Give Your Design Some “Pop” with a Cutout Image

When clients ask me to give a design more “Pop,” they’re typically not looking for a loud noise or carbonated beverage*. What they really mean is “Can you make it more interesting?” or “It doesn’t grab my attention.” One of the many ways a designer can remedy this is with a cutout image.

A cutout image can take a dull or average design and give it that extra something special. It can increase your visual impact by giving viewers one clear point of entry for their eyes, simplifying the amount of information they must take in at once.

Overlapping elements on a page can also add depth and dimension.

Here's an example.

You can see in these side by side images how removing the background of the subject reduces the visual noise, simplifies the design, and makes it feel more unified. Overlapping the child on top of the letters gives it some depth, and adds more pop!

Here’s another example of how you might use this on the web, to break of out of the box.

So next time you need some more pop (and you’re not thirsty), a cutout image might be just the thing.

*For readers outside the Midwest United States, the word “Pop” loosely refers to soft drinks and can be used synonymously with “coke” and “soda.” Here’s a post about this fact if you’re interested or in need of a laugh.