I was thumbing through a local rag this weekend, enjoying random stuff like "Police Log" and tips on keeping my tires from early winter wear, when I came across an ad for a local computer store.

So I see they've got a holiday computer sale going. They also do helpful stuff like data restores, removing shareware, and network setups. Cool.

There's nothing wrong with the information in this ad. The text layout isn't bad (nice spacing, I guess).

It's the art that's killing it.

Put down the clip art and no one gets hurt.

Let's say you have a computer company.

Let's assume that you would like people to think that you're an expert in computers and up-to-date with all the latest trends in computing. For example, people might want to get the impression that you've stopped using floppy disks for storage.

A beige cartoon computer with a floppy slot says, "I still use DOS commands."

Now, I know that particular graphic is about trade-ins. My human brain gets this, but my monkey brain sees "behind the times." It's not something I can get around without a lot of consideration. Except that ads aren't about careful consideration. They're about sucking you in without thinking.

As a person who needs new computers from time to time, I want the future. I want to see sleekness, I want shiny black and silver things with impossibly thin profiles. I want to feel like if I showed up at the store I would be awed by the unimaginable technology on display. I want Promethius working behind the counter, possessing the kind of computer knowledge I can't even guess at.

I'm a smart dude. I can read past the terrible clip art and the ugly choice of colors (by the way, red and green are completely missing from this holiday ad). I can see in plain Helvetica that they remove shareware and perform system backups. I notice they sell desktops and laptops at "very competitive prices."

I can read it, but I don't feel it. You feel me?

So maybe most people can't articulate why this ad design is dullsville, but they are feeling it. And they're thinking, "Why would I take a chance on this little guy when Best Buy is right up the road?"

Now check this out: http://macforce.com

These people know computers. I can feel it. "Screw Best Buy and the Apple Store," my monkey brain says, "if I go there I will feel like a heroin addict skiing down crack mountain. Where are my car keys?"

So how are you supposed to know what's right and what's wrong?

You're an entrepreneur and you're insanely busy just trying to get people in the door. How are you supposed to keep track of all the design trends to make sure your ads and marketing materials are attracting the right people? How can one entrepreneur stay on top of all aspects of design to avoid looking like they're still partying with that symbol guy in 1999?

You can't. It's not your job. Your job is to help your clients and customers with that magic thing you do. You know, that thing you're best at? Remember? Computers? Coffee?

You probably hire someone to handle your bookkeeping, payroll, and tax prep, so why not be consistent and delegate the conceptual branding and design to someone who can do it like magic?

Hire someone to worry about this for you. You will be rewarded with the right people coming in and calling you up.

Hmmm. I wonder if MacForce achieved local awesomeness by skimping on branding and design?

Let's say you've been working for The Man, filling fields in a corporate database for ten years or so. In the little bubble that floats over your head all day there's a picture of a little cupcake shop. In the window of that little cupcake shop is you, greeting your customers and making the cash register ring. Oh, look who's in line! It's The Man you used to work for. Ahhh, sweet success.

That's a sa-weet little bubble you're carrying around there. Or maybe you've already taken the shop out of the bubble and set it down on Earth. Awesome.

I'll bet that in all those years of database entry and bubble-carrying, you didn't have time to go to Graphic Design School. That's okay. When I was carrying around my Illustration and Animation bubbles, somehow I never got around to earning my accounting degree.

So now I have a problem. I really don't know shit about accounting. Okay, I know a little bit. I've read a few books and tons of articles on business taxes, P & Ls, and payroll tax regulations. So I know enough to know that I don't really know anything.

Solution: Hire a payroll company, but know enough to know why they do stuff. Then go back to drawing ninjas and kangaroos.

I'll bet that you are smart like that, too. Instead of creating your own logo in Photoshop CS or handing the project to your 14-year old niece, you hired a professional designer. Nicely done, you. You can go back to baking those sweet treats (that your designer will no doubt buy because she's been staring at your cupcake photos throughout the project).

So you're cool not knowing all the intricacies of the color wheel, balance, typesetting, and raster vs vector. Good. Stay cool.

But now you've got this design proof sitting in your inbox and you have no idea whether it's awesome or crappy. Assuming you've done your homework and hired the best fit for your project (read about how to do that here), it's likely not complete crap. But is it good? Is it right?

How will you know until it's out there and your money is gone?

How to Tell if that Design You Just Bought is any Good

Do you like it?

Duh, right? Well, maybe not so duh. A lot of clients I work with don't sit with this question long enough before they start showing it to their partner, spouse, or sister-in-law. Oh, it's tempting to take a glance, then forward the proof e-mail to your inner circle and start collecting opinions while you figure out if you like it.

Before I tell you not to do that, let's back up a step or three. Before you even hire someone, you should have a clear idea of what you want. If you just dump your need in a designer's lap and say, "Create!" you'll likely be disappointed. Before you talk to anyone about your logo, design, or animation project, you've got to have a very clear picture of what you want to achieve. For instance, I have this conversation all too often:

Me: So what do you want this illustration to be?

Client: Well, I'm not sure. I'm still coming up with my business/book/web site concept.

Me: Hmm. Before we go any further and you spend money on something you can't use, you should really take some time to develop your business/book/web site.

Client: Can you just make some sketches of a few things? You can make it up if you want! Free rein! I'll think about my thing while you work on that.

Me: No.

In my design cookbook there's a Recipe for Disaster. Those are the main ingredients.

Back to sharing your fresh design proof. Before you listen to outside opinions, take some time with it yourself. Like a whole day, at least. Print it out and tape it to your fridge so you walk by it unexpectedly. What's your eye drawn to? What makes you feel like oooooh awesomeness? What makes you think ummmm, not comfortable with this?

Once you're rock solid in your own personal opinion, then get some other eyes on it. That way you're not so easily swayed just because Uncle Frank hates purple.

If you're thinking there's some secret designer wisdom you're lacking in this part of the process, don't sweat it. Right now it's about you liking or not liking this thing. Art is a subjective medium and even if your design hits all the important designery rules, it could still suck if you simply don't like it.

Conversely, it could break a few dozen designery rules and you might love it.

But we're not worried about rules right now. Do you like it?

Design Rules and Why You Should Ignore Them

"The rules are, there ain't no rules." – Leo, Scorpions Leader (Grease)

Rules good. Design people like rules because they make things consistent in our work and give us something to base our design decisions on. You know, like whether blue and orange compliment each other and how the human eye tracks type across a web site. So when we go to school, we learn about tons of rules that help us design things that communicate messages in consistent ways. Fantastic stuff, rules.

Then, because we're creative designery-type people, we go looking for ways to break those rules.

Confusing, isn't it?

Listen, don't sweat the rules. Don't stay up late studying Graphic Design for Dummies so you can make sure everything in your proof is on point. I guarantee you'll find a broken rule somewhere. Then what? How far are you prepared to go in dictating design rules and researching the elements of professional design? Don't you have cupcakes to bake for your own customers?

What's your time worth?

But I really, really like lists of things to tell me how to know if my design is good or bad

Okay, I'll try and humor you with a list, but there are so many variables and I'm already at 1,000 words. Here are some things to be aware of.

Space

The space in your design should simply feel comfortable. If it reminds of trying on jeans that are a size too small, there's not enough space. If you leave the store with them, you'll just feel bad every time you wear them. Or you won't wear them, which is worse. Bye bye, Money.

Color

Are the colors bright and cheery, with bold reds and circus-tent greens and yellows? Awesome, unless you're running an earth-toned web site. This is just common sense. Are the colors appropriate to your message? Is there red stuff all over your CPA firm brochure? Here's a tip: red+financial=BAD. Green and blue good.

Font

Count up all the different fonts. Did you get past two? That could be a problem. Too many fonts confuses people, which confuses your message. If there are more than two it's not automatically wrong, but you should at least ask why. What's a good answer? A simple one.

Effects

Is the design dependent on tons of effects, like embossing or gradients? What if you took the design into the wonderful world of black and white – would it still come across? Effects are totally wicked, but if they don't serve a purpose then it's amateur hour. Somebody's hiding behind their tools.

Is this too much to get your head around?

You know what? That's totally okay and this is my point exactly. If you're not in the design bidness, do yourself a favor. Hire someone who is and trust them to give you the awesomeness you need. Go bake your cupcakes or set up that payroll, because we really need more of that stuff in the world.

Hack designers we have by the truckload.