Slide Design

Slide Design

The One Rule

Every slide needs ONE visual anchor: the single element your eye goes to first. Everything else supports it. If nothing dominates, the slide is dead.

Visual Hierarchy (The 3-Level System)

Every slide has exactly 3 levels:

1. Hero element (60% visual weight): The big number, the key chart, the product screenshot, the bold headline. Font size 48-96px or a dominant visual.
2. Supporting content (30%): Subhead, labels, secondary data. Font size 14-20px.
3. Ambient details (10%): Section labels, page numbers, author name. Font size 11-13px, muted color.

If you have 4+ levels of visual weight on one slide, simplify.

Layout Composition

Avoid These Layouts

• Centered everything: Creates a floating, unanchored feel. Anchor content to edges/grids.
• Even columns with identical structure: Two cards, same height, same padding, same content density = boring. Vary the proportions.
• Full-bleed cards on dark backgrounds: Card boundaries become invisible. Use subtle borders or offset backgrounds.

Use These Layouts

• 60/40 split: Hero left, supporting right (or vice versa). The asymmetry creates energy.
• Offset grid: Cards that don't perfectly align create visual interest
• Breathing room: 48-64px padding from slide edges. 20-36px gaps between elements.
• Bottom-anchored bars: Summary bars, CTAs, or key stats at the bottom ground the slide.

Filling Space Intentionally

When content doesn't fill the slide:

• DON'T stretch cards to fill (creates dead space inside cards)
• DON'T add filler content
• DO let cards be natural height and center the content area vertically
• DO use generous padding and let the background breathe
• DO add a visual element (ambient glow, subtle pattern, key stat) to occupy space purposefully

Typography

Font Pairing

• One display/headline font (serif or distinctive sans) + one body font (clean sans-serif)
• NEVER use only one font for everything (looks like a document, not a presentation)
• Display fonts with character: Instrument Serif, Playfair Display, Fraunces, Newsreader
• Body fonts: DM Sans, General Sans, Satoshi, Plus Jakarta Sans
• AVOID: Inter, Roboto, Arial, system fonts (generic AI slop)

Font Sizing (1920x1080)

Color on Dark Themes

The Dark Palette Stack

Background:     #0a0a0a (near-black, not pure black)
Card surface:   rgba(255,255,255,0.04) background + rgba(255,255,255,0.06) border
Primary text:   #e8e8e8 (not pure white, reduces glare)
Secondary text: #888888
Tertiary text:  #555555
Accent:         ONE brand color (green #10b981, blue #60a5fa, etc.)

Making Dark Slides Not Look Dead

• Add a subtle dot-grid or noise texture to the background
• Use ambient glows (radial-gradient with brand color at 6-10% opacity) behind key elements
• Invert ONE element per slide (white/light circle, card, or badge on the dark bg)
• Make sure at least one element on every slide uses the accent color

Data Visualization

• Big stat numbers (64-96px) with small labels below, not inline
• Bar charts > pie charts > tables. Always.
• Max 4 data points per visualization. More = noise.
• Use color to highlight the ONE data point that matters
• Include the "so what": a one-line insight below the chart

Quality Checklist

Before finalizing any slide:

• Can I identify the ONE hero element instantly?
• Is there dead space inside any card or container?
• Does the slide have visual variety (not all the same card/list pattern)?
• Is the accent color used at least once?
• Would this look designed if I showed it without context?
• Is font size hierarchy clear (3 levels, not 5)?