Create stunning

designs with no
experience in

09easy steps

Zero to Designer:
The Absolute Beginner's
Shortcut Guide to
Graphic Design

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Why graphic design doesn't 01
have to be intimidating

Identify Define Ideate Prototype Test

Understand the Clarify the problem Brainstorm Create rough Get feedback
user's needs you're solving multiple solutions drafts quickly and iterate

What do they want What message needs Sketch rough ideas, Use simple tools to Show designs to others,
to create? to be conveyed? explore different styles, mock up designs, gather opinions, make
don't self-censor focus on layout and improvements based
Who is their audience? What action should key elements on input
the design inspire?

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Getting Started: 02
Free Tools at Your Fingertips
Knowing about accessible, free tools removes the barrier of expensive
software and allows beginners to start designing immediately.

Design Images Icons

Canva Pixlr Icons8

• User-friendly with a drag-and-drop interface. • Free online photo editor. • Offers a large collection of free icons, illustrations, and photos.
• Extensive library of templates, fonts, and images. • Offers both a basic editor (Pixlr X) and a more advanced • Provides tools for editing and customizing icons.
editor (Pixlr E).
• Great for creating social media graphics, presentations, • Great for adding unique icons to your designs.
and marketing materials. • Great for quick edits and enhancements.

VistaCreate Unsplash Flaticon

• Similar to Canva with a wide range of design templates. • A vast collection of free high-resolution photos. • Offers a large collection of free icons in various formats
such as PNG, SVG, EPS, PSD, and BASE 64.
• Offers animated designs and social media templates. • Perfect for finding beautiful images to use in your designs.
• Icons can be customized in terms of size, color, and style.
• Good for quick and easy designs. • All photos are free to use for commercial and non-
commercial purposes. • Provides themed icon packs for a consistent design.

Freepik Pexels Iconfinder

• Extensive library of free vectors, photos, and PSD files. • A large library of free stock photos and videos.
• Extensive library of free and premium icons in various formats.
• Great for finding high-quality images and graphic elements. • High-quality, royalty-free images and videos that can be used
• Icons can be easily customized in terms of size and color.
in any design project.
• Offers both free and premium content.
• Provides themed icon packs to ensure a consistent design.
• Easy to search and download with no attribution required.

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5 Design Principles Anyone 03
Can Apply
Understanding these fundamental principles provides a solid foundation
for creating visually appealing designs, regardless of skill level.

Contrast Balance Alignment Proximity Repetition

Use differences in color, Distribute elements Align elements to Group related items Repeat design elements
size, or shape to create evenly to create stability, create order and together to show to create consistency and
visual interest and can be symmetrical or organize information relationships and reinforce your message
hierarchy asymmetrical improve readability

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Cheat sheet: Color combinations 04
that always work
Introducing easy-to-use tools and techniques empowers beginners
to create harmonious color schemes independently.

Color Palette Image Color Brand Color Single Color Canva

Generators Extraction Inspiration Palette Expander Color Wheel

Coolors.co Adobe Color Brandfetch.com MyColor.space Canva Color Wheel

just hit spacebar for Upload an image of the Extract color palettes Generate multiple Interactive color wheel
new schemes design that you like to Adobe from famous brand color combinations to find complementary,
Color to extract its palette websites for inspiration from a single color analogous, and triadic
color schemes

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Typography made simple: 05
3 foolproof font pairings
Pairing fonts can be challenging, but these tried-and-true combinations
work for most designs and help beginners create polished looks quickly.

For beginners Advance Expert

Sans-Serif + Sans-Serif Serif + Sans-Serif Sans-Serif + Serif + Display

(Roboto Bold + Roboto Light) (Playfair Display+ Open Sans) (Helvetica + Times New Roman + Verdana)

Clean, modern look using different Classic combination for Classic fonts with excellent
weights for contrast readability and contrast readability and impact

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet LOREM IPSUM DOLOR SIT AMET
Maecenas porttitor congue massa. Maecenas porttitor congue massa. MAECENAS PORTTITOR CONGUE
Fusce posuere, magna sed pulvinar Fusce posuere, magna sed pulvinar
Fusce posuere, magna sed pulvinar ultricies,
ultricies, purus lectus malesuada libero, ultricies, purus lectus malesuada libero,
sit amet commodo magna eros quis. purus lectus malesuada libero, sit amet
sit amet commodo magna eros quis.
commodo magna eros quis.

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Layout shortcuts: 4 layouts that 06
work for almost everything
These versatile layouts provide a solid foundation for beginners, guiding the viewer's
eye and ensuring clear, professional communication in almost any design project.

Z-pattern: F-pattern: Rule of Thirds: Center-weighted

Eye-catching header across the Important info in top bar, Main image or focal point at Central focal point (image
top, key info along the diagonal, subheaders and content in intersection of grid lines, text or text) surrounded by
call-to-action in bottom right two horizontal bars below balanced in remaining space supporting elements

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White space mastery: Using 07
negative space to improve designs
Effective use of white space can dramatically improve the clarity, sophistication, and impact of a design.
It helps guide the viewer's eye, reduces visual clutter, and creates a more polished, professional appearance.

Before After Cheat-sheet

Embrace margins:
Mastering White Space Mastering White Space Leave ample space around the edges of your design.
White space, or negative space, is the empty
Increase line spacing:
area between and around elements in a design. White space, or negative space, is the empty area between Use 1.2 or double spacing for better readability.
When used effectively, it can dramatically and around elements in a design. When used effectively, it Group related elements:
improve clarity and sophistication. Use white space to create logical clusters of information.
Benefits: • Improved readability• Enhanced visual can dramatically improve clarity and sophistication.
Create hierarchy:
hierarchy • Cleaner, more professional look Use more white space around important elements to
Benefits: Key Areas:
Key Areas: • Margins• Spacing between elements• make them stand out.
Padding within elements • Improved readability • Margins Don't fear emptiness:
Remember: Less is often more in design. Resist the urge to fill every space with content.
• Enhanced visual hierarchy • Spacing
Benefits:• Improved readability• Enhanced visual between elements Use padding:
hierarchy• Cleaner, more professional look • Cleaner, more Add space within elements like buttons or text boxes.
Key Areas:• Margins• Spacing between elements• professional look • Padding within elements
Be consistent:
Padding within elements Maintain uniform spacing throughout your design.
Remember: Less is often more in design. Remember: Less is often more in design. Consider mobile:
www.ikagency.com | [email protected] Ensure your use of white space translates well to
smaller screens.
www.yourdesignsite.com | [email protected]
Use the squint test:
Squint at your design to see if the white space creates
clear sections.
Iterate: Ikagency.com
Experiment with different amounts of white space to
find the right balance.
Fake it till you make it: How to 08
look professional from day one
Using references is a key part of the design process. The goal is not to copy wholesale, but to analyze, understand, and
creatively adapt elements from various sources to create something new and tailored to your project's needs.

Where to take inspirations: pinterest.com, behance.com

01 Choose samples of existing

designs that you like
02 Arrows pointing to effective
elements from these designs
03 A sketch combining
these elements
04 Final unique
design
Tip: only choose elements
not the whole design

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Next steps: Easy ways to 09
gradually improve your skills
Continuous learning and practice are key to improving design Master the basics Learn industry-standard
skills. This roadmap provides a clear path for beginners to 01 (color theory, 02 software (e.g., Adobe
follow as they develop their abilities and build their careers. typography, layout) Creative Suite)

Build a portfolio of Take online courses Join design Seek feedback

03 personal projects
04 or workshops 05 communities and forums
06 and critiques

Consider design
07
Experiment with different
styles and techniques
08 Stay updated on design
trends and tools 09
Collaborate on real-
world projects
10 specializations (e.g.,
UX/UI, branding)

For more in-depth guidance, check out our article: "35 Essential Tips for Graphic Design Beginners in 2024: Start Your Success Story!"

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 THANK YOU
Every master was once a beginner.
Your creative journey starts now!
I hope this guide inspires you to start
your graphic design adventure.
Happy designing!

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