerations

Affects readability and the relationships assumed between the displayed information! Header! Body! Footer

SpacingSimilar to sequencing—assumes a top-down display of information

Nesting

What do I want my audience to do next?

How obvious did I make it?

Why am I creating this?

Why does my audience care?

Consider this:

Summary

• Color• Pull from feelings that drive; use facts

to justify• Think about layout, balance, lines, margins

• Consider the focus of the piece• Before mass print or upload, ask a

colleague or friend to review your material