Most training for web designers is strictly for the web and the web alone. Most designers only take on print tasks on occasion, and learn quickly that working on print ads is a lot different that designing for the web.
If you are a print designer and want to move on to website, there are plenty of articles out there to help you. From blogs to forums, you can easily search for and find information on how to make this transfer. However, when it comes to information for web designers that want to do print ads, there is very little information available. Therefore, when your boss comes over and tells you that you need to design a poster for the design you are working on, it can be a bit frustrating.
When you are trying to adapt your web design skills to convert to a print ad, there are a few things that you have to consider.
Viewer Control
The first thing you need to think about is the fundamental differences between viewing an ad on the web and viewing an ad in a magazine or newspaper. When you are on the web, you are in control. You can click on the things you want to see and scroll through what you do not care about it. Print ads are all in one place and a reader must read and follow the graphics to understand the advertisement.
How does this apply to your work? When you are working on print ads, you need to think visual. Graphics need to be more eye catching. You will need to draw the reader’s eyes to where you want them to go. Make sure the graphics flow.
Forget About Constraints
When designing for the web, there are a number of different factors that you have to think about, including the size of the page the ad is going to appear on, not to mention the resolution and the number of graphics that are used. When working with print, all of these constraints vanish.
When you are working with print media, whatever you design will look exactly the same. This gives you total freedom with your design. However, adjusting to this new found freedom can be difficult. Start out with some drafts and let your imagination run wild and then tone down the design to make it work.
New Limitations
While you have the new found freedom of design, there are other restraints that you have to think about when it comes to print. The first is that you are now only able to use one medium, you have entered the two dimensional world, with no buttons, videos, or other interactions. The other consideration is the cost of printing and materials that these ads require. Make sure you think about this before you present your design.
The only way to really learn how to work with print is to practice. As with everything new that you try, there are sure to be bumps in the road, but if you work hard, you can have fun learning a new type of art.
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