Desktop Publishing Design Tips and Guidelines

Effective Design Attractive and pleasing to look at and read Well-organized Self-explanatory Link between text and imagery Appropriate to targeted audience

Pointers Know Your Audience –What is the one idea you want audience to remember – is your theme White space –Area of a document without text or graphics Too much – viewer’s eye will wander Too little – confuse and overwhelm viewer

Working with Fonts 2-3 fonts/document –Too many look cluttered, unprofessional, difficult to read –1 font – primary (2-3+ sentences) –1 font – secondary (headlines, headings, or subheadings)

Font Guidelines Size –18-24 for headlines –14-16 for subheadings –10-12 for body text

Guidelines Avoid ALL CAPITAL LETTERS unless title Avoid excessive underline, bold, and italics Select font that is appropriate to subject Use font consistently

Symmetrical and Proportional Balance and Harmony between pages Use same fonts throughout document Keep width and distance between columns same Use same style and size of graphic images Use same type size for headings and body

Margins and Spacing Straight and even Columns rather than across whole page

Graphics “A picture is worth a thousand words” Same look and style –All photographs or all clipart (same style, too) –It should all “go together”

Establish a Professional Identity Use same fonts throughout simulation Use same color scheme Use same style of objects and design elements Use same style graphic images

Proofread for Spelling, Grammar and Design Typos BAD Have one or two people proofread before turning in

Revise, Revise, Revise

KIS Keep It Simple

Paper Plan Good design starts on paper first! Look at pages 17 thru 22 ………...…..FAST!!!

Frillio’s Pizza Have Fun!!!