Training Your Design Eye

color wheel

One of the most important things to remember is that art will never be perfect. As an artist, your craft is continuously growing and developing, and there are always new ways to train your eye and your craft.

 

If you don’t consider yourself a designer, but are looking to enter the field of learn more about design in general, there are techniques that you can begin to try out to improve your visual design eye. Like with any craft, practice is key. So use the following tips to broaden your design horizons and become a better designer.

 

When starting out, always opt for “less is more”

Until you feel truly comfortable with your design skill set, try to opt for simple, clean, and classic designs. It’s understandable to want to try your hand at every single design technique you’ve mastered. But without the proper training and practice, over designing can quickly destroy your project. Find a clear, balanced vision and stick to it. Design to highlight one or two major elements.

 

Use Everything as Inspiration

When you’re entering the design world, the first thing you should do is start to look at everything around you with an entirely new perspective. Find inspiration in other graphic designs (ads, signs, etc). But more importantly find inspiration in colors, textures, naturally occurring lines. Teaching yourself to be creative starts with opening up your mind. Become more observant, play closer attention to little details, and start thinking out of the box.

 

Study Color Psychology

As a new designer, understanding color will be one of the most important parts of your design journey. Designers use color to elicit specific emotions in individuals, and you can use color to develop an emotional connection with your target audience. There are several tools available that can help you to develop your skillset. For a digital guide, play around with Adobe’s Color Wheel. Another great resource is Josef Albers’s Interaction of Color. It’s a staple in art education and provides “unique ideas of color experimentation”.

 

Pay Attention to Detail

This is a bit of a given, as paying attention to detail is an important part of everything that we do. But it’s especially important when designing. Every aspect your designs should serve a purpose. Make sure that your design decisions make sense, and learn to pay attention to every little detail in your designs.


 

For more tips to improve your craft, see these resources: Canva & E Learning Industry