For graphic designers, precision and attention to detail is crucial. Yet when immersed in a project, nearly every designer becomes too accustomed to their designs, often overlooking imperfections and nuances that would be glaringly obvious to a fresh set of eyes when designing.
You may have heard of, or even experienced, nose-blindness at some point in your life. Imagine visiting a friend or family member, and as you enter their house, you are overwhelmed by the all-too-familiar smell of a dog. Meanwhile, the people who live there seem completely unaware of it. As time passes, you also become nose-blind to the dog smell that at first was so obvious.
Much like becoming accustomed to a familiar scent, designers can become nose-blind to the flaws of their own designs. Hours spent arranging, rearranging, and tweaking each element can lead to tunnel vision, where the big picture is obscuring all the small details. Typos slip through, text readability is compromised, and the overall content hierarchy may falter.
Another reason you may want a second set of eyes is the fact that you just might be too involved. More often than not, designers find themselves well-acquainted with the client, the content, and the intended flow of information. You’ve read the content over and over again as you’ve designed the work. This deep understanding, while crucial to designing, can often make it difficult to see a project from the perspective of your audience who likely doesn’t have the same understanding that you have.
How to Find a Fresh Set of Eyes
Recognizing the limitations of your own perspective is the key to great designs. We use these two strategies to get a fresh perspective when designing:
- Walk Away. Take a break and work on another project, even if you’re on a deadline and it’s just for a few hours. Bonus points if you can set it aside and work on it another day. Don’t look at it. Don’t think about it. Taking a break, even if only for a few hours, provides a much-needed reset. When you come back to your design, you will likely notice things you didn’t before.
- Involve others. Another designer, a coworker, or even a friend can provide you with a new point of view. Fresh perspectives bring unique viewpoints to the table and can catch errors to which you have become nose-blind. Collaboration and feedback allow your work to speak to a wider audience.
By acknowledging our susceptibility to nose-blindness and the limitations of our own perspectives, we open ourselves up to growth and improvement. Just as we become oblivious to the familiar smells in our environment, we often can overlook important elements of our designs. A fresh set of eyes gives us a new perspective, allowing our work to flourish.
At Green Closet Creative, we help our clients connect with their audience in a meaningful way while enhancing their brand through print advertising, billboards, photography, online presence, and more with our exceptional graphic design team. Contact us today to learn more about our services.