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Sustainability
Graphic Design on
a Dime
Mid-May 2009 |
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Dear “Design"
Colleague,
This
issue of Sustainability On-The-Go eTA provides a few
tips on how you can create good, inexpensively designed
online and print communications. . Click on the titles
on the right to learn about….
Incorporating Graphic Design Tips
Designing Online Communications
Creating
a Memorable Logo
Do you have questions or ideas about graphic design?
Contact us through OntheGo@CampaignConsultation.com
for more information. You can still access previous
issues of On-the-Go eTA by clicking on the back issues
at the bottom of the page.
Incorporating
Graphic Design Tips
Use
the guidelines below to enhance your communications effectiveness.
Design
Consideration
|
Tips |
| Audience |
- Learn
what your audience wants or how they best receive
the message.
- Incorporate
the audiences’ needs, skills, and abilities,
when developing your design.
- Have
someone who represents your audience review
your materials.
|
| Layout |
- Keep
it simple.
- Use
borders when you want to frame and draw attention
to information (e.g., table of contents, calendars,
special notes.)
- Use
multiple columns to organize text and visuals
into smaller (more easily read) blocks of information.
- Leave
plenty of white space around type and graphic
elements (an eighth to a quarter inch depending
on size relative to the layout).
|
| Type |
- Depending
on age and reading skills of the audience and
the size of the piece, use a minimum of 9 point
type and a maximum of 14 point type.
- Leading
should be 2 points more than the point size
of the type (e.g., 9 point type, 11 point leading).
- Use
large, bold display type to create focus.
- When
using more than one type face, make sure they
are very different (e.g., Kuenstler (fancy script)
and Helvetica (sans-serif).
- Remember
to spell-check the copy. One misspelled word
can undermine the credibility of the entire
piece.
|
| Image
|
- Use
graphic devices and images to direct the reader
through the material
- Make
sure that dynamic images support the message.
- Include
image captions to further clarify.
- Incorporate
white space, rules, images, pull quotes, large
initial caps, decorative caps, and dingbats
(a decorative typographic character) to help
the reader absorb the content.
|
| Color |
- Use
color to direct the reader's eye to special
sections or important information for fast identification.
- Warm
colors (reds, oranges and yellows) seem to move
toward the viewer and appear closer; cool colors
(blues, greens, purples) seem to recede from
a viewer and fall back.
- A
well designed piece with two-colors and screens
(tints of the two colors) will always be less
expensive and probably better looking than a
piece designed with mediocre four-color images.
- Substitute
a different color for black in a two-color job
as an effective way to increase the appeal and
richness of the document.
|
Designing
Online Communications
Designing effective online communications, i.e. –
websites, social networking tools such as Facebook, etc.,
requires an ability to infuse a sense of style and organization
to make your pages readable to all who view them.
Style
Advice – keep it short and simple and carefully
incorporate …
- Contrast to Ease Eye Fatigue. Take care to insure
that the contrast is sufficient for distinguishing
your regular text from your hypertext, too.
- Strategic Visual Effects. Avoid over-animation (JAVA
"Applets"). Visitors who check your page
regularly will grow impatient and loose interest quickly.
In addition, consider that many Web browsers may be
coming to you via phone lines. Loading full pages
with complex graphics and animations can take considerable
time.
- Smaller Graphic Images. As a general rule, it is
good to keep graphic displays small. If you use GIF
or JPG images that are under 640x480 pixels you can
be fairly sure that they can be seen in their entirety
on all computer screens.
- Useful Links. The use of links to related information
is highly recommended. When you include links to other
sites you should review them once in awhile because
they often change and need updating.
- Update. Whenever you make more than a minor change
to any of your pages, add the date of change to relay
currency.
- Writing Style. Adjust your writing style to maximize
audience responsiveness for volunteering, donating,
etc.
- Text Breaks and Spacing. Incorporate appropriate
use of breaks and heading levels to maximize readability.
Encourage short paragraphs (no more than 5 lines).
- Bullets. Encourage short lists that are made more
readable by using bullets instead of enumerating list
points.
Click
here to continue reading about website design organization
and ADA compliancy.
Create
a Memorable Logo
In
1971, art student Caroline Davidson designed the famous
“swoosh” logo and was paid $35 by the start-up
company. With similar investigation and gumption, you
can also find the creative assets in your community to
create as memorable and trustworthy a logo for your project,
program or organization.
Keep in mind these four basic characteristics of successful
logo design and development. A logo needs to be …
- Describable
- Memorable
- Effective without color
- Scalable – i.e. visually powerful when just
an inch in size.
Click
Here to test your logo identification skills.
Let
us know
Let
us know about any graphic design tips that have helped
you develop resources for your cause / organization.
Contact OntheGo@CampaignConsultation.com
We would be happy to answer questions or to give you
more support.
Thank you for your interest in On-The-Go eTA. We encourage
you to send this and other issues of OTG
eTA
to friends and colleagues who would benefit from the
information. Also, if you’re on information-overload,
you may request email
removal.
Otherwise OTG e-TA will be back soon with another edition.
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Organization
(cont.)
Most
Web sites have lots of information to convey to the visitor.
Start with a home page that is essentially an introduction to
what is available at your site, and then provide links to additional
information about each topic on separate pages.
The best way to organize your pages is usually hierarchically,
and by topic. These pages might also be subdivided into more
manageable "chunks" of information.
Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) Compliancy
Once
on the web, surfers with disabilities often are unable to receive
or fully understand the information that is presented. To fully
reach all audiences, website development must include accommodations
for disabled surfers. Check out Website
Accessibility Under Title II of the ADA for tips for making
an ADA-compliant website.
Resources
eOrganizer
eOrganizer is an interactive clearinghouse for the latest
and greatest web instruments of change. This GIZMO shows you
how to maximize free and inexpensive online tools and resources
to mobilize people around issues and within organizations.
Structured around eight categories important to community
organizing, it offers descriptions and provides access to
many of the most current web arenas and strategies for bringing
groups together to create community change.
http://www.campaignconsultation.com/GIZMOs/eorganizer/index.html
The National ASK (Awareness, Skills, Knowledge) to Sustain
Institute, sponsored by Corporation for National and
Community Service, provided by Campaign Consultation, Inc.
1998, 2002.
The CNCS Resources Now! National Institute, sponsored
by Corporation for National and Community Service, provided
by Campaign Consultation, Inc. 2005-07.
Learning
Products and Services
Sustainability:
OntheGo@CampaignConsultation.com is designed to give
information fast on building capacity. Use this online support
for advice from a fundraising professional.
Contact OntheGo@CampaignConsultation.com
VISTA
Campus:
VISTA Campus is an online learning environment for
the VISTA community. The aim is to support you in your development
throughout and beyond your VISTA service. The Campus includes
self-paced tutorials and courses, reference materials, discussion
boards, a campus bookstore and more to help improve your
skills and connect with other VISTAs. To access the site,
go to http://vistacampus.org
and select the “VISTAs” option. You will need
to create an account to access the content and discussion
boards.
GIZMOs:
(Giving Information for Zooming Mission Objectives)
GIZMOS are resource and fund development tools for you and
your volunteers. They are tangible products in packets,
pocket brochures, CD-ROMs, games, etc. They feature a myriad
of fundraising topics such as The Case for Support, an interactive
online resource. View and use our newest GIZMOs at www.CampaignConsultation.com/gizmosplash
The
Chronicle of Philanthropy:
Everyone who comes to a Resources Now! National Institute
gets a free subscription to the Chronicle for a year. Participants
in CNCS Campaign Consultation workshops receive the latest
issue free of charge plus a $20 discount on one year’s
subscription.
Workshops/Clinics:
The Corporation for National and Community
Service (CNCS), through its T/TA service provider Campaign
Consultation, Inc., offers a three-hour workshops and clinics
for those interested.
WebWizard:
CNCS sponsors this new service that
Campaign Consultation provides to assist programs and projects
in maximizing their websites for program, client, volunteer
and fundraising needs.
Online
Courses/Webinars:
Web course delivery of topics pertinent to resource
development such as — Build Fundraising Volunteer
Champions and Cause Related Marketing and
Corporate Partnerships.
Available
through the Resource Center at http://www.nationalserviceresources.org
Read
Back Issues of OTG e-TA
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