As admirers of print design, we wanted to share badge design done by Maurizio Piacenza for a recent conference. Maurizio is a graphic designer, and an illustrator based in Milan, Italy. His graphic design imitates pencil sketch on paper. You can read more about how Maurizio has come up with the idea for his design in this post in Smashing Magazine. We’ve learned some valuable lessons from Maurizio’s design, and would like to share them with you below.
Consider Your Budget
There are many options available for print design, but most likely you will have a limited budget, creating a need to make a choice.In this case, the designer decided to go with an expensive letterpress print but cut the costs by using only two colors – black and red. There are a plethora of options available, for example, you could go with thick paper but no coating. You could read more about what options are available at MDD in one of our previous blog posts on choosing the right paper stock for your project.
Be Creative
If you are designing marketing materials for a conference, it is a good idea to look at the designs done in previous years. You should try to be consistent but still be unusually creative. Showcasing his creative talents, Maurizio came up with the unique idea of playing cards after retaining a project to design badges for attendees, speakers, and organizers.
Do The Research
Maurizio had to differentiate his badge design between organizers, speakers, and attendees. The badges also had to have a face picture and the name on them. After researching the designs for playing cards, Maurizio decided to make four different designs – Queen, King, Ace, and Joker. “Research helps me to find a good approach. Even if I design a completely new thing, my decision is based on what I’ve seen.” – Maurizio Piacenza. Research is very important. It will have to build upon your idea.
Adjust for Print
You could design to match your printing preferences, like Maurizio did, or you could choose your printing preferences based on your design. For example, letterpress print does not allow small details, so Maurizio had to adjust his design and get rid of small details. Depending on the paper and colors you chose, your design will turn out differently in print. You have to consider adjusting it to get the best end results.
Good luck with your design and contact us at [email protected], or 646-507-5280 for all your questions or digital print needs.
