6 Steps to Designing Great Tickets

Most of us are not graphic designers by trade. I, for example, have a degree in physics, something that is almost in direct opposition to being artistic. Fortunately for those of us who are artistically impaired, it does not take a great deal of artistic talent to design an attractive ticket, so long as some simple guidelines are followed.

• Information: Determine first what you would like to display on the ticket. It is often helpful to write down all of the pieces of information before you begin to design the ticket. Many of the following steps will depend on the information that you want on your tickets. The size and layout of the ticket, for example, are determined by the amount of information that will be used.
• Logo or Image: If you want to use a logo or a specific image, this should be chosen early in the design process. This will affect where you place your text and how much space you will need on the ticket.
• Ticket Size: The next step is picking the size of your ticket. The most common size that we see at TicketPrinting.com is 5.5 inches by 2.125 inches. The size that you pick will depend on the amount of information that you wish to display and the overall look and feel that you want to achieve with the ticket.
• Text Layout: As you begin to organize your information you will need to decide if you want a landscape or profile ticket orientation. If you have many short pieces of information then portrait might be the way to go, if you only need 5-10 lines of data with more information per line, then landscape may be your choice. A logo, or other image, could also determine which orientation you would like to use.
• Text: As you begin to place the text on your ticket, remember that you want the most important information to be the most visible. In most cases this will be the event name or main focus of the ticket. This information should be placed in a larger font and be easy to find on the ticket. It is also important that you use a font color and style that will create contrast between the text and the background of the ticket. If the text is lost in the background or difficult to read then it will just clutter the ticket design.
• Space: Be sure and leave some space on your ticket. Space without text will add balance to the ticket and make it more attractive. It is also important to remember to leave space for information that could be required. If you are designing a raffle ticket, for example, it is important to leave enough room on the stub for people to write their contact information. Generally people require at least .25 inches to write in.

These steps, and your own creativity, should help you to design tickets for almost any event. Remember that these tickets are a reflection of the personality of the event. They should convey the whole message that you want your patrons to receive. Once you sit down and try your hand at ticket design you will see how easy it can be to create an attractive ticket for your event.