- Rachel Bistricer
- May 7
- 10 min read
Designing can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re not sure where to start. Small business owners, graphic design students, content creators and everyone in between often find themselves staring at a blank canvas. But with just a few foundational principles, you can create designs that look polished and professional.
This article will take you through practical design tips—from font pairing to color harmony—that’ll help you gain confidence and create visuals that stand out. Whether you’re designing a marketing strategy, a presentation or social media posts, these graphic design tips are your roadmap to beautiful, cohesive designs.
New to graphic design? Start by learning the essential graphic design terms to build your foundation.
25 Graphic design tips
01. Limit fonts for a clean look
Using too many fonts can make your design feel fragmented and chaotic, so it’s best to stick to two or three complementary fonts for a clean and cohesive appearance. For example, pairing a bold sans serif font for headlines with an easy-to-read serif font for body text keeps your design focused and visually appealing. You can experiment with styles like all-caps for emphasis or italicized text for subtle accents, but avoid mixing too many variations. A limited font selection ensures consistency and keeps your audience engaged with the message rather than distracted by chaotic typography.
Learn more about what is typography and how it shapes your visual communication.
02. Adjust text size for balance
Pay attention to text size to create visual hierarchy and guide the reader’s focus. Headlines should be the largest text, with subheadings slightly smaller and body text smaller still. For example, a promotional poster could feature the main event name in large, eye-catching letters, while the date and location appear in smaller but still legible type. Balancing text sizes ensures no information gets lost while emphasizing what’s most important, making the design more navigable and helping your audience scan and absorb information with ease.
03. Pair contrasting fonts for impact
Combining two fonts with contrasting styles can make your text stand out and add visual interest to your design. Pairing a bold, geometric font with a light, cursive typeface creates a pleasing dynamic and guides the viewer’s attention naturally through the elements of your design. For example, use a strong font for the title and a softer, more decorative font for captions or secondary information. However, ensure the contrast feels intentional, as overly clashing fonts can appear amateurish.
04. Use white space to add clarity
Don’t be afraid to leave areas blank. White space or negative space, is an essential component that gives your design room to breathe. When creating a social media graphic or flyer, resist the urge to fill every inch of the canvas. A well-placed image or line of text surrounded by white space draws attention to the element without overwhelming the viewer. Strategic use of empty space can make even complex designs feel organized and approachable.
05. Stay consistent in elements
Consistency is key to creating a professional look. Keep your fonts, colors and shapes in harmony throughout your design. For example, in a multi-page brochure, use the same fonts and color palette across all sections to ensure continuity. Define a style for icons and images—whether minimalist or illustrative—and stick to it throughout. This consistency builds trust with your audience and ensures your design feels cohesive.
06. Keep it simple with flat design
Flat design, which emphasizes simplicity and two-dimensional elements, is ideal for achieving clean, modern visuals. By avoiding excessive textures, drop shadows or gradients, you can prevent clutter and maintain a sleek, professional aesthetic. Opt for solid colors and minimalistic icons to create balanced, visually appealing designs. Simplicity not only enhances the overall look but also helps communicate your message more effectively.
07. Add icons for emphasis
Icons are a great way to add visual interest and emphasize key points, making your content easier to follow. For example, an email design could use an envelope icon near the subscription section or a map icon for an address. Just ensure the icon style matches the overall tone of your design—minimalistic for modern layouts or detailed for a more traditional feel. Icons enhance communication, add focus to information and bring charm to your design.
08. Align elements for structure
Alignment is one of the simplest yet most powerful tools in graphic design. Ensuring your text and graphics follow an alignment grid creates a sense of order and structure. For example, center-align elements for a formal, balanced look or use left alignment for a more traditional reading flow. Tools like grid lines can help keep everything in place, resulting in designs that look polished and are easier for the viewer to digest.
09. Use a cohesive color palette
Color can make or break a design, so understanding color meanings and using a cohesive palette of three to five colors is key to creating unity. Choose a dominant color that aligns with your message, accent colors to add energy and a neutral background for balance. For example, navy blue can convey trust and professionalism, while yellow adds a sense of optimism and energy. Tools like the Wixel color palette generator can help you create harmonious combinations. Consistency in your color palette not only reinforces your branding but also ensures your design communicates the right emotions and resonates with your audience.
10. Create a clear visual hierarchy
Visual hierarchy guides the viewer’s eye, ensuring they see the most important elements first by using size, weight and placement in your design. For instance, you can emphasize a promotional discount with large, bold numbers, followed by smaller supporting text, while imagery can act as a focal point that leads to the text. Strategic hierarchy ensures your designs communicate effectively, even at a glance.
11. Adjust images to highlight text
Images add interest and can convey information quickly, making them a great way to support your message, but they shouldn’t compete with text for attention. To ensure balance, adjust image opacity or use filters to make text stand out against the background. For example, a travel brochure could feature a stunning photo as a backdrop with transparent text boxes displaying tour details, allowing both elements to shine without overpowering each other. Well-balanced images and text create a harmonious design that captures attention while clearly communicating your message.
12. Focus on simplicity over clutter
In today's fast-paced world, simplicity is key. Simplifying your design by eliminating unnecessary elements can make it more impactful and effective in conveying your message. Avoid cluttering your design with too much text and visuals, as this can overwhelm the viewer and make it difficult to digest the information. Instead, focus on a few key elements essential to your message and use them effectively. Remember, less is often more in graphic design and keeping things simple helps create a clear, concise visual that resonates with your audience.
13. Set a mood with colors and fonts
Colors and fonts are essential elements of design and understanding color theory and the color wheel can help you create the right mood for your audience. Warm colors like red and orange evoke energy and excitement, while cool colors like blue and green promote calmness and tranquility. Fonts also play a key role—bold fonts add power and urgency, while cursive fonts bring elegance and sophistication. By applying color theory, using the color wheel and selecting fonts that align with your brand’s tone, you can maintain consistency and design an aesthetic that looks great while effectively communicating your desired emotions.
14. Double-check for accuracy and consistency
Before finalizing your design, double-check for spelling or grammar errors and ensure all elements are consistent in style, size and alignment. This attention to detail enhances the overall professionalism of your work and ensures it effectively communicates your message. Consistency is key to creating impactful and visually appealing designs. Take the time to polish your work and experiment with different techniques and graphic design styles to find what works best for your brand design and message.
15. Play with scale to highlight key ideas
Scale can be a powerful tool in graphic design. Use different sizes of elements to draw attention to important ideas or information. For example, you can make the title of a presentation larger than the rest of the text to emphasize its importance. Similarly, using varying font sizes in a block of text can create visual interest and help break up large chunks of information. However, be careful not to overdo it, as too much variation in scale can create confusion and disrupt the overall flow of your design.
16. Boost contrast for sharp visuals
Contrast is another essential element in graphic design. It refers to the difference between light and dark or between two colors. Using high contrast can make your design stand out and appear sharper and more visually appealing. For example, a black background design with white text creates a striking contrast that is easy to read and catches attention. Play around with different color combinations to find the right balance of contrast for your design.
17. Pick fonts that match the tone
Fonts play a significant role in conveying the tone and feel of your design. Choose fonts that align with the overall theme and message of your design. For instance, serif fonts have a more traditional and formal feel, while sans-serif fonts are modern and minimalistic. Script fonts can add a touch of elegance and femininity, while bold font styles convey strength and power. Experiment with different font types to see which best suits your design and its intended tone.
18. Keep alignment clean and balanced
Alignment is crucial in creating a professional and polished design. Make sure all elements are properly aligned to create a balanced and cohesive look. Text, images and other visual elements should be well-spaced and neatly organized, ensuring that the design flows smoothly and efficiently. This attention to detail can significantly improve the overall appearance of your design.
19. Repeat design elements for unity
Repeating design elements throughout your design can create a sense of unity and cohesiveness. For example, you can use the same color scheme, font style or graphic element in different parts of your document to tie everything together. This repetition not only makes the design more visually appealing but also helps reinforce key ideas and messages. However, be careful not to overdo it as too much repetition can become monotonous and dull.
20. Use symmetry for balance
Symmetry is a fundamental design principle that can create a sense of balance and stability in your design. As humans, we are naturally drawn to symmetry, making it an effective tool in catching the viewer's attention. Use symmetrical elements such as grids or mirrored images to add structure and order to your design. This technique can be especially useful in creating professional-looking documents such as resumes or business reports.
21. Research thoroughly before starting
Before diving into your design, it is crucial to do thorough research on the topic and target audience. This will help you understand what kind of design elements and techniques would be most effective in conveying your message and resonating with your audience. Additionally, researching current graphic design trends and styles can give you ideas for creating a unique and modern design that stands out.
Explore more inspiring graphic design ideas to elevate your next design project.
22. Mood boards help define your vision
Creating a mood board can be a beneficial step in the design process. It allows you to gather inspiration, color schemes and design elements that align with your vision for the project. A mood board can also help you see how different elements work together and make adjustments before starting your design. This exercise can save time and ensure a more cohesive final product.
23. Add bold graphics for attention
Incorporating bold graphics, such as illustrations or icons, can add visual interest and break up large blocks of text. They can also help convey complex concepts in a more engaging and easy-to-understand way. However, be mindful not to clutter your design with too many graphics as it can become overwhelming and distract from the main message.
Transform your ideas into stunning visuals with our AI image generator. Whether it's for a project, your business or just for fun—simply describe your vision and let AI turn it into an eye-catching image in seconds.
24. Prioritize key messages visually
When designing for a specific purpose, such as an advertisement or social media post, it is essential to prioritize your key messages visually. Use design elements such as color, scale and placement to draw attention to the most critical information. This will ensure that your audience takes away the main points you want to convey.
25. Start with templates to save time
If you are new to graphic design or short on time, starting with pre-made templates can be a helpful solution. Platforms like Wixel offer a variety of templates for different purposes, saving you time and effort in creating a professional-looking design. However, make sure to customize the template to fit your brand and message instead of using it as is.
Explore our versatile templates today and jumpstart your designs effortlessly:
Graphic design tips FAQ
Can I use images from the internet in my designs?
It's always best to use your own original images or properly licensed stock photos. Using images from a simple Google search can lead to copyright infringement and legal issues. If you do use images from the internet, make sure to properly credit the source and ensure that you have permission to use them.
