WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS RESOURCE GUIDE?
To assist and guide in designing documents (flier, poster, brochure, etc.) utilizing best practices in graphic design for accessibility and effective communication.
- Section 1: Font & Color - Less is More!
- Section 2: Build Visual Hierarchy
- Section 3: Create Contrast
- Section 4: Things to Avoid
- Section 5: Licenses and Student Privacy
Section 1: Font & Color - Less is More! |
Font: Limit the number of fonts to 2-3 in a single document, this will be easier to manage and keep the document organized and cohesive.
To increase flexibility with a desired font, choose one that has a large family.
For example, a font family may consist of only 3 styles:
Regular, Italic and Bold.
The best font to use would consist of a broader list of styles:
Color: Color, when used sparingly and strategically, can bring attention or create interest in your piece. A good rule of thumb would be to use 2-3 colors when creating an informational document. Having a larger array of colors may cause the document to look crowded or overwhelming, defeating its purpose to deliver information quickly and with impact.
Font Count: 6 | Color Count: 6
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Font Count: 2 | Color Count: 3 |
Section 2: Build Visual Hierarchy |
Arranging elements in order of importance is key to allow the viewer to understand and absorb information effectively and quickly.
There are three main ways to achieve visual hierarchy: Scale, Alignment and Spacing.
Scale: The largest element on the page will get the most attention, therefore, it will gain most importance. The opposite happens with smaller elements, they are looked at last, therefore implying less importance.
Alignment: This is the arrangement of elements in relation to margin, borders, or other elements. Although it greatly depends on the context of the document, here are some tips to achieve the best alignment for text or images:
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As a rule of thumb, leave a .25” margin around the page and opt for a left-justification.
This will ensure no information gets cropped out. Additionally, keep alignment consistent throughout the document, and paragraphs evenly spaced. - When the title takes up a big space across the document, align all text and images within the borders denoted by the title.
- If placing text over images, take a moment to notice which side of the picture is more populated. Align the text on the opposite side to create balance.
Spacing: Leaving blank space around the document may feel counterintuitive or make it look “empty,” but negative (or white) space is a key component to create legible and organized documents. In addition, negative space creates three things:
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Visual break
- A place where the viewer’s eyes may rest
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Section off information
- Creating a clear, spatial division between clusters of information makes it easier to receive and process information
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Visual flow
- Where does the gaze land first? Where does it end? Does this align with the way intended for the viewer to get the information?
Section 3: Create Contrast |
When considering accessibility, it’s important to consider readability. Readability is improved when there’s high contrast between background and foreground elements. Effective and accessible design requires clarity on the information being displayed.
Keep in mind the following items when creating contrast:
- If your background is a dark color, use light colored text over it. When the background is light, use a dark colored text.
- Avoid backgrounds with a lot of texture or busy patterns. Opt for a background with simple shapes, or place a solid color shape where the text will go.
- Select fonts with wide strokes and unambiguous anatomy. We don’t want the viewer to wonder “what does that say?” or “what’s that letter?” Try to avoid cursive fonts or fonts that are too embellished.
It’s always best practice to have someone review before publishing your document, or take a few steps back to look at it. If you catch yourself stopping or struggling to read something, it may be a good idea to revisit what’s not working. Are the text and background colors too similar to each other? Or is it hard to make out the letters?
Irlen Syndrome Awareness:
For some people, utilizing black text on a pure white background may result in blurred or moving text due to the stark contrast. Slightly altering the contrast between background and text colors may help with this.
Section 4: Things to Avoid |
Avoid Tangents - Tangent lines are made when one or more lines come close to each other,
but never overlapping, creating a point (or points) of visual tension that was not intended by the designer.
Stretching Images - When resizing images/logos, make sure to do so proportionally. The end goal is to not compromise the readability nor integrity of the images
Avoid Widows and Orphans
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When the last word(s) of a paragraph carry on to the next column or page, this is a widow.
To fix this, rework the structure of the paragraph, or rewording phrases to adjust the length of the last sentence in the paragraph.
- When a single word is left at the bottom of a paragraph, it’s called an orphan.
To fix it, just bring down the word that accompanies the orphan, so both sit at the bottom of the paragraph.
Section 5: Licenses and Student Privacy |
Licenses
Whenever utilizing images, clip art, fonts or backgrounds from the internet, make sure you’re acquiring these resources from royalty-free sites or look for the words “free for commercial use”.
Avoid using copyrighted material that may put you or IUSD at risk for infringement.
Sites such as Canva or Adobe Express are ideal for creating your graphics and stay protected since their provided images are ok for commercial use.
Student Privacy
When using photos of IUSD students, please be sure to check those students have not opted out of the photo release form. Sharing images of students who have opted out would be a violation of their student data privacy. If you would like to utilize student photos, please ask them before using them or use Aeries to confirm their privacy choice.
This document was created for Irvine Unified School District by the Information Technology Department.
If you have any questions, submit a new ticket or email us at helpdesk@iusd.org.
Last updated 8/11 (NPI)
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