This document provides an overview of key principles of design for non-designers. It discusses graphic design as a creative process combining art and technology to communicate ideas. It then covers principles of layout, movement, typography, and color for structuring information visually and supporting reading. Specific tips covered include using a maximum of two typefaces, breaking lines on phrases, left-aligning paragraphs, and paying attention to flow across pages.

1. Design for
Non-designers
DAXKO TMD SERIES
February 18, 2014
Will Sansbury

2. graphic design is
a creative process
that combines art
and technology
to communicate ideas

3. layout
movement
typography
color

4. layout
structuring information
visually to support
reading and
understanding

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13. movement
how the eye
uses shape and space
to move through
a layout

21. typography
the art of arranging
and styling type
to make meaning
more evident

23. serif
sans serif

24. r r

25. Avenir Next Ultra Light
Avenir Next Book
Avenir Next Medium
Avenir Next Demibold
Avenir Next Bold
Avenir Next Heavy

26. !
Set paragraphs
on screen in a
sans serif typeface.
Set paragraphs
on paper in a
serif typeface.

28. sansbury’s rule of type
you never, ever need
more than two typefaces
and I’m not even kidding

29. If your lines of text are really, really long, it will make it hard
for the reader to keep their eye trained on the correct line,
and they may jump from one line to another, losing the
context and meaning in the process.

30. If your lines of text are really,
really long, it will make it hard for
the reader to keep their eye
trained on the correct line, and
they may jump from one line to
another, losing the context and
meaning in the process.
approximately 40 characters

31. It is much more difficult to read
centered paragraphs than
paragraphs that are aligned left or
right. Centered paragraphs give no
strong line to follow, and they trap
white space in the shorter lines.

32. It is much more difficult to read
centered paragraphs than
paragraphs that are aligned left or
right. Centered paragraphs give no
strong line to follow, and they trap
white space in the shorter lines.

33. control the flow
break your lines on
verbal phrases rather
than letting software do
it for you

34. control the flow
break your lines
on verbal phrases
rather than letting
software do it for you

35. Pay attention to flow
across pages, too. If you
have one word or line on
another page, that’s
bad.

36. color
you know,
like crayons
and rainbows
and stuff

37. R O Y G B I V

39. play at
kuler.adobe.com

40. guiding principles
embrace constraints
keep it simple
edit ruthlessly