When it comes to creating effective visual communication there are a few basic guidelines I believe in. Not following these guidelines doesn’t necessarily mean a design is bad. You can break these rules and still create amazing work, such as the likes of Neville Brody and David Carson, however, there still exists some form of rhyme or reason in their work to make it look cohesive. Above all else I very much care about commandment number four.
- Alignment: Thou shall not center or left align body text or content more than 25 words (this number is just an approximate). Centering or left aligning large amounts of text makes it harder to read. It’s best to keep these alignment choices for titles and subtitles only. If you decide to justify body text please be aware of rivers that run through your pages and make adjustments accordingly.
- Rule of two: Thou shall not use more than two fonts. The more fonts you bring into your artwork, the more clutter you will create. I would advise to break this rule with discretion. The rule of two is also relevant to colors especially when designing logos.
- Legibility: Thou shall not use thin fonts for body text. Thin fonts make content difficult to read, whether it is used on paper or the web. And just like alignment, it’s best to use thin fonts sparingly or limit to titles and subtitles only.
- Function before form: Thou shall ensure form follows function. Ensuring that your design is functional should always come first before making aesthetically based design decisions. If people have a hard time understanding what you are trying to communicate, it doesn’t matter how beautiful your artwork is.
