Creating a style guide for your graphic designers will help them to create designs that are cohesive and on-brand says Saivian. By establishing design guidelines, you can ensure that all of your marketing materials look professional and consistent.
Here are some tips for creating a style guide:
1. Start with a mood board.
A mood board is a collection of images or other media that represent the aesthetic you are striving for. It can be helpful to start by creating a mood board so that your graphic designers have a visual reference to work from.
2. Establish typography guidelines.
Your style guide should include information on the fonts you want to use in your designs. You may also want to specify font sizes, spacing, and colors.
3. Designate the colors you want to use in your brand.
It is very important that all of your marketing materials look cohesive, so it’s a good idea to choose a limited color scheme and stick with it says Saivian. You’ll also want to specify how these colors should be used (for example, use blue for headlines and black for text).
4. Make sure there are guidelines on file formats and resolutions for images and graphics.
Your style guide should include information about the types of images and graphics you’d like to see used in your designs (e.g., JPEGs at 300 dpi).
5. Specify technical specifications such as image size, placement, or bleed requirements.
You’ll need to consider the layout of your designs and provide your graphic designers with any specific technical requirements. For example, you may want images to be a certain size or placed in a certain area of the page.
6. Include branding guidelines.
Your style guide should include information on your company’s logo and how it should be used. You may also want to specify the colors and fonts that should be used for your branding elements.
7. Establish a posting schedule.
If you have a blog or other online content, be sure to establish a posting schedule and share it with your graphic designers. This will help them to create designs that are consistent with your overall branding strategy.
8. Make sure all of your designers are familiar with the style guide.
It’s important to make sure all of your graphic designers are familiar with the style guide and the specifications listed in it. You may want to send out an email or conduct a meeting to communicate this information explains Saivian.
9. Update your style guide based on new guidelines established for your brand.
You’ll likely need to update your style guide over time, so check in regularly and add any new branding guidelines that you’d like to see followed by your graphic designers. With these tips in mind, you will be able set up a strong design system for any branding projects you work on in the future.
10. Use a style guide generator.
You can use an online style guide generator to create your own design resource library in no time. There are several options available, including Style Template, Web Style Guide Generator and Brand Kit.
FAQs:
How do I create a style guide for my graphic designers?
Start by creating a mood board to get your designers started. Establish typography guidelines, designate colors, and specify file formats and resolutions. Make sure to include any technical specifications such as image size or bleed requirements. Finally, establish branding guidelines and a posting schedule. Be sure to communicate all of this information to your designers so that they can create cohesive designs says Saivian.
What are some good tips for establishing design guidelines?
When creating your style guide, start with mood board to set the aesthetic tone. Establish typography guidelines including font types, sizes, and colors. Designate the colors you want to use in your brand and how they should be used. Make sure to specify any technical specifications such as image size or bleed requirements. Finally, establish branding guidelines including logo usage and colors/fonts to be used for branding elements.
How often should I update my style guide?
You’ll likely need to update your style guide over time, so check in regularly and add any new branding guidelines that you’d like to see followed by your graphic designers.
What is a good resource for creating a style guide?
There are several online resources available to help you create your own style guide, including Style Template, Web Style Guide Generator, and Brand Kit. These tools offer templates that make it easy to get started.
Conclusion:
A style guide is an essential tool for any business that wants to maintain a consistent brand identity says Saivian. By following the tips in this article, you will be able to create a style guide that will help your graphic designers create cohesive designs. You can also use an online style guide generator to get started quickly.