A basic primer in design principles and rules of thumb to help non-designers get their work looking good. Also, a collection of resources and links for cheap and free design assets and further reading

1. GOOD
MORNING

2. WHO IS JONNO COHEN?
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
ILLUSTRATOR
WEB DESIGNER

3. DESIGN FOR
NON-DESIGNERS

4. 1
2
3

5. http://jonnocohen.com/non-designers

6. 1
PRINCIPLES

7. ?

8. Who is this for?

9. What do I want them to do?

10. How do I get them to do it?

11. 1
FOCAL POINT

25. Less is more

26. Cut through the clutter

27. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit
Mauris eget euismod dui. Donec tristique imperdiet pellentesque. Etiam dignissim porta massa, et
dictum neque rhoncus nec. Sed consectetur facilisis quam. Donec quis ultrices elit. In eu lectus sed
nulla sollicitudin sagittis. Nulla fringilla tincidunt tellus, lobortis tempor sem. Fusce varius, massa vel
venenatis tempor, leo ipsum elementum magna, ac porta mi tortor sed odio. Nullam euismod diam ac
urna feugiat vestibulum. Donec dui nulla, laoreet id dui at, tempor fringilla elit. Mauris ullamcorper
interdum est nec aliquam. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus.
Quisque ultricies eros quis turpis rutrum pretium. Morbi et quam vitae turpis convallis luctus vitae quis
risus. Sed sed lacus tellus. Mauris a dui at nisi consequat pulvinar vitae auctor lorem. Phasellus vulputate
lacus nec nunc eleifend interdum. Maecenas et massa ut est molestie accumsan a non lorem. Nullam
semper pellentesque eleifend. Vivamus eget velit sit amet leo lobortis tincidunt vitae id mi. Nam
accumsan ligula nisi, ac volutpat nisl egestas at. Praesent vel tellus semper leo posuere pharetra.
Vivamus ut lectus nec turpis convallis tempus. Suspendisse vehicula convallis sapien sed egestas. Ut
eget malesuada dolor, eu rhoncus nisl.

28. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit
Mauris eget euismod dui. Donec tristique imperdiet pellentesque. Etiam dignissim porta massa, et
dictum neque rhoncus nec. Sed consectetur facilisis quam. Donec quis ultrices elit. In eu lectus sed
nulla sollicitudin sagittis. Nulla fringilla tincidunt tellus, lobortis tempor sem. Fusce varius, massa vel
venenatis tempor, leo ipsum elementum magna, ac porta mi tortor sed odio. Nullam euismod diam ac
urna feugiat vestibulum. Donec dui nulla, laoreet id dui at, tempor fringilla elit. Mauris ullamcorper
interdum est nec aliquam. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus.
Quisque ultricies eros quis turpis rutrum pretium. Morbi et quam vitae turpis convallis luctus vitae quis
risus. Sed sed lacus tellus. Mauris a dui at nisi consequat pulvinar vitae auctor lorem. Phasellus vulputate
lacus nec nunc eleifend interdum. Maecenas et massa ut est molestie accumsan a non lorem. Nullam
semper pellentesque eleifend. Vivamus eget velit sit amet leo lobortis tincidunt vitae id mi. Nam
accumsan ligula nisi, ac volutpat nisl egestas at. Praesent vel tellus semper leo posuere pharetra.
Vivamus ut lectus nec turpis convallis tempus. Suspendisse vehicula convallis sapien sed egestas. Ut
eget malesuada dolor, eu rhoncus nisl.

29. 2
WHITE SPACE

38. ANC report admits party has failed
Johannesburg - The ANC has conceded it has dismally failed to meet its own delivery targets
for the five years up to this year on rooting out corruption, reducing unemployment, and
narrowing the gap between the poor and the rich.
However, the ruling party said it made significant progress in improving education and
healthcare, especially in the matric results and the reduction of HIV/Aids.
It had also exceeded its target in youth employment, education and training.
These are among the findings of party’s internal draft report on its implementation of
government priorities between 2009 and this year.
Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane presented the report at the ANC’s lekgotla on
Friday, a few days before the party consolidates its nomination list for the election candidates.
The party had, in its 2009 election manifesto, identified the fight against crime and corruption,
the creation of decent work, education, healthcare and rural development, food security and
land reform as its five key priorities for the next five years. This year’s election manifesto has
stuck to these priority areas.
Titled the “Close-out Report on the Implementation of Government Priorities for 2009-2014”,
the 162-page document, seen by The Star, was presented to a workshop last month.
It is to be tabled before the cabinet lekgotla.
For all its intention to clamp down on corruption and face the fifth democratic elections with a
cleaner image, the ANC appears to have an uphill battle in curbing this malady.
Of the 100 people with assets of R5 million obtained through corruption that the party had
targeted to convict by this year, only 41 have been successfully convicted.
About 790 people are under investigation, while freezing orders with assets estimated to be
valued at R1.3 billion have been obtained.
The ANC’s own rating has highlighted this crucial target as “not achieved”.
The report identified “slow reporting”, “identification of cases that meet the target criterion” of
having R5m assets, and inadequate skilled investigators as among the problems hindering
progress in cracking down on fraudsters.
Other impediments listed include unco-operative witnesses, criminal investigations being
hampered by suspects who remain in office after being charged, and lack of finalisation of
complex cases.
The report further shows the ANC’s target on employment is “not likely to be achieved”.

39. ANC report admits party has failed
Johannesburg - The ANC has conceded it has dismally failed to meet its own delivery targets
for the five years up to this year on rooting out corruption, reducing unemployment, and
narrowing the gap between the poor and the rich.
However, the ruling party said it made significant progress in improving education and
healthcare, especially in the matric results and the reduction of HIV/Aids.
It had also exceeded its target in youth employment, education and training.
These are among the findings of party’s internal draft report on its implementation of
government priorities between 2009 and this year.
Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane presented the report at the ANC’s lekgotla on
Friday, a few days before the party consolidates its nomination list for the election candidates.
The party had, in its 2009 election manifesto, identified the fight against crime and corruption,
the creation of decent work, education, healthcare and rural development, food security and
land reform as its five key priorities for the next five years. This year’s election manifesto has
stuck to these priority areas.
Titled the “Close-out Report on the Implementation of Government Priorities for 2009-2014”,
the 162-page document, seen by The Star, was presented to a workshop last month.
It is to be tabled before the cabinet lekgotla.
For all its intention to clamp down on corruption and face the fifth democratic elections with a
cleaner image, the ANC appears to have an uphill battle in curbing this malady.
Of the 100 people with assets of R5 million obtained through corruption that the party had
targeted to convict by this year, only 41 have been successfully convicted.
About 790 people are under investigation, while freezing orders with assets estimated to be
valued at R1.3 billion have been obtained.
The ANC’s own rating has highlighted this crucial target as “not achieved”.
The report identified “slow reporting”, “identification of cases that meet the target criterion” of
having R5m assets, and inadequate skilled investigators as among the problems hindering

40. ANC report admits party has failed
Johannesburg - The ANC has conceded it has dismally failed to meet its own delivery targets
for the five years up to this year on rooting out corruption, reducing unemployment, and
narrowing the gap between the poor and the rich.
However, the ruling party said it made significant progress in improving education and
healthcare, especially in the matric results and the reduction of HIV/Aids.
It had also exceeded its target in youth employment, education and training.
These are among the findings of party’s internal draft report on its implementation of
government priorities between 2009 and this year.
Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane presented the report at the ANC’s lekgotla on
Friday, a few days before the party consolidates its nomination list for the election candidates.
The party had, in its 2009 election manifesto, identified the fight against crime and corruption,
the creation of decent work, education, healthcare and rural development, food security and
land reform as its five key priorities for the next five years. This year’s election manifesto has
stuck to these priority areas.
Titled the “Close-out Report on the Implementation of Government Priorities for 2009-2014”,
the 162-page document, seen by The Star, was presented to a workshop last month.
It is to be tabled before the cabinet lekgotla.
For all its intention to clamp down on corruption and face the fifth democratic elections with a
cleaner image, the ANC appears to have an uphill battle in curbing this malady.

41. 3
MAKE IT DIFFERENT
MAKE IT THE SAME

46. 4
TYPOGRAPHY

47. SERIFS
AEgB

48. SERIF
SANS-SERIF
AEgB AEgB

49. ANC report admits party has failed
Johannesburg - The ANC has conceded it has dismally failed to meet its own
delivery targets for the five years up to this year on rooting out corruption,
reducing unemployment, and narrowing the gap between the poor and the
rich.
However, the ruling party said it made significant progress in improving
education and healthcare, especially in the matric results and the reduction of
HIV/Aids.
It had also exceeded its target in youth employment, education and training.
These are among the findings of party’s internal draft report on its
implementation of government priorities between 2009 and this year.

50. Freedom

51. Freedom

52. Freedom

53. Freedom

54. Freedom

55. Freedom

56. Freedom

57. Freedom

58. Freedom

59. Freedom

60. Johannesburg - The ANC has conceded it
has dismally failed to meet its own
delivery targets for the five years up to
this year on rooting out corruption,
reducing unemployment, and narrowing
the gap between the poor and the rich.
Johannesburg - The ANC has conceded it has
dismally failed to meet its own delivery targets for
the five years up to this year on rooting out
corruption, reducing unemployment, and narrowing
the gap between the poor and the rich.
However, the ruling party said it made
significant progress in improving
education and healthcare, especially in the
matric results and the reduction of HIV/
Aids.
However, the ruling party said it made significant
progress in improving education and healthcare,
especially in the matric results and the reduction of
HIV/Aids.
It had also exceeded its target in youth
employment, education and training.
It had also exceeded its target in youth
employment, education and training.
These are among the findings of party’s
internal draft report on its implementation
of government priorities between 2009
and this year.
These are among the findings of party’s internal
draft report on its implementation of government
priorities between 2009 and this year.
Minister in the Presidency Collins
Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane

62. 5
COLOUR

64. WARM

65. COOL

75. Less is more

76. 2
TIPS AND TRICKS

77. Less is more

78. CAN ≠ SHOULD

79. A2
A4
A3
A4
1.618:1
A0
A1

81. Borrow shamelessly

85. Beware the default

86. Off the shelf is off your back

90. Use great photos

91. Cultivate your design taste

92. Content is king

93. Hire a designer

94. 3
TOOLS

95. INSPIRATION
-
1
pinterest.com
-
behance.net
-
creativebloq.com
-
dribbble.com

96. PHOTOS
-
2
iStockphoto.com
-
Shutterstock.com
-
flickr.com - Creative Commons
-
Wikimedia Commons - all CC-licensed
-
www.gratisography.com
-
WeFunction Free photos
-
http://nos.twnsnd.co
-
http://unsplash.com

97. ICONS
-
3
http://thenounproject.com
-
http://iconmonstr.com

98. FONTS
-
http://www.creativebloq.com/graphicdesign-tips/best-free-fonts-for-
3
designers-1233380
-
https://www.theleagueofmoveabletype.com
-
http://www.fontsquirrel.com
-
http://www.google.com/fonts
-
http://www.dafont.com

99. READYMADES
-
4
moo.com - Business cards
-
squarespace.com - Websites
-
WooThemes.com - Wordpress
themes
-
http://www.powerpointstyles.com

100. COLOUR
-
5
http://www.colourlovers.com
-
https://kuler.adobe.com/

101. SOFTWARE
6
MAC
WINDOWS
-
Pages
-
Gimp
-
Acorn
-
Inkscape
-
Pixelmator
-
Sketch

102. FURTHER READING
6
BOOKS
-
The Elements of
Typographic Style
(Robert Bringhurst)
-
Combining
Typefaces (Tim
Brown)
ONLINE
-
Mark Boulton's Five
Simple Steps Series
-
A non-designer's guide
to typefaces and layout
-
19 top fonts in 19 top
combinations
-
The secret law of page
harmony

103. THANK-YOU

104. http://jonnocohen.com/non-designers

105. Acknowledgements
Pencil icon by Tom J Hume from The Noun Project
‘Illustrate’ icon by Mayene de La Cruz from The Noun Project
Book icon by Samuel Q. Green from The Noun Project
Tools icon by Stefano Vetere from The Noun Project
Messy desk photo by Peter Smithson http://www.flickr.com/photos/
psmithson/
Clean desk photo by Jared Schmidt http://www.flickr.com/photos/
iamjaredschmidt/
Cat icon by Martin LEBRETON from The Noun Project