Top Valuable Tips for UI Graphic Designers in 2023

There are two different graphic designers. You may be either a UI web graphic designer or a UX web graphic designer which are two different things. 

According to Kenzie Academy, Web UI (user interface) graphic designers are involved with what you see in the application. They work with colors, fonts, and the overall artistry of the app. The feel, you may call it. While UX graphic designers are involved with how you use the application. They are the masters in giving you the best experience when you use the app. That involves app accessibility, usability, and many more.

Zippia, one of the career experts, said that User Interface Designers (UI) are in demand in the US as ever before. There are more than seven thousand UI designers. And more than 60 percent of them are men, and almost 40 percent are women. They are earning almost $100k to $130k a year. Also, Asians are the most designers found in the industry.

Being a UI designer, you may have the following skills:

• Creativity – Being creative means you can think outside the box. You may use brainstorming (peer consultation), and past experiences, focus on one problem at a time, and avoid making assumptions for obvious reasons, such as designing a bike with two wheels. A bike already has two wheels! Hah!
• Detail-oriented – You see if the graphics are aligned, the colors match, the letters are readable, and much more.
• Communication – It is best to know how to express your thoughts and ideas to your teammates. It allows you to work together with other people. 
• Empathetic  – You put yourself in other’s shoes. Remember that the design is focused on users. What if your user is sensitive to colors, so you choose a nice color palette that will allow your users to look at your app? Relaxed, as you should put it. The more relaxed they are, the more they are going to use your app.
• Knows how to use designer tools – You can use tools such as Adobe Illustrator or Invision Studio, etc.
• Knows and applies the basics – You know the different principles of design.
• Coding  – It may not be needed, but it will be a plus if you know how to code.

You can work well as a UI designer if these things are what you have. If your skills are not above, you can always learn how to become one if you want to. As long as you have either one or two web graphic design skills, that will get you started.

Yet some challenges may come your way. These challenges could be:

• Not having enough time – The client has not given you enough time to work on the app.
• You do not have enough knowledge about the software used – You may have worked with your chosen tool, such as Adobe Illustrator, but have not learned it in-depth. That’s why you may have difficulty using the app.
• The designer may have lost inspiration – You might get stuck and lose your creativity. You may want to relax a bit. Web design is fun, yet sometimes, you need a breather to give your creativity a boost. A vitamin “sea” shall do the trick.
• Colors and text are not in harmony – The text that you chose is way out of the way as what you have thought of. Plus, the colors do not agree with the font’s mood.
• Communication is whiplash between you and the client – You may need to have good communication with your client.Most of all, handle communication empathetically for your clients. Listen to them.

There are a lot more problems that you can overcome through these tips for graphic designers.

Valuable Tips for UI Graphic Designers in 2023

1. Scale your design 

To scale your design means to make an element, such as a word or a letter, different from the other elements. You can change the size or the font as long as it is in the same font family. Sometimes scaling is a leap of faith, especially if you want your design to be as proportional as possible. Well, get that fear out of your chest and start exploring. This is one of the best tips for graphic designers that you may want to always remember.

2. Give space to other elements 

You give meaning to the word by adding or cutting back on the space between letters. Be extra careful though to maintain your design’s readability. How you represent your design so people can understand what you mean goes down. For example, when you are designing the word “respect,”. The designer minimized the spacing between the letters so that if you look at it, it is condensed. It is like you have shown what you meant about your content while condensing one word. One of the tips for graphic designers that you don’t want to miss.

3. Use two or three color schemes 

When you design, you can apply 2 to 3 primary colors, such as red, yellow, and blue. As a review, primary colors, when mixed, form a different color. For example, when you mix red and blue, it turns purple. Purple now becomes a secondary color. Applying 2 or 3 primary colors is good to go when you do your color scheme. Adding more may look overwhelming. 

4. Crisp, clean, clear words

Crisp background and clear words are simple, but it gives you an edge when you want your viewers to feel relaxed and calm when they view your content. You must maintain your words in a clear and easy-to-read format to communicate well with your viewers. You can do so by using a white or black text color and adding or decreasing the brightness of your background. 

5. Make use of fonts to express moods 

Colors are known to tell people what you feel. Don’t forget the fonts. Fonts with round edges are known to be friendlier, or you can use serifs for sophisticated fonts. See, there are a lot more designs than you can think of. So be careful when choosing the fonts that you use. 

6. Alignment 

One of the best tips for graphic designers in web design is to add alignment. In doing so, you add composition and balance to your design. It helps boost the tone of your alignment when you add a straight line to your content.

7. Keep it simple 

As a good designer, it is best that you keep it simple but don’t forget your basics. These colors, typefaces, shapes, and frames should be maintained at a minimum. Remember to use contrast in your text and background. So as your design readability. 

8. The same elements are not that bad 

When you are making a presentation, the same elements are not that bad. You may duplicate the elements and add or delete words. Also, change the image. The bottom part is to give yourself a break. Duplicating your elements forms unity in all your presentation.

9. Be you 

Remember, YOU are a designer. You get to be creative and inventive and think outside the box. It is great that you get your inspiration from the best. It is fantastic that you get your design and make your trademark. 

10. Hierarchy gives an order to your design 

Hierarchy adds a dominant feature to your design by amplifying your important point. You can change the typeface and the background of the word. Or you can scale your design.

11. Symmetry 

Adding straight lines to your design adds proportion and balance. Take note that the thickness of the lines should match your fonts.

12. Give some time to relax your eyes 

Always remember one of these tips for graphic designers, you. Take a break, rest your eyes, and go ahead and recharge your creativity. It could be a walk to the park, basking under the sun, or having a simple coffee in your garden. Importantly, you get to see a different view of life and other things.

13. The same family fonts 

One of the best practices in web UI is adding uniformity to your text. Always remember that you use the same typeface or family fonts. Yet, you can boost your design with the use of different variants, such as Italics or Bold. 

14. The whitespace 

One of the tips for graphic designers about space is adding whitespace between elements. 

Adding whitespace helps your viewers to read your text and attracts attention. Maintain your basics as well.

15. Research before your start 

A well-planned design is more likely to get attention. Focus on the topic that you want to design. Research the mood that you can add to your design. You should know the purpose of your design before you start, so you address it well. Remember that web design is not only about colors and text, but it’s not only about colors and text, but how you communicate to your target audience by way of a visual representation.

16. Moodboard 

One of the tips for web design is the mood board. It is best practice to use a mood board to set a common palette for your design. It will help you focus on the same color and theme. 

17. Imitate 

It is okay to imitate; you can find inspiration from your favorite designers. You can use the same filters or the layout in general. Make sure that you add your unique photo and text.

18. Be conscious of what is happening around the world 

One of the best ways to keep your mind and design updated is always to check the current trends and news. In this way, you help yourself by adding relevant designs for your viewers to see. Also, you are being mindful of the things around you. Remember that colors and fonts affect your designs as well as cultural relevance. Keep this in mind.

19. Don’t think of cliches 

Research is one of the best tips in web design to help you continue thinking outside the box. You recreate your design, not just following typical symbols and icons in your work.

20. Contrast is thumbs up 

You stand out in design when you use contrast. That’s one of the best tips for graphic designers. It adds mood to your graphics as well as legibility. Take note, use black text color for light background and white text for dark background. That is one of the best tips for graphic designers that you can add to your web design.

21. A little bit of brightness is not that bad, too 

Grab your viewer’s attention with your design through the use of colors that contrast against each other. Make sure that they don’t overlap, though.

22. Write them down 

One of the best tips for graphic designers is always to keep a notebook with you. You may not know when the big design comes to your mind. Inspiration can come anytime or anywhere. Write whatever comes into your mind. It will help you in your next project.

23. Keep going! 

In most cases in web design, you get it all mixed up. So keep on working on your design. It is best that you keep on going, rest if you must. Hold it up until you get it right. Not like what you see? Click the undo button.

24. Handle your images with grids 

You should use grid lines or frames for your layout. It adds professionalism and looks better too.

Where are you at in your web design skills?

Whatever you are in, it is always best to align with your design’s purpose. Maybe you have a rough start sometimes, but always make sure that you can always restart. There is always room for improvement, especially when you tackle design in your everyday life. Inspirations happen at any moment, so stay calm and learn from the masters. Don’t forget to choose a great photo for your design. Use tools to make it look better. If you want to save more time rather than manually editing the photos, you can use Remove bg, which removes the unwanted background of your photos with just one click. This tool can make your magic happen. May these graphic design tips can help you start again. What are you waiting for?

Whether you are a career shifter or a web design enthusiast, you may encounter challenges as you pursue your career as a graphic designer. May these valuable graphic design tips may help you find the best solutions in your chosen field.

About Author

Andrea Locsin, Removal.AI

Andrea is an illustrator and graphic designer with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Media Arts degree. Andrea’s love for color and animation is one of many major inspirations when creating artworks and graphics.