One of the best compositional hacks I swear by is setting the default grid structure in Photoshop (and AfterEffects) to be a 3x3 grid in the Grids and Guides section in the preferences. I toggle it off and on as needed using the CMD+; key and it makes it really easy to keep my compositions feeling really dynamic. General rule: make sure any eye line is on the upper grid line if cropping any photos images with a character in it. Otherwise just good to be mindful of your thirds for any compositon.

Learn Basics: Understand design principles like balance and contrast. Stay Trendy: Keep up with design trends while respecting classics. Practice Consistently: Daily projects refine skills. Seek Inspiration Widely: Look to diverse sources for ideas. Value Feedback: Use criticism for improvement. Master Tools: Be proficient in design software. Typography & Color: Learn type and color theory. Attention to Detail: Ensure precision in all aspects. Stay Organized: Keep files neat for efficiency. Experiment Boldly: Embrace new styles and techniques. Keep Learning: Attend workshops and courses for growth.

Another good exercise here is to open up a painting that already exists that catches your eye and conveys whatever mood you are looking for. Try finding 7-10 distinct swatches and then figure out how the colors are working in harmony. After you have your swatches don't be afraid to bump up the saturation on a swatch or two. It's a good habit to sometimes look back in time as opposed to scouring Google images or doing a mathematical color palette. There's a science too it but there are as many rules as there are reason to break the rules.

One tip I always remember from LinkedIn Learning is try to not use more than 2-3 different font sizes within a single design. If you do, try to think if there is a good reason for it. Keeping things simple leads to a nice sense of harmony with the copy in your design.

If you are looking through stock images I always recommend going as broad as possible and to focus on faces. It's the first thing our brain looks at in an image and a face conveys quite a lot of emotion. This can do a lot of the heavy lifting for you.

It's a skill in itself to learn how to listen to feedback and not to take any of it personally. However it's better for someone to be brutally honest and maybe not listen to absolutely everything than it is for someone to hold back and not challenge you either. At a certain point if someone is giving you difficult feedback it's because they believe you can handle it and execute their ideas. That's a compliment in itself. If someone truly does not have a reaction at all, positive or negative that is honestly worse than the harshest critique. Ultimately you want to make something that evokes an emotion from the viewer.

This is definitely part of my process! Having people with no design background look is important, as they likely have a perspective closer to the intended audience. By separating your emotions from a design (I know it's hard) you are able to look with a more analytical eye and improve by talking to others. More perspectives always make design better, whether you incorporate the ideas or not, you have learned something.