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Published On: January 29, 2020Categories: DesignTags: , 11 Comments

Some people might groan and grumble like Grumpy the dwarf upon being forcibly dragged to a Trivia Night, but I’m the kind of person who would be doing the forceful dragging in that situation. I’m that weirdo who, upon finishing a movie, immediately opens up IMDB and proceeds to recite the film’s accompanying trivia to anyone who will listen.

Me: “Hey, did you know that Olaf’s lines about the non-existent character ‘Samantha’ in Frozen II were improvised by Josh Gad?”

McDonald’s Drive-Thru Worker: “Um, ma’am, I’m just here to take your order.”

Why am I like this, you might ask? It’s because I LIVE for those behind-the-scenes details; I thrive on all the juicy stuff that we don’t normally get to see on screen or in the final product.

If you’re anything like me, then today you’re in for a treat and no, it’s not a waffle (GASP!!! MUCH SHOCK!!! MANY SURPRISE!!!). Instead, I’m offering you a backstage look at how I make blog headers for my design shop, Waffley Cute Designs. I’ll take you step-by-step and by the end, you’ll have (hopefully) learned a thing or two about how to create a great header for your own blog.

How to Create a Blog Header

Step 1: Search For Inspiration

It’s often said that Isaac Newton didn’t discover the law of gravity until he was first bonked on the head by a falling apple. So, before I even think of opening up Photoshop, I try to follow Mr. Newton’s example and concuss myself on rogue fruit. Or in other words, the first step to creating a blog header is searching for inspiration. You need to experience your own “Ah-ha moment” before you can truly start designing, because if you don’t have at least a vague vision of what you want the final product to look like, it’s hard to get started.

Just like Isaac Newton, you need to get hit by a violent apple with unexplainable appendages inspiration.

🎨 PRO TIP: The best place to get inspiration is, without a doubt, Pinterest. Pinterest is my falling apple.

For the sake of this tutorial, I’m going to be making a blog header for a fake book blog of my own creation called, “Ain’t No Paperback Girl.” (And yes, that’s a play on Gwen Stefani’s song, “Ain’t No Hollarback Girl.” I’m really showing my age here, aren’t I?)

I want this logo to have a retro vibe to it, so I searched Pinterest for “90’s logos.” (How sad is it that the 90s are now considered “retro?” Again, I’m really showing my age here, aren’t I?) Based on my search results, I decided that I want the final header to include bright colors, crazy patterns, and lots of geometric shapes.

pinterest screen for aint no paperback girl tutorial
A screenshot of some logo inspiration on Pinterest.

Step 2: Create a Moodboard

Contrary to its name, a moodboard is not a bulletin board where you post Shakespearean sonnets composed of your mushy, gushy feelings (although that could work too). Rather, it’s a collection of images and text designed to capture a certain style, concept, or aesthetic. To take the apple analogy a step too far, it’s basically the wicker basket where I gather all my delicious, red inspirations from Step 1.

🎨 PRO TIP: Not only are moodboards a great organizational tool for designers, but they can also help you more fully visualize the desired brand identity of your blog.

aint no paperback girl moodboard
My moodboard for the Ain’t No Paperback Girl blog header

Step 3: Sketch Out Ideas

I always lose at Pictionary. Every. Dang. Time. The reason? My drawing ability barely rivals that of my three-year-old (and he does not have uncanny artistic abilities for a toddler…so yeah). But be that as it may, I still find sketching out my initial ideas for a blog header to be an extremely helpful exercise. It’s not so much about the quality of the drawing, as it is about solidifying the concept. The physical act of visualizing the design is an important step in my creation process.

Visualization is key in designing a memorable and unified brand. If you can’t properly visualize what you want your blog header (and ultimately your blog) to look like, then your brand identity will be scattered, weak, and disorganized.

🎨 PRO TIP: Take a moment (or as many moments as you need) to VISUALIZE and PLAN out your header. This will help you to create brand cohesion.

aint no paperback girl blog header sketch for tutorial
My terrible sketch for the Ain’t No Paperback Girl blog header.

Honestly, this is such an embarrassing display of my lackluster drawing skills, I almost didn’t include it in this post.

Step 4: Design Some Proofs

This is the step where I pull out my sparkly wand, sing “Bibbity-Bobbity-Boo,” in a horribly off-key voice, and make the real magic happen. Or in other words, it’s where I actually open up Photoshop and get to work on bringing to life the dream that’s only existed in my client’s imagination until now. I guess graphic designers are kind of like Fairy Godmothers in that way.

Because I’m an indecisive person (or am I? I just don’t know anymore!), I’ll usually create two or three different variations of the same blog header for my clients to choose from. These are what I call, “proofs.” They are basically preliminary drafts of a design. They act as mock-ups for what the final product might look like.

🎨 PRO TIP: Creating more than one version of your blog header will allow you to experiment with different designs. Ultimately, it’ll help you discover which artistic direction is the best fit for your brand. I know it’s tempting just to be satisfied with your first attempt at a blog header, but who knows? Maybe your third proof will be the one that makes your heart sing like Cinderella in the morning. “Try, try again” is the best advice when it comes to this step in the design process.

aint no paperback girl blog header proof 2
Proof #1
aint no paperback girl blog header proof 1
Proof #2

Step 5: Decide on “The Chosen One”

After I’ve created a couple different versions of a blog header, it’s time to decide which one will be my Harry Potter. Or in other words, which design will be “The Chosen One.” Often, there’s one proof that’s the obvious winner, but other times, it can be a toss up between a couple of really good ones. Obviously, when I’m doing commissions, I don’t have the final say (which is how it should be).

🎨 PRO TIP: If you’re struggling to make the final selection, then give all your proofs a test run on your blog. Sometimes seeing the design in action – how it meshes with the rest of your blog – can be a game changer.

aint no paperback girl final blog header
The final version of the Ain’t No Paperback Girl blog header

Video Timelapse of My Design Process

To Sum it Up

Not everybody is lucky enough to score a backstage pass to a concert or movie premiere, but don’t let that bother you because today, we all got the opportunity to go behind-the-scenes and catch an exclusive look at how to create blog headers. Although you don’t have to do it the same way I do, my design process goes like this: first, I search for inspiration. Second, I create a moodboard. Third, I sketch out my ideas. Fourth, I design some proofs, and lastly, I select the final design.

If you would like to follow these steps and create your own rockin’ blog header, then please feel free to download my exclusive moodboard template!

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What did you think of this tutorial? Was it informative or helpful?

Did you create your own blog header? How did you do it? What was your design process like?

11 Comments

  1. Tammy January 29, 2020 at 10:54 pm - Reply

    Amazing, Kat, that video was very inspirational😁

  2. A Dreamer's Library January 29, 2020 at 10:55 pm - Reply

    I love knowing all the behind-the-scenes trivia about the films I watch. When I buy a DVD, the first thing I do is see what extra features it has, and I get a little upset now when I see that those features are often limited to the Blu-ray releases and not the bog standard DVDs. Tangent aside, this is a really good breakdown of designing and creating a blog header. I’ll be keeping all this in mind whenever I decide to change mine up a bit. Thanks.

  3. trufflereads January 30, 2020 at 8:35 am - Reply

    Amazing blogiful post my beautiful co-host <3 funny how most designers have the same design process – that and in school, we're also taught to do this! Amazing design <3

  4. stralthy January 30, 2020 at 5:14 pm - Reply

    Omg you are so creative! Also loved your video and saved your post for feature reference♥️
    Anna // http://www.stralthy.com

  5. […] our huge giveaway is still ongoing, so go enter now on Kat’s last blogiful […]

  6. Mere January 31, 2020 at 12:57 am - Reply

    I’m just so glad to see I’m not the only one who does multiple versions! And sometimes I use it for a bit, and then find it still needs some tweaks!

  7. Caro @ bookcheshirecat January 31, 2020 at 3:11 am - Reply

    Thank you for this great tutorial 🥰 I loved seeing how you’d make a blog header! I never considered doing a moodboard beforehand but it’s such a great idea to figure out what you want your aesthetic to be like 😊

  8. Sophie @ Me and Ink January 31, 2020 at 9:51 pm - Reply

    I love seeing behind the scenes details and I love looking at trivia on IMDb haha!! *Samantha*
    I love getting to experience how you create graphics!! Going on pinterest for inspiration is genuis, I love pinterest but I never thought of it for blog design!! I definitely think sketches help you have an idea what you want so you know where to start, I actually sometimes do it for bookstagram haha!! Wonderful post!! <3

  9. […] AN ANIMATED BLOG HEADER│3 THINGS YOU NEED IN YOUR BLOG SIDEBAR (AND 3 THINGS YOU DON’T)│A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT HOW I CREATE BLOG HEADERS│HOW TO CHOOSE THE PERFECT COLOR PALETTE FOR YOUR BLOG│4 SIMPLE WAYS TO SPICE UP YOUR BLOG FOR […]

  10. Chana @ Paper Procrastinators February 3, 2020 at 12:36 am - Reply

    This tutorial is so helpful!! I designed our blog header, but it was less of a thought out design and more of a, oh shoot we need a header, anything will work at this point, kind of panic project. Also, your drawing abilities are good!! I love the final design of the header, and am in constant awe of your amazing design abilities.

    Pinterest is also my favorite thing ever! Whenever I want to draw something, but I’m not quite sure what, I go straight to Pinterest. And then I usually end up staying on it for an unhealthy amount of time 😅

  11. E. Pasternak February 17, 2020 at 3:12 am - Reply

    This is super helpful, Kat! Thanks! :)

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