1. Do you use Helvetica in everything?
This is the most popular font of all time - but this is its downfall. Just because you have it, it doesn’t mean you have to use it. Try using something els and breaking out of the habit. Just for some suggestions, maybe Trade Gothic, Formata, Antique Olive, Eurostile?
2. Do you hit the ‘return’ or the ‘enter’ key twice between paragraphs or after headlines?
Using two spaces makes it possible to end up with a blank line at the top of a column plus it leaves way to much space between each paragraph - it looks disconnected.
3. Do you use borders around everything?
This often indicates a beginner who feels unsafe with type that is uncontained. Use your white space. You can let it be there. Seriously.
4. Do you bevel and emboss all big text?
We recently saw a website where a designer had embossed 7 out of 10 logos he'd designed, it looks amateur. Don't do it!
4. Do you use bullets for hyphens?
This is a typewriter habit and is unprofessional. Try using dots or dingbats.
5. Do you underline?
Never use the underline feature, it is a law. Only for hyperlinks on the web is this allowed. Underlining was a way for typewriters back in the day to italicise text because they couldn’t set italics. Underlining and italicising text at the same time is the most ridiculous thing you can do in life.
6. If you are doing the any of the below we wouldn’t even call you a ‘graphic designer’ and would recommend doing some more research into the subject area.
Using the comic sans font
Using too many different fonts in one design
Using low resolution web images for print
Typing Every Word In A Sentence With A Capital Like This
