Graphic Design 101: Enhancing Your Image

July 29, 2022

Jessica Goldfarb

Social Media Account Manager

Graphic design and photography. They often go hand in hand, with the former being the ultimate tool for enhancing the storytelling capabilities of the latter. 

A picture is worth a thousand words but, let’s face it, not everyone is a good listener. For those times when you need to be a little more straightforward with your message, graphic design is a useful tool for getting your point across while still keeping things aesthetically pleasing.   

Crash Course

Anything you put onto your image, whether it’s a border, title, or shape, is a graphic design element. With every element you place, consider the following: 

  • Size: How big or small an element is and its relative size to other elements. You don’t want elements to be so small that you can barely see them, but at the same time, you don’t want them to take over your image. Size is a bit of a balancing act.
  • Color: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple? Your color choice should both compliment the colors in your image and the mood or tone of its subject matter.
  • Space: Where you are going to position elements. Generally speaking, you should keep elements to the outer edges so that the focal point is still on the image itself.
Take a look at the example image below and note how we integrated all three:

The Right Frame of Mind

A frame or border is a great way to add a pop of color to your image or focus the eye on your subject matter in the center. Once again, consider, size and space! If your border is off-center, it’s going to be noticeable. 

Line size and thickness come into play here too, though it’s really up to personal preference how thick you would like your border to be. Just remember, the thicker the line, the more of your image is obscured. 

A Fancy Title

Titles and captions are probably the easiest and most straightforward way to explain what’s going on in your image. Are you trying to promote a new product? Maybe you want to share the location or other details of your image. 

In graphic design, text goes beyond the words themselves. Consider size, color, space, and now also font! Taking time to select appropriate font is essential. The right font usually goes unnoticed, but the wrong font sticks out like a sore thumb. Readability is key here. Usually, it’s better to keep it simple and opt for something like “Arial” or “Open Sans”. 

Color Me Impressed!

Color is considered one of the basic aspects of graphic design, but it’s also one of the hardest. Seriously, there are entire college courses dedicated to color theory! Done correctly, however, the right color choices can really enhance your image and really impress your audience.

We recommend sticking to your brand’s colors to keep things consistent and in line with your brand identity. Black and white are also always acceptable, as well as occasional specific themed colors for holidays (think red and green for Christmas).

Practice Makes Perfect

Easier said than done, but all of this just takes a little bit of practice to get right. A lot of people think “you either have it or you don’t”, but curating an eye for design is as much a skill as learning to ride a bike; and once you’ve got it, you’ve got it for life! 

See? You don’t need to delve into the more complex aspects of graphic design to be able to use it for your business. Just the basics will take you a long way in taking your content to the next level!

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