As a business owner, you want to make your brand iconic. Shapes, colors, and typeface can all be used to represent your voice, but using them together in a way that is clear, compelling, and balanced can be a challenge. At 925Never, we want to make you the best possible custom business stickers, which is why we continue our series on color and design with an article on important design principles!
Balance
Did you know good design and physics have something in common? Balance. When creating custom business stickers or other marketing material, think about the visual weight of the elements you’re using. Large design elements, like big typeface or images, have “weight” to them. If you place this large element on one side of your design, it should be counterbalanced by other items on the other side.
You wouldn’t put all your furniture in one corner of a room, would you? You shouldn’t crowd all your design elements together either. If you are designing a larger sticker or decal, make sure you spread out the images, icons, words, or shapes you’re using.
Alignment
Alignment refers to how your design elements are lined up within a space, and it can create order and organization within a design. If a page had images and typeface scattered without rhyme or reason, it would be confusing and disorienting. Instead, most examples align design elements to the left, right, or center.
For your custom business stickers, you may want to keep the choice simple: do you want your design to be symmetrical or asymmetrical? In a symmetrical design, there is an equal weight of design elements on either side of an imaginary line drawn down the middle of your sticker or page. An asymmetrical design includes elements of many different weights, and it’s often oriented around a different, noncentral invisible line. Symmetry often feels clean, simple, and orderly, while asymmetry can seem more fun and spontaneous. The choice is up to you!
Contrast
Contrast refers to very different design elements used together to create emphasis. For colors and shades, this can mean light and dark elements or colors on opposite sides of the color wheel. It can also mean pairing vertically oriented elements with horizontally oriented ones.
When you want your design to “pop,” you want to make it contrast with the background! For example, using white font on a black background or vice versa can make it more interesting and attention-grabbing. You can also try unusual pairings like blocky font with an elaborate background full of curves.
Space
In the world of design, “space” means more than a sky full of stars and planets. The word also refers to the distance around, above, below, or between design elements. Positive space is an area occupied with typeface, an image, or a shape. Negative space is essentially blank space.
One thing you should remember as you design your stickers and decals is that negative space is just as important as other design elements. If you create a complex centerpiece, you want to have enough negative space around it to let it breathe in a way.
Keeping the space around your design uncluttered draws the eye to important elements in the middle, like your logo or business name! A custom sticker roll from 925Never can ensure that your design has space around it, while a die-cut sticker is made to minimize a border of negative space as much as possible.
Create Your Own Stickers Today
You’ve put a lot of thought and love into your design. When you’re ready to make it a reality, contact 925Never! We can print your stickers in full CMYK in the dimensions you need, whether you want to create custom die-cut stickers or order a custom sticker roll that puts your design at the center of negative space. Contact us today to learn more!
