Every day, newspapers, magazines, flyers, postcards and other printed material bombard us. You want your printed piece to be attention grabbing, but how do you make it stand out amidst this sea of printed material? We have compiled a list of some of the most effective methods for designing printed material.
Grab Their Eyes
People can’t read your message if they don’t look at it. The first thing you must do is grab their eyes. There are two complimentary techniques for doing this:
- Pick perfect pictures. They will bring your audience to you. We are hard-wired and trained to respond to images. Bright, vibrant, full-color photography that is original, interesting and appealing to your target audience will hook them every time.
- Design the piece to compliment the image and your audience. If the audience is young and hip, give them a more edgy typeface that angles off the page. If they are more upscale and sophisticated, let white space and elegance be your guide.
Change the Shape
Interesting shapes will grab your audience’s interest and make them want to touch your design. Don’t use standard sizes. Instead, shape your piece to convey your message or intrigue your audience. Shapes that follow the contours of an image or that contain different angles will make your piece more appealing.
Add Texture
Next to our eyes, we take many clues from our hands. Choose paper that includes a texture or add an emboss or deboss to your design to increase its appeal. Also, add a contrasting spot varnish to your piece: If it’s on glossy paper, use a matte finish or vice versa. This trick adds both texture and visual appeal.
Fold It
An innovative panel or a fold that goes in the “wrong” direction adds mystery and interest to your piece. Try adding slotted folding panels or multiple folds to increase the uniqueness of your design.
Ask Us
We have other ideas and examples to show you, and we can help you build your file to accommodate these tricks easily. Please feel free to call us with questions about making your design interesting and unique.
