The Best Resources For Giving a Design Project That Extra ‘Oomph’
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Each design project needs specific tools to make the project. For example, designing and laying out a brochure on inDesign vs. Photoshop is a completely different experience and is not created equal for all projects. Although you would eventually achieve a similar result, you wouldn’t use a butter knife to slice bread, so why would you use Photoshop to create a brochure when inDesign is much more suited to complete the project with?
As a designer, we’ve all heard it at least once before. Your client is looking for more “Oomph” on the design you presented them. Sometimes, clients see the first draft and can’t quite put their finger on what they’d like to see improve. Thankfully, products and resources are always improving! Staying on top of the latest innovations and you can really wow your clients and address the infamous “Oomph” feedback. Here are some resources I like to use to help with all stages of your design projects:
Inspiration and research
How do you usually begin a new project? You could create a mood board, or brainstorm with the client. You might also analyze competitors to see how you can make your design stand out, or see how other businesses attract their ideal clientele. For example, designing a visual for a sell sheet is going to have a different audience than a poster advertising a deal to customers in a retail women’s clothing store. Collecting all your ideas in one place makes it easy for you to remember what your vision is as you’re working, so that you stay on track. When you have everything prepped, it’s easy to work on the project without distractions.
Dribbble (My top go-to for inspiration and research!)
Creative Market (A great resource where you can find good inspo from the templates available, although this is more of a market to purchase assets from.)
Vector icons and illustration
Having access to vector icons and illustrations is so convenient! Browse these libraries for something ready-made, yet customizable for your project? Check the rights usage for each icon and illustration; some of them must be credited to the creator while others can be used without crediting for some projects.
Google Chrome extensions
Have you ever looked at a website and admired their font or colour palette? Not to worry, there’s actually a Google Chrome Extension for that so you don’t have to waste time using unnecessarily tedious methods to figure it out. If you’ve wondered if there’s some kind of tool to help you, it probably already exists! Here are a few of the extensions I personally use most often, but you can browse the Google Store for other Chrome Extensions!
Find Squarespace IDs (Specifically for my fellow Squarespace web designers — this helps you get the div ID when adding custom CSS to the Squarespace website you are building.)
Stock Photography
If your client doesn’t have the budget or time to create branding photos yet, stock photos can be a free or affordable option. Check the rights usage for each photo; some images must be credited to the creator while others can be used without crediting for some projects.
Fonts
While Bodoni or Helvetica are time-honoured classics, they are used way too often already! When you use widely recognized fonts, they can make your design project feel like a dime a dozen. Choosing the right font and font pairings is key to achieving a unique look for your design project because fonts can tell your audience a lot about the brand.
Creative Market (My absolute favourite for paid fonts!)
Adobe Fonts (Free with an Adobe subscription)
Mockups
When the project is complete, don’t forget to show it off on your portfolio! Showcasing your project as a screenshot or digital file is fine, but you can really take it to the next level by creating a mockup so anyone browsing your portfolio can see how your project looks on a desktop, tablet, or mobile. And don’t forget to share your new work on all of your platforms!
Moyo Studio* (My absolute favourite resource for aesthetically pleasing mockups)
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