Graphic Design 101: Five Foundations for Better Church Graphics | S1 E2

The Digital Shepherd · 12 октября 2026 г. · 1 ч 2 мин

You know something feels “off” about the graphic you just made… but you can’t quite explain why. That’s where Graphic Design 101 begins. In Episode Two of The Digital Shepherd , Josh Givens and Jon Carlson break down five foundational design principles that can immediately help pastors, church staff, administrative assistants, and volunteers make better visual communication decisions: Hierarchy. Contrast. Alignment. Spacing. Consistency. You don’t need a graphic design degree to understand them; and you definitely don’t need to become a professional designer overnight. Josh and Jon unpack how visual hierarchy tells people where to look first, why contrast goes far beyond simply choosing different colors, how alignment creates order, why empty space isn’t wasted space, and why consistency can build familiarity and trust with the people your church is trying to reach. They also get practical about Canva, brand consistency, font overload, the difference between art and design, and why having access to powerful tools doesn’t automatically mean we know how to use them well. At the heart of the conversation is a simple communication principle: Clarity is kindness. Confusion creates friction. Your church graphics shouldn’t make people work unnecessarily hard to understand what you’re trying to tell them. And you don’t have to fix everything today. Start small. Learn what to notice. Make better decisions. Then make the next thing a little better than the last. If you’ve ever stared at a sermon graphic, announcement slide, or Canva project and thought, “I know something is wrong here, but I don’t know what,” this episode is for you. The Digital Shepherd is a podcast from 6:14 Ministries helping small and midsize churches communicate with greater clarity, creativity, and confidence.