10 ways to improve your layouts

By Raymond Chapman

Posted on Monday, July 17th, 2023

Here are some brief design principles that you can use to double-check your layouts. This list is not intended to be all-inclusive but it will get you started down the road to becoming a better designer.

Make it readable.

No matter how fancy, complex or colorful your layout may be, it is of no value if the viewer cannot read it. Our job is to make our customers look good. That means that the number one priority is to keep our designs readable.

Avoid conflict.

The viewer’s eye will be disturbed by conflict, and they will immediately know that something is wrong, even if they cannot explain why. Our goal then should be to keep our layouts conflict free. This applies to color choice, font selection, placement of copy blocks, shape and a host of other potential land mines.

Determine importance.

Since the viewer normally has only three to five seconds to read your sign, it is very important that you make the most important message clearly visible and readable. Your customer will usually think that everything is important, but all that verbiage must be prioritized. Determine what is most important, what is second, etc.

Arrange copy into blocks.

All the copy with the same thought should be arranged together so that it reads together. The late Mike Stevens, author of Mastering Layout called this Compulsive Graphic Relativity.

Balance positive and negative space.

Negative space (what’s left over after the words and graphics are added) is just as important in your layout as the positive space. Some of the old-time sign painters used to call it “white space.” I can still hear my mentor saying, “Let that sign breathe.” You can direct your viewer’s eye through a layout with the proper use of negative space.

Use contrast.

Since the eye cannot read everything on your sign at one time, make sure that the most important message receives the greatest contrast, both in value and color.

Avoid monotony.

Keep the interest of your viewer by not having all the elements in your layout of the same value. Change the line value of copy to produce a light, medium and heavy arrangement. You can produce a foreground, middleground and background by the proper use of color and line value.

Know your fonts.

Letter styles carry great psychological weight. By knowing the subliminal effects of those little characters, you can greatly enhance your designs.

Color matters, too.

Just like the fonts, the proper use of color can really change both the readability and psychological effect of your layout.

Keep in shape.

All of your signs need not be a rectangle or square. Add interest to your work by creating a pleasing shape for the substrate.

Raymond Chapman wrote this article nearly 20 years ago for the May/June 2004 issue of SignCraft, and his points are still on target for any sign designer who wants to set their work apart. The photos that follow are great examples of effective, appealing layouts to illustrate his points. –Editors