Sometimes I am just run out of idea. Either I am designing a website, poster, business card, these are the basic design principle I keep reminding myself.
Brief
This is where you find out the problem, understand and provide a solution for your client.
But how do I find out their problem? You need to ask.
Ask what?
Here are the basic question that I use every time on a brand identity project. Click on the link to download it.
Contrast
I always add contrast in my design. Contrast in terms of shape, color, thin and bold stroke, rigid with overlapping layout, big and small font, italic and bold, and anything you can think of.
Play around and see what blend well.
Balance
Do you still remember asymmetrical balance and symmetrical balance you learned on your foundation class?
The right balance give your design well proportioned.
Function
Every design has its own function. Every heading is the biggest font size in poster design, magazine design or a banner.
Why?
Catching people attention is a function of a headline.
Sometimes the poster you’ve been designing looks better to have a smaller headline, but does it function well? Can people read the headline?
Why logo has to form in a simple shape? Because a function of a logo is let people recognize a business in a few second.