Design basics for people who are not designers: five rules that work

Good design is not about decoration. It is about helping people understand your message quickly. These five rules work in any free design app.

1. Choose one main message

Decide what the reader should notice first, such as "Fresh bread every morning". Make that the biggest and clearest part of the design.

2. Limit fonts and colours

Use no more than two fonts, one for headings and one for body text. Choose two or three colours that fit your brand and use them everywhere.

3. Leave space

Empty space is not wasted. It gives the eye a place to rest. Do not fill every corner with text or pictures.

4. Make text easy to read

• Use dark text on a light background, or light text on a dark one.
• Avoid placing words over a busy picture.
• Keep lines short and use large enough text for a phone screen.

5. Line things up

Align text and pictures to the same edges. Keep similar items the same size. This one habit makes designs look neater at once.

Add the useful details

Include your name, contact and what you want people to do: call, order or visit. Check spelling and phone numbers twice.

Use good pictures

Use your own pictures or those you have permission to use. Do not copy another person's logo or photo.

Practise by remaking a design you like, in your own style, and ask a friend what they notice first.

Written by the EarnNaija team at EarnNaija Digital Technologies.

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