What you need to know
Most UK journalists are now expected to produce at least basic graphics — social cards, quote graphics, simple charts, explainer panels — without a designer's help. The good news is that you do not need professional design training to do this well. Three tools cover almost everything a working journalist needs: Canva for quick everyday graphics, Figma for collaborative design and longer-form layouts, and Adobe Express for those already inside the Adobe ecosystem.
The difficult part is not the tool. It is applying journalistic standards to graphics: accurate, accessible, faithful to data, and consistent with your outlet's house style. A misleading bar chart or an inaccessible colour palette is a reputational and ethical risk under IPSO Editors' Code Clause 1 (Accuracy) and the equivalent IMPRESS and Ofcom standards.
Accessibility is non-negotiable. The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018 require WCAG 2.1 AA compliance for public-sector publishers and most major UK newsrooms voluntarily match that standard. That means readable contrast, descriptive alt text, and never relying on colour alone to convey information.
When graphics decisions matter
- 1Producing a quote card or social media graphic to amplify a story — the framing of the quote matters.
- 2Building a chart to accompany a data story — readers will judge the story's accuracy by the chart.
- 3Designing an explainer panel summarising a complex piece — the visual hierarchy guides comprehension.
- 4Creating a series logo or branding for a recurring investigation — consistency builds reader recognition.
- 5Producing newsletter header graphics — these set the tone for every email a subscriber receives.
- 6Adapting a press release graphic — never republish a PR graphic as-is; verify and redraw.
- 7Translating a print layout to digital — print proportions rarely work on mobile.
- 8Building a comparison table or explainer graphic that may be screenshotted and shared without context.
Red flags in news graphics
- A bar chart with a truncated y-axis that exaggerates differences — declare the truncation or fix it.
- Colour contrast under 4.5:1 for normal text or 3:1 for graphical objects against background — fails WCAG 2.1 AA.
- A chart that uses red/green to distinguish categories without a secondary visual cue — inaccessible to readers with colour-vision deficiency.
- A photograph used as a background with text overlaid that becomes unreadable on certain crops.
- A graphic that contains a statistic or claim not present in the underlying story — graphics must not invent facts.
- A chart sourced from a PR agency that has not been independently verified before being adapted.
- Use of a competitor publication's graphic style or template — treat house style as a copyrighted asset.
- Missing or generic alt text — alt=“image” or no alt attribute at all.
Graphics production checklist
- I have the source data or quote in writing and have verified it independently.
- The graphic uses my publication's house typography and colour palette where one exists.
- Colour contrast meets WCAG 2.1 AA (4.5:1 for text, 3:1 for graphical objects).
- Any chart shows axis labels, units, and a data source citation in the graphic itself.
- Y-axis starts at zero for bar charts (or I have a documented reason and disclosure).
- Alt text describes both what the graphic shows and the headline finding.
- The graphic reads correctly at the smallest size it will appear (mobile, social thumbnail).
- If using stock imagery, I have a licence covering the intended use (editorial vs commercial).
- Credits and source citations are visible in the graphic, not just the article body.
- I have saved the editable source file (not just the export) so corrections are possible.
Templates and related guides
For house-style starters and accessibility checks, see our templates and the Editor Standards Pack. For data-driven graphics, see the Data Journalism hub.
Common mistakes
- Using template fonts that clash with your publication's typography — build a brand kit once and reuse it.
- Layering too many colours in a chart palette — three to five categorical colours is usually enough.
- Forgetting that social platforms crop graphics differently — check the safe areas for each surface (Instagram square, Twitter/X 16:9, LinkedIn 1.91:1).
- Using small body type below 14 pixels at display size — fails readability for older readers and many assistive contexts.
- Not exporting a high-resolution version for print or large-screen use — design at the largest size you will need.
- Treating chart and photograph captions as throwaway — under IPSO Clause 1, an inaccurate caption is as serious as inaccurate body copy.
- Skipping a final accessibility check — tools like Stark (Figma), Canva's accessibility checker, or browser dev tools will flag contrast issues.
Related guides
Primary sources
- Canva — free design tool with news templates— Canva
- Figma — collaborative design platform— Figma
- Adobe Express — quick graphics in the Adobe ecosystem— Adobe
- WCAG 2.1 Quick Reference— W3C
- UK Accessibility Regulations 2018 guidance— GOV.UK
- Office for Statistics Regulation — data presentation guidance— OSR
- IPSO Editors' Code of Practice— IPSO
Frequently asked questions
Which design tool should I learn first as a UK journalist?
Canva is the fastest route for everyday news graphics — quote cards, social posts, simple charts. Adobe Express is similar but with deeper Adobe-ecosystem integration. Figma is the standard for collaborative design and is worth learning if you work with a design or product team. None of them require expensive subscriptions to get useful work done: Canva and Figma both have free tiers that cover most journalism needs, and the BBC, Reuters, and Press Association all publish public design tokens you can adapt.
What accessibility standards apply to news graphics in the UK?
UK public-sector journalism (BBC, local authority publications) is bound by the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018, which require WCAG 2.1 AA compliance. Private-sector publishers are not legally bound but most major UK newsrooms publish to the same standard. The practical implications for graphics are: 4.5:1 colour contrast for normal text, 3:1 for large text and graphical objects, descriptive alt text on every chart, and never communicate information via colour alone.
How do I make a chart that won't mislead readers?
Start the y-axis at zero for bar charts unless there is a clear reason not to (and disclose it if you don't). Use a consistent scale across comparison charts. Label axes clearly with units. Avoid 3D effects, gradients that obscure values, and double y-axes unless you absolutely need them. Cite your data source in the chart itself, not just the body copy. The Office for Statistics Regulation publishes guidance on responsible data visualisation that applies to journalism too.
Do I need to write alt text for a news graphic?
Yes. Alt text is required for accessibility (WCAG 2.1) and improves SEO. For a chart, describe what the chart shows and the headline finding — not just “chart of UK inflation”, but “Line chart showing UK CPI inflation falling from 11.1 per cent in October 2022 to 2.3 per cent in April 2024.” For a photo or illustration that conveys information beyond decoration, describe what is visible. If a graphic is purely decorative, use an empty alt attribute (alt="") so screen readers skip it.
How do I match my publication's house style in graphics?
Ask your editor for the house style guide and look for the typography (heading and body fonts, sizes, weights), colour palette (primary, secondary, accent), chart conventions (axis styles, palette order, label position), and logo treatment. Reproduce these in your design tool by saving them as templates or brand kits. Canva, Figma and Adobe Express all support brand kits with locked colours, fonts and logo assets. If your publication does not have a documented style guide, this is itself a useful internal project to propose.