Before You Start
Professional graphic design is a problem-solving discipline — not an art project. Read this before you open a single design tool.
These four principles underlie every effective piece of visual communication. Apply them deliberately, not instinctively.
Make different things look different enough that the eye notices. Large vs. small. Dark vs. light. Bold vs. regular. Without contrast, everything fights for attention equally — and nothing wins.
Nothing should be placed arbitrarily. Every element should be visually connected to something else on the page. Random placement looks unprofessional even when each element looks fine on its own.
Repeat visual elements consistently — colors, fonts, spacing, shapes — to create cohesion. Repetition is what makes a series of flyers feel like they belong together.
Related items belong together. Unrelated items belong apart. Grouping signals relationship. Distance signals separation. Using proximity correctly reduces the amount of explanatory text you need.
Hierarchy — The visual arrangement that signals importance. What does the eye see first, second, third? Every design has a hierarchy whether you planned it or not. Plan it.
Grid — An invisible framework of columns, rows, and margins that organizes layout consistently. Working on a grid makes alignment easier and outputs look more professional.
Whitespace (Negative Space) — Empty space that is just as important as the content. Whitespace creates breathing room, focus, and a sense of quality. Cramming elements together makes designs look cheap and hard to read.
Typography — Everything about how text looks. Goes far beyond choosing a font — includes size, weight, spacing, alignment, and color. Bad typography kills good design.
Kerning — The spacing between specific pairs of letters. "AV" needs different spacing than "HH." Most design tools handle this automatically, but headlines at large sizes often need manual adjustment.
Leading — The vertical spacing between lines of text. Too tight = hard to read. Too loose = disconnected. Body text typically works at 1.4–1.6× the font size.
Vector vs. Raster — Vector images (AI, EPS, SVG) are made of mathematical paths and scale to any size without quality loss. Raster images (JPG, PNG, photos) are made of pixels and lose quality when scaled up. Always use vectors for logos.
Resolution (DPI/PPI) — Print requires a minimum of 300 DPI. Web and screen can use 72–96 PPI. Designing for print at 72 DPI and then printing it is one of the most common beginner mistakes — the output looks pixelated.
CMYK vs. RGB — CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) is the color mode for print. RGB (Red, Green, Blue) is for screens. Designing for print in RGB mode means the colors will shift when printed. Set your document's color mode correctly before you start designing.
Bleed — Extra artwork (usually 0.125" / 3mm) that extends beyond the edge of the page. Required for print so there are no white edges after trimming. If your design goes to the edge of the page, you need bleed.
| Format | Use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AI / EPS | Editable vector source files. Keep these — they're your master files. | |
| Print + Screen | Primary print deliverable. Export as "Print Quality" PDF with bleed and crop marks for professional printers. | |
| PNG | Screen | Lossless, supports transparency. Best for logos and graphics on web and social. |
| JPG | Screen | Compressed, no transparency. Good for photos. Avoid for logos or text-heavy graphics. |
| SVG | Screen | Scalable vector for web. Use when the client needs a logo or icon for a website. |
Most clients need deliverables in multiple formats. Define this in the creative brief before you start designing — retrofitting formats after the fact wastes time.
Adobe Illustrator — The industry standard for vector graphics, logos, icons, and print-ready layouts. Every graphic designer uses it. If you haven't started learning it, start now — even 30 minutes of YouTube tutorials will help.
Adobe InDesign — The industry standard for multi-page documents and layouts (brochures, booklets, programs). If your project involves more than one page, InDesign handles it better than Illustrator.
Canva — Fast, accessible, and fine for many school projects. Significant limitations for print work (limited bleed control, no true CMYK). Know its ceiling before committing to it for a print deliverable.
Adobe Photoshop — For photo manipulation and raster-based graphics. Not ideal for layouts or logos — use Illustrator for those.
Figma — Vector design tool popular for UI/UX and screen-based work. Free, browser-based, and great for presenting concepts to clients via shareable links.
Project Setup
Name this project and define the basics before your first client meeting. Knowing the project type and deadline shapes every question you'll ask.
Client Discovery
Your discovery meeting determines whether this project succeeds or fails. Ask the right questions and you'll design the right thing. Skip them and you'll iterate forever.
- What is the primary message this piece needs to communicate? If someone looks at it for 3 seconds, what must they take away?
- Who is the audience? Age, context, where will they encounter this piece?
- Where will this live? Print only, digital only, or both? What sizes? This determines color mode, resolution, and file formats from the start.
- What existing brand assets must we use — logos, color codes (hex/CMYK), fonts, photography?
- Are there examples of design styles you love or hate? Show me something that feels right and something that feels wrong.
- What is the deadline for final delivery? Are there earlier dates for first drafts or client approvals?
- What are the exact deliverables — how many pieces, what formats, what sizes?
- How many revision rounds are included? Who is the decision-maker who signs off?
- What does success look like? How will you know this project worked?
- Who is printing this? Do they have specific file requirements (bleed size, color profile, file format)?
- What paper stock and finish — matte, gloss, uncoated?
- How many copies are being printed? (Affects whether full-bleed design is worth the cost.)
- Will it be professionally printed or printed in-house?
- What is the data source and how current is it? Has it been verified?
- What is the single most important insight the infographic should communicate?
- Is this for an internal presentation, external publication, or social media?
- Does the client have the data in a usable format (spreadsheet, report), or will you need to gather it?
Creative Brief
The creative brief is a shared contract between you and the client. Build it together, get it approved in writing, and use it to resolve any disagreements later. Every field matters.
Every field must be filled. If you don't have an answer, that's a question for your next client touchpoint — not a blank field in the brief.
- Project Name
- Client / Organization
- Designer(s)
- First Draft Deadline / Final Delivery Deadline
- Approval Contact — Who signs off?
- Primary Message — One sentence. What must the audience take away?
- Target Audience — Who is this for? Where will they see it?
- Tone / Feeling — 3 adjectives (e.g., Bold, Energetic, Professional)
- Where it will live — Print, digital, social, event screen, all of the above?
- Exact Deliverables — Every piece, every size, every format
- Brand Constraints — Logo files, hex color codes, required fonts
- Design References — Links or images the client loves
- What to Avoid — Colors, styles, imagery, or competitors to stay away from
- Revision Rounds Included — How many? What happens after that?
- Additional Notes
Checkpoint: Brief Approved
Before any research or design begins, get the brief approved by both the client and Russ. Unapproved briefs lead to rework.
Review before moving to research
- Is the primary message specific and single — not a list of three things?
- Are the deliverables defined with enough specificity (exact sizes, formats, number of pieces)?
- Is the client's tone vocabulary specific enough to guide design decisions?
- Is revision scope defined and agreed to?
- Has the client confirmed the brief in writing?
Brand Asset Audit
Gather every existing brand asset before you design a single element. Working outside the brand unknowingly is a common and avoidable mistake.
Many small organizations and school clients don't have formal brand guidelines. In this case, you're building a mini style guide as part of the project — and that's actually a more valuable deliverable.
Before designing, establish:
- 2–3 primary brand colors (with hex codes)
- 1 headline font and 1 body font
- The logo in a version you can actually use (redraw it as a vector if necessary)
Document these in a simple one-page style guide and include it in your final delivery. The client will use it for years.
Inspiration & Moodboard
Build a visual reference before you open a design tool. A moodboard surfaces misalignments between what you imagine and what the client expects — while it's still free to change.
- Collect widely, filter ruthlessly. Start by gathering 20–30 visual references from Pinterest, Behance, Dribbble, or real-world photography. Then cut to the 10–15 most relevant.
- Pull from diverse sources. Don't only collect other flyers or infographics. Pull from photography, packaging, web design, editorial layouts, and even physical spaces. Cross-industry references produce more original work.
- Organize by feeling, not category. Arrange the moodboard so the combined visual effect communicates the tone — bold and energetic, or calm and minimal — rather than grouping by type of media.
- Annotate what matters. For each reference, note what specifically you're borrowing — the typography treatment, the color temperature, the use of whitespace, the compositional approach. Be precise.
- Present before designing. Share the moodboard with Russ and the client before opening a design file. A 15-minute moodboard review is the most time-efficient meeting in any design project.
Checkpoint: Direction Approved
The moodboard and brand assets are ready. Before you open a design tool, get explicit approval on the visual direction. Once you start designing, changing direction is expensive.
Review before starting design work
- Does the moodboard clearly reflect the tone and adjectives from the creative brief?
- Have you confirmed the visual direction with the client — not just Russ?
- Are all brand assets in hand and ready to use?
- Is your color palette and typography plan consistent with the brand?
Checkpoint: Design Kickoff
A quick check before design begins. Confirm document setup, tools, and working approach are correct before any time is invested.
Confirm before opening your design file
- Is the document set up correctly — correct dimensions, color mode (CMYK for print, RGB for screen), and bleed if required?
- Are brand colors added to the swatches panel? Brand fonts installed?
- Is the plan to show 2–3 distinct concept directions rather than one?
- What is the timeline for the first draft presentation with the client?
Initial Concepts
Design 2–3 genuinely different directions before presenting anything. Options give clients the ability to choose — and protect you from being stuck with a direction that doesn't work.
Three concepts that are the same design in different colors are not three concepts. Each direction should represent a meaningfully different approach. Try varying:
- Visual hierarchy: One concept leads with a bold image, another leads with large typography, another with a graphic element.
- Layout approach: One uses a clean grid with lots of whitespace; another is densely composed; another uses a strong diagonal or asymmetric structure.
- Color application: One uses a light background with dark type; another inverts this; another uses a full bleed color or photo.
- Typography character: One concept feels modern and minimal; another feels editorial and bold; another feels warm and approachable.
For each concept, confirm you've applied the four principles from Phase 0:
Client Review: Round 1
Present your concepts to the client. Your job is to guide the conversation toward a clear direction — not to let them nitpick details before they've chosen a direction.
How to run this meeting
- Walk through each concept and explain the design thinking behind it before asking for feedback. Don't let them react before they understand the intent.
- Ask: "Which direction feels most aligned with the tone we discussed?" — not "What do you think?" Specific questions get specific answers.
- If they want to combine elements from multiple concepts, that's normal. Document it clearly: "We're moving forward with Concept B's layout and Concept A's color approach."
- Do not make changes during the meeting. Take notes and clarify, then iterate separately.
- Before ending, confirm the chosen direction in a follow-up email. Get written acknowledgement.
Revisions
Revisions are a normal part of professional design — not a sign that something went wrong. The key is making them efficiently and keeping the client in the loop.
Client Review: Round 2
Present the revised design. The goal of this meeting is approval — not more feedback. Come prepared to close the loop.
How to run this meeting
- Open by walking through the changes list: "You asked for X, Y, and Z — here's how we addressed each one." This shows responsiveness and professionalism.
- If they have new feedback on something that wasn't changed, reference the brief: "That wasn't in the revision scope from our last meeting — let me note it and we can discuss whether it falls within the included rounds."
- End by asking for explicit approval: "Is this ready to move to final files and delivery?" Get a yes or specific remaining changes — not a "we'll think about it."
- Confirm approval in a follow-up email. This is your authorization to produce final files.
File Prep & Export
Final files are not just the design exported as a JPEG. They're every deliverable agreed to in the brief, named correctly, organized clearly, and ready for use without your involvement.
Checkpoint: Delivery & Reflection
Confirm delivery is complete and reflect on what you learned. The best designers improve their process on every project.
Final review — walk Russ through the complete project
- Did the client confirm receipt and approval of the final files in writing?
- Does the final design clearly solve the communication problem stated in the brief?
- What design decision are you most proud of, and why?
- Where did scope creep happen, and how would you prevent it next time?
- What would you do differently in discovery, brief, or the design process?