Design is the process of developing a product that uses visual language to communicate ideas, concepts and messages to a specific audience. A successful design connects the viewer with the message by considering layout — the arrangement of text, images and/or graphics in a design — during the planning process. While there are no specific rules to follow when designing, the three c's of layout should work together to create visually appealing and effective designs.
As you navigate the design process, follow these steps during layout production to help you produce effective designs that communicate your intended theme and/or message. Apply these steps to just about any design, such as logos, social media products, web designs, signage and more.
Thumbnails are rough sketches that help visualize ideas on paper in various arrangements. The whole point of these sketches is to generate visually appealing ideas, so details are not yet needed.
- Sketch your design ideas quickly and jot down as many as possible.
- Save all your ideas; don't discard any — sometimes the best ideas are a combination of ideas.
- Size thumbnails to approximately one-fourth of the final product's size while maintaining the desired proportions.
- Use placeholder text symbols to indicate where the content will be placed.
Rough layouts, also known as roughs, provide a more accurate visual representation of the proposed design. Roughs come from the best thumbnail ideas. Sometimes, they are a combination of the elements in several thumbnails. These layouts appear proportionately half the size of the final version and contain more detail than thumbnail sketches.
- Sketch roughs in full detail, without color. Any display should be drawn neatly.
- Refine the elements of the composition; decide details such as font, type size, style and other information.
- Get feedback and direction from the customer.
- Repeat this process until a design idea has been selected and approved, then proceed to the next step.
The comprehensive layout, also called a comp, is a prototype of the final design. Comprehensives are produced in the same size and color as the final product. These should represent the closest visual form to the actual printed or digital piece and should contain both the client's and designer's input. Comps are usually subject to only minor changes before production.
- Replace all sketches of images and artwork with actual files.
- Include all details such as specific colors, images/art, as well as display and body type.
- Print in black and white to minimize distractions from the overall design, if necessary.
- Collect feedback from the client to check final color choices, design and text corrections from the previous step.
- Obtain client approval before moving to the last step – the design's production.
Organize and export the layout in proper file formats as final deliverables to the client.
- Remove any unwanted artwork and elements. Ensure that only the approved artwork is in the file.
- Ensure the file is formatted correctly for print (refer to Additive and Subtractive Color Models), if necessary. Include printing instructions, such as the type of paper and ink colors.
- Print the product in full color, if necessary.