Minimalism allows you to say more with less words, and it’s used in marketing now more than ever. This is because minimalist designs are unusual and intriguing. They draw people in and keep their attention.
Because they’re easier on the eyes, people are also able to digest information on minimalist posters more easily. Less clutter also allows you to create a sleeker, more modern brand image.
If you’re looking to embrace the minimalist aesthetic, here are some design tips to help you get started on creating amazing minimalist designs.
1. Create captivating illustrations
Meaningful illustrations are central to a good minimalist design. Images and photographs can seem too overbearing and take away from the minimalist aesthetic.
Make your illustrations using geometric shapes and solid colors. Use circles, triangles, and squares to make a graphic that tells your brand’s story.
Minimalist movie posters and book covers have been all the rage in recent years, and illustrations here have helped create whole narratives and build suspense.
This design by Victor Nderitu uses circles and straight lines to highlight the main focus of the poster, and is an excellent example of how shapes can be used to tell your story.
2. Streamline color usage
Use color to set a mood for your design and direct your audience’s attention to the main text.
A good minimalist design will have no more than two colors either complementing and contrasting each other. Whichever direction you go in, remember that the color should make your design more visually appealing.
If you have specific brand colors, stick to those in your design. This way, if you post your design on your website or social media, you’ll remain consistent with your theme. Choose from PosterMyWall’s range of Instagram post templates to start working on a minimalist social media design.
If you’re looking for inspiration on how to use colors in a minimalist design, look at this design by David Watson. It uses two main colors – pink and green – and incorporates them in all elements of the design, making it more aesthetically pleasing and on theme.
3. Use clean typography
The font you use will undoubtedly make or break your minimalist design. Make sure to keep your typography clean and readable. Use only a few words and color specific text to highlight important messaging.
Here are some incredible minimalist font options to choose from. The highlighted options are available in the PosterMyWall editor:
- Raleway
- Open Sans
- Roboto
- Titillium Web
- Source Sans Pro
- Bebas Neue
- Exo 2
- Dense
- Simplifica
- Nexa
To access the remaining fonts, or to upload your own, sign up for PosterMyWall’s premium subscription.
This design by MZ uses a font in which the letters are big, bold, and spaced evenly. This makes your text more readable and adds to the minimalist aesthetic by creating more open space.
4. Leave wide empty spaces
Empty spaces on your design will draw your audience’s eye towards the heavy part of your design i.e. the text and image. Space essentially strikes a balance between all the elements of the design and prevents it from becoming too cluttered.
Use PosterMyWall’s minimal posters design templates to work on creating space on your design. A lot of people may be tempted to fill up a poster as much as possible for fear of making it look incomplete, but trust us, less is almost always more.
This design by Elemental is a perfect example of how empty space can draw attention to the main text and make it easier to read. In this case, space and color is used to to help the text stand out.
Final thoughts
Remember: keep it simple with the right colors, spaces, typography, and illustrations. Use two colors at most and keep them bold and either contrasted or complementary. Keep adequate space between your text and images to make your design more readable.
As far as typography is concerned, use clear fonts and say what you need in as little words as possible. Finally, use your illustrations to elevate your message – whether it’s through geometric shapes, outlines, or colors.
The less you clutter, the easier it will be to get your message across effectively.
So let the minimalist in you shine and create a design today!
Start your journey as a minimalist designer with PosterMyWall. Here you’ll find everything you need to unleash your creativity and create truly unique designs.
Senior editor at PosterMyWall.
