As you work on putting together your direct mail piece, one designer shares his rules. Some of them may be valid for you, others maybe not. We just want to get you started.
From: Design Elements: A Graphic Style Manual by Timothy Samara
- Have a concept
- Communicate don’t decorate
- Speak with one visual voice
- Use two typefaces maximum
- Show one thing first
- Pick colors on purpose
- If you can do more with less, do it.
- Negative space is magical
- Treat type as image
- Keep type friendly
- Be universal, it’s not about you
- Squish and separate: create rhythms in density and openness
- Firecrackers and rising sun: distribute light and dark
- Be decisive
- Measure with your eyes
- Make what you need; don’t scavenge
- Ignore fashion
- Move it! Static equals dull
- Look to history, but don’t repeat it
- Symmetry is not good
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