There are a lot of design tools. Figma is one of many. This article will discuss the elements that make Figma one of the best programs for any designer.
Figma is one of the most revolutionary graphics editing apps that is taking over the design world by storm. What makes it so attractive is the fact that it is free to use and the offer of it is incredible. If you are still not familiar with this wondering web-based app or looking for tips on how to make the most of the software, you are on your way to improvement and potential success.
What Is Figma
Figma is a stunning new app in the design and prototyping world, which has come a long way since its launch in 2016. This cloud-based, easy-to-use app permits you to design apps, websites, and other UI components that perhaps need to be integrated into other projects.
The platform is a web-based graphics editing and user interface design app. You can use it to do all kinds of graphic design work from wireframing websites, designing mobile app interfaces, prototyping designs, crafting social media posts, and everything in between. It is different from other graphics editing tools given that it works directly on your browser, which means you get to access your projects and start designing from any computer or platform without having to buy multiple licenses or install the software to your systems.
Another reason designers love this app is that Figma offers a generous free plan where you can create and store 3 active projects simultaneously. It is more than enough for you to learn, experiment, and work on small projects.
Figma has a very beginner-friendly editor where you can create designs from scratch or use pre-made templates. There are plenty of resources for learning how to use the platform.
7 Figma Tips to Improve Your Work
The following tips are mentioned in order for you to make the most out of Figma and use it to your advantage.
1. Use font scale to select base font sizes for consistency across the project
It is not a lousy idea to use a predefined font scale that has set parameters for headings, subheadings, contents, etc. This action eliminates the randomized selection process in your typography process. Sticking to this scale in your design process would help you remain consistent without even trying. The ‘font scale’ plugin on Figma is a sound tool for this.
2. Use the color wheel to generate complementary and contrasting colors when necessary or choose a palette generator to handle it
Colors are the most noticeable feature of product designs at a glance. They speak a special language. In the fast-paced world we live in, patience runs very thin. Your choice of colors determines whether you can hold the attention of potential users long enough for them to hear what you have to say.
A tool that tends to be overlooked is the color wheel. Understanding the basics of the color wheel greatly improves the aesthetic element of your design, not to mention scrap out the time spent deciding which elements go together. There are multiple automated color palettes right now, these tools can generate palettes with different hues and all you have to do is input one primary color. Plugins like this would improve your overall workflow.
3. Auto-layout is your friend
Designers who incorporate auto layout in their process eliminate a large number of repetitive activities. Buttons rearrange themselves automatically to match text sizes, elements and frames can be keyed to format within a specific constraint every time. By these days, it is undeniable that manually adjusting elements and layer’s each time you make a change leaves your work faced to human error unless you are actually thorough in your inspection process, every time. With auto-layout the system ensures that each object is evenly placed in line with the constraints you set, leaving you with a product that screams professionalism.
4. Tools are there for a reason
Beginner designers tend to go out of their way to make their work stressful. Tools are there for a reason, use them. From tools that generate trending color palettes to mockups, royalty-free images to text generation.
Then, there is Content Reel. With it, you can design layouts more efficiently by pulling text strings, images, and icons from one palette. Content Reel lets you create custom content and share it with other Figma users. Collaboration has never been more effortless.
5. Design for mobile-first
Big things have small beginnings, and UI design is no exception. Smaller screen sizes contain less content than bigger screens so instead of designing from big to small and deciding which item on your screen to hide, you can design smaller screens with the essentials first and then add the extra elements as the screen size increases.
Another benefit of designing mobile-first is that it has reduced functionalities most of the time, which gives you the breathing space you need to really focus on the branding aspect. Once you are done, you are able to expand the display size and work your way up knowing you have a better understanding of what you’re doing.
6. Resizing Tips
Hitting K while selecting a frame or element would switch to the scale tool. Its use? It allows you to resize the content chosen while it remains proportionate. Holding the alt/option button while resizing would increase it from the center.
7. Edit spacing in bulk
Aligning various objects and adjusting the spacing just right can seem pretty tedious and time-consuming. Nonetheless, fortunately, Figma's "Smart selection" and "tidy" features enable you to do just that in bulk. With Figma, similar objects can be auto-arranged into a neat list or grid, bulk spaced, and reordered.
Conclusion
This information and the tips provided are key in the process of improving your design work. Figma is one of the most efficient tools to do this kind of thing, and these tips will help you set up the platform in a way that is difficult for you not to succeed.
