Graphic design is an essential aspect of modern visual communication. Graphic design is everywhere in our daily lives, from billboards and product packaging to website layouts and mobile apps. However, not all graphic designs are created equal. In this article, we will explore what makes good design vs bad design.
Visual and Aesthetic Appeal
Good design has several key elements. First of all, good graphic design is visually appealing and aesthetically pleasing. This means that the design has good balance and uses a harmonious colour palette. Good design should also employ typography that is easy to read and complements the overall design.
Bad design, on the other hand, has several key flaws. Bad graphic design is often unattractive due to a cluttered layout and composition. Poor choice of typography is also often a big flaw. Avoid fonts that are too difficult to read. And, never use font layout and arrangement that don’t support our natural reading habit.
Effective Communication
Secondly, good design is effective at communicating its intended message to its target audience. This means that the copywriting (intended short message) is strong, clear, concise, and easy to understand. And graphic designers take your message and compose a creative design that translates your message.
Bad design on the other hand fails to effectively communicate its intended message to its target audience. Confusion and misunderstanding happens when the message is unclear and has too much ambiguity.
Memorable Impression
Good design is memorable and leaves a lasting impression on its viewers. This means that the design is unique and distinctive, with a strong visual identity that stands out from its competitors.
Creating a uniquely creative and out-of-the world design is hard work. In most cases, graphic designers work with a team of creative or marketing director and content writers. There are also cases where designers must work independently (due to budget restriction). In days like these, we’re very fortunate to have AI tools to help us overcome these creative barriers.
Bad design however is easily forgettable and fails to leave a lasting impression on its viewers. Lack of originality or failure to stand out from competitors can stem from the works of inexperienced graphic designers. Experienced graphic designers know the importance of taking their time to do prior research.
Adaptable & Flexible
Finally, good design is adaptable and flexible. It is applicable across print to digital, without losing its impact or clarity. This is especially important for logo & brand identity designs.
Bad design is inflexible and cannot be adapted to different media or formats. This leads to a loss of impact or effectiveness when used in different contexts. We’ve all seen designs that lose their clarity or sharpness when enlarged into large formats. For example poor wall arts, posters and banners. Fuzzy images can make your brand appear “cheap”, unprofessional or untrustworthy.
Designers often employ image assets in their artworks. Providing your very own high-resolution images taken and edited by professionals would give us the best assets to work with. Graphic designers may also take your in-house productions and post-edit the images to purpose them in our artworks. If it comes down to nothing we can also use produce high quality mock-ups at extra costs.
That being said, don’t expect good results without high quality images. So make sure to consult your graphic designer during the interview session. And, be completely honest.
Spotting good design vs bad design certainly take some experience, knowledge and good judgements. To start, take this infographic summary with you as a first step to remove most of the guesswork.
All in all
Good graphic design is characterized by several key elements, including visual appeal, effective communication, memorability, and adaptability.
Bad graphic design, on the other hand, is characterized by flaws such as visual unappealing, poor communication, forgettability, and inflexibility.
With these key elements, smart business owners like you can achieve effective graphic designs that resonate with your target audience.
