Don’t worry — I’m not here to fill your inbox with more Black Friday offers ????
But because I know your inbox is jam packed this week, I’m going to keep this week’s issue short and sweet (like that pecan pie you’ll devour soon!).
The 20% rule
As a designer, I’m always growing and evolving in how I design. It’s sort of an inside joke that the minute we design something, the next day we want to redo it.
It’s especially true for our own work in our business.
As I reflect on past print design work I’ve completed — even only 6-12 months ago — I find one common rule over time that continues to reign true for what I would do differently.
This is what I call the 20% rule.
So what is it?
20% is a common denominator in how I would change my layout:
- Make the logo 20% smaller
- Add 20% more spacing between that paragraph and image
- Make the copy 20% smaller
- Give 20% more breathing room all-around
Just today I was redesigning an ad for a client, by utilizing a past ad I did 2 years ago to work off of.
As I opened up the original file, I noticed how tight everything felt. The logo was too big, the spacing was cramped, and it just needed 20% less.
So with the new ad, in addition to changing copy and images, I did exactly that. I reduced the logo by 20%, increased the spacing between elements a solid 20%, and allowed the copy to “breathe”.
Below, you’ll see the old design on the left, and the new one on the right.
Can you see what a difference 20% makes?
It’s this simple rule that I’ve been using when analyzing my designs — just by asking myself: could this use 20% more space? or be 20% smaller? and still be effective?
It’s important not to sacrifice importance, as some elements just reign supreme in how they should be presented with respect to hierarchy.
But there’s not always a reason to make the logo SO BIG, or everything fill every inch of space.
So next time you’re designing — think about the 20% rule and how you could help improve your layouts.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
