Learning How to Create Trauma-Informed Graphic Design

by Melanie Slade, UVA IPP Intern, Fall 2022

The Virginia Sexual & Domestic Violence Action Alliance has provided a small program that allows for organizations, like us here at SARA, to learn how we can create graphic content that considers all those who may be impacted by trauma.

Some of the more technical skills I acquired from these courses were how design elements like typography and color theory can be used to create graphics that are as accessible as possible.

Under the umbrella of typography I learned the following:

• Avoid using Serif fonts, fonts with what seem to be “decorative” accents,

• Times New Roman

• EB Garamond

• Georgia

• Staying away from accent fonts in body paragraphs, use more sparingly in headers

• Using letter spacing that promotes legibility in the overall graphic image

• Avoid using exclusively capital letters, as it can make a message seem more forceful

Under the umbrella of color theory I learned:

• Ensure that there is good contrast between background colors, images, and headers