Function & Alignment
Function is defined as the primary message or objective communicated in a piece of work and the reason for communicating this message. Most graphic designers are hired to create an artistic composition by a client that wants to promote a product, a brand, or a public message. Fully understanding the intended function of a project will help guide the design process.
Alignment refers to how different visual elements are arranged in such a way that they line up in the composition. These can be diagonal, horizontal, or vertical lines, including text along the top, bottom, left, or right edge of a page as well as across a center line.
Balance & Hierarchy
Balance refers to the placement of the elements in such a way that their visual weight is equal across the composition. Visual weight is the amount of attention an object will command from the viewer, such as darker objects attracting more attention than lighter objects.
There are three kinds of balance commonly used in design:
- In symmetrical balance, objects of equal or similar visual weight are placed with equal distance from an invisible center line
- Asymmetrical balance exists across the center line; however, smaller or lighter objects appear on one side to balance a much heavier object on the other side
- In radial balance, objects are placed in relation to a central point instead of a line
Hierarchy in graphic design uses the visual weight of objects in a composition to establish an order of importance. It guides the viewer's eye through the information in the specific order the designer intends.
Contrast, Proximity, & White Space
We create contrast when two or more elements in a design are different. The degree of difference will determine the noticeability of the contrast. One of the most common examples of contrast involves color. Certain colors almost blend into each other when placed in close proximity. Others distinguish themselves from each other and can therefore be even noticeable in a composition. These contrasting colors are located directly across from each other on a color wheel.
Proximity simply refers to how close together or far apart two objects are placed in a composition. The reason proximity matters, and it matters quite a bit, is that distance helps determine the relationship between the objects.
White space refers to the empty space in a composition. If a piece feels cluttered, adding a bit of white space can help relax the feel of it. Then again, if you have too much white space you may lose the viewer. This is particularly true in a website whose white space requires a lot of scrolling to get to the next item of interest.
Repetition & Simplicity
The principle of repetition involves reusing the same or similar elements throughout a composition as a way to accent certain features or tie the different areas of a work into a unified whole. The regularity and spacing between repeating elements is what gives each work a unique rhythm.
In graphic design, the principle of simplicity is the disciplined practice of minimizing or editing excessive information from a design and keeping it focused on its primary message. This allows a piece to create a clear and lasting impression. Simplicity is often described as one of the most difficult principles to master; however, when executed well, it produces the most striking pieces of graphic design work.
Lesson Summary
The principles of design imbue a composition with a particular quality. Here are some of them:
- Function is the objective of the graphic design composition (often at the request of the client)
- Alignment refers to how objects are arranged in order to line up in a particular way
- Balance uses visual weight, or how much attention an object commands, to place objects in such a way that each side of a composition is equal
- Contrast is the visible difference between objects based on one or more elements of design
- Hierarchy uses visual weight to lead the viewer's eye through a composition in a particular succession based on the importance of information at each step
- Proximity refers to how close or far apart a design places certain objects to create or negate a relationship between them
- White space is the empty space that can declutter a composition
- Repetition is the repeated use of certain elements in a composition as a way to tie them together; when they're repeated at regular intervals, we get the rhythm of the piece
- Simplicity refers to focusing and editing excessive visual information in order to clearly and strikingly express the message of a design
