![\"snappa](\"https:\/\/blog.snappa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/snappa-canvas-example.png\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n2. Include Icons & Logos to Get Your Point Across<\/h2>\n
Well-placed icons and logos can make a significant impact on your branded graphics. In addition to using your brand colors and fonts, strategically placing a familiar icon or your logo will bring even more of your brand\u2019s flavor to an image.<\/p>\n
When it comes to including logos or icons in your graphic design\u2014be strategic. Don\u2019t try to squeeze a logo into an image just to force it in there. You want it to be large enough to read at a glance, and have enough breathing room around it to not feel cluttered.<\/p>\n
Logos can work well on quotes or branded graphics, as well as YouTube video thumbnails<\/a>. The trick is to make sure they are readable, identifiable, and make sense within the overall design.<\/p>\n If you include a logo, they often work well in either the bottom corner or centered at the top or bottom of your image.<\/p>\n Icons can be leveraged well when included in tips, quotes, and infographics. Using a light bulb or lightning bolt to signify a great idea is a good example. Emojis can also help convey your message to your audience.<\/p>\n Using contrasting colors can help draw the viewer\u2019s focus to where you want it. A properly contrasting palette can also ensure your designs are both aesthetically pleasing and accessible.<\/p>\n If you haven\u2019t yet selected your brand colors, consider using a color wheel like Adobe\u2019s free Adobe Color<\/a> tool. You can use this tool to toggle between colors and choose a palette with the proper amount of contrast that is both true to your brand and attention-grabbing.<\/p>\n Adobe Color has recently incorporated a Contrast Checker feature that helps designers select accessible palettes that align with W3C\u00ae\u2019s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines<\/a> (WCAG). The tool also features a setting that can address three forms of color blindness for further accessibility.<\/p>\n When you design an image, you don\u2019t want to cram it full of text, icons, logos, and a stock image until there\u2019s no room left. That will make the design look too busy, and viewers won\u2019t find it pleasing to look at.<\/p>\n The free space around graphic elements is considered negative space and it\u2019s important because it allows you to create obvious groupings of information. For example, if two paragraphs of text were seen side by side without any negative space between them, it would be difficult to discern where one line of text ended and the other began.<\/p>\n A cluttered design also has the potential to stress out your audience, which will make them less likely to seek out your brand online. So when creating your graphic designs, make sure they have plenty of negative space. That way, you\u2019ll keep your visual aesthetic looking tidy and pleasant.<\/p>\n Minimizing your font selection is just as important as honoring the negative space in your image.<\/p>\n Use clean, easy-to-read fonts that show up well against the background you\u2019ve chosen. (If you can\u2019t read them against your background image, consider using a solid shape like a circle, square, or rectangle behind the text as a sort of container.)<\/p>\n Refrain from using more than two fonts in your graphic design, excluding the logo or brand name you might include in the corner or at the bottom of the image. Even then, these fonts need to be in line with your brand style guidelines.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t overuse formatting, such as bolding or italics. Font formatting applies to the two-font rule, as well. Otherwise, your image will be too busy and viewers might skip it, rather than read it through.<\/p>\n When you\u2019re creating graphics for your business, consider the branded colors and aesthetic you\u2019ve chosen.<\/p>\n Your online presence should have a sense of consistency when it comes to your colors, aesthetic, and fonts. Graphics you create and share via social media should follow suit. You want to make sure the images you share align with your branding<\/a>.<\/p>\n Take a look at Wordable.io. This brand uses cool, clean colors in its website design, so the color palette for its social media graphics would need to follow the overall aesthetic.<\/p>\n In contrast, see the Breadcrumbs.io color palette. Aesthetically, it\u2019s extremely different from Wordable\u2019s.<\/p>\n Using the bright yellow Breadcrumbs.io palette for Wordable\u2019s social graphics wouldn\u2019t work at all (and vice versa). It would present an aesthetic clash that\u2019s inconsistent with the established brand palette.<\/p>\n Using boxes, lines, or even shapes in your graphic designs works well to keep elements organized. Design elements like this help break up the text as well as elements of the overall image to draw the focus where you want it.<\/p>\n Adding lines or boxes is also a great way to create negative space as it keeps important information tucked away in one place. Just like with other design elements, you don\u2019t want to overuse any of these approaches. Incorporate them sparingly and in a way that aligns with your brand design.<\/p>\n While alignment is important in graphic design, not everything has to be perfectly centered. You can put logos in the corner of a graphic, or purposely break up text in an asymmetrical way.<\/p>\n The important thing here is to make sure that the graphics and visuals you choose look good and the information you have in your design is organized in a logical way. In the example above, the text is all left-aligned while the icon is aligned to the right. What makes this work is that all of the elements combined are centered within the boundaries of the graphic.<\/p>\n Adjusting the translucence or opacity of design elements can be very effective in graphic design.<\/p>\n For example, if the shape in the image below was completely opaque we wouldn\u2019t see much of the subject in the photo behind it. Adjusting the opacity to at least a partial translucence gives you the contrast you need for your text to be readable but also allows for the background to come through. Striking this balance is crucial in creating a professional and high-quality graphic.<\/p>\n See more opacity tricks in our video below:<\/p>\n![\"logo](\"https:\/\/blog.snappa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/logo-icon-example.png\"){kind=icon}
<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n3. Leverage Contrasting Colors to Draw Focus<\/h2>\n
![\"adobe](\"https:\/\/blog.snappa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/adobe-color-example-e1646758406788.png\")
\n4. Don\u2019t Forget the Negative Space<\/h2>\n
![\"negative](\"https:\/\/blog.snappa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/negative-space-example-e1646758546627-200x300.png\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n5. Minimize Font Selection<\/h2>\n
![\"font](\"https:\/\/blog.snappa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/font-selection-example.png\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n6. Consider Your Branded Colors & Aesthetic<\/h2>\n
![\"wordable](\"https:\/\/blog.snappa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/wordable-color-example.png\")
\n![\"breadcrumbs](\"https:\/\/blog.snappa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/breadcrumbs-color-example.png\")
\n7. Use Lines or Boxes to Keep the Image Organized<\/h2>\n
![\"box](\"https:\/\/blog.snappa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/box-design-example.png\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n8. Test Different Styles of Alignment<\/h2>\n
![\"left](\"https:\/\/blog.snappa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/left-aligned-example-169x300.png\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n9. Adjust The Opacity of Elements<\/h2>\n
![\"opacity](\"https:\/\/blog.snappa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/opacity-design-example.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n