In this episode of Tuesday Tips, we were joined by design expert Niki Blaker to discuss visual communication strategies for school leaders creating materials without formal design training.

Here are this session’s top 3 tips:

1. Choose colors strategically for brand and accessibility. Navy and burgundy convey trust and tradition for established institutions, while bright blues and greens signal innovation for STEM or progressive schools. Build a palette of 5-6 colors (two primary, two accent, plus dark and light neutrals) and maintain a 4.5:1 contrast ratio for readability. Use tools like coolors.co to generate palettes and check accessibility.
2. Apply the CRAP principle for effective layouts (it’s a terrible name, but it’s memorable!) Contrast makes important information pop, Repetition keeps materials cohesive, Alignment ensures intentional placement, and Proximity groups related information together. Use the “5-second test”—if someone can’t understand your main message in 5 seconds, simplify. Remember: when everything competes for attention, nothing gets it.
3. Master typography with two main fonts and clear hierarchy. Choose one font for headings, one for body text, ensuring they’re sufficiently different in weight and visual density. Create hierarchy with size and weight, not just color. Use tools like fontjoy.com or fontpair.co for pairing suggestions. Avoid fonts that undermine credibility like Comic Sans.

Watch the Whole Conversation Here

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