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Graphic Design Principles

The term graphic design can refer to a number of artistic and professional disciplines which focus on visual communication and presentation. Various methods are used to create and combine symbols, images and/or words to create a visual representation of ideas and messages. A graphic designer may use typography, visual arts and page layout techniques to produce the final result. Graphic design often refers to both the process (designing) by which the communication is created and the products (designs) which are generated.

Common uses of graphic design include magazines, advertisements and product packaging. For example, a product package might include a logo or other artwork, organized text and pure design elements such as shapes and color which unify the piece. (taken from Wikipedia) There are underlying principles that help young graphic designers shape their product.

1. Contrast

The principle of contrast states that if two items are not exactly the same, then make them different. In order for contrast to be effective, it must be strong.
Strong contrast adds visual interest to a page and makes it more attractive to the reader's eye.
Contrast helps to organize your information. Use contrast in your titles, heads, and subheads and page segments to make it easier for the reader to glance at the page and understand what is going on.
The easiest way to add interesting contrast is with typeface. But you can also add contrast with rules, colors, spacing between elements, textures, shapes, etc.
Use contrast to help create a focal point for a page. In addition to contrast, also use strong alignment and the use of proximity to reinforce your focal point.
Don't be afraid to make some items small to create a contrast with the larger items and to allow blank space. Once you pull the reader in with your focal point, they will read the smaller print if they are interested.
Avoid using typefaces, colors, rules, images, graphics that are too similar. Make them different to add contrast and visual interest to your page.

2. Repetition

The principle of repetition states that you repeat some aspect of the design throughout the entire piece.
Repetitive elements may be a bold font, a thick rule (line), a certain bullet, color, design elements, particular format, shapes, spatial relationships, etc.
Repetition works to unify all parts of a design. Repeating elements across pages creates consistency and visual unity. Because of repetition, you know you are still on the same website.
Repeating certain elements in a page is a visual trick designers use to control a reader's eye and how the reader's attention moves down or across the page.
Strong, repetitive elements help to organize the page into visual units.
Repetition helps to organize, unify, and add visual interest to a page. If a piece looks interesting, it is more likely to be read.

3. Alignment

Nothing should be placed on the page arbitrarily. Every item should have a visual connection with something else on the page.
Be conscious of where you place the elements on a page. Always find something else on the page to align with, even if the two objects are physically far away from each other.
Align elements along "hard vertical edges." If instead of centering your text, you align the text on the left or the right, the invisible line that connects the text is much stronger because it has a hard vertical edge to follow.
A centered alignment creates a more formal look, a more sedate look, a more ordinary and oftentimes dull look.
Combine a strong flush left or right with good use of of proximity and you will be amazed at how strong your work looks.
Don't combine a flush left and flush right alignment on the same page. Try to do one or the other.
Don't center or justify lines of text. Centering and justifying lines of text creates ragged vertical edges, which makes it harder to read the text.
Never center headlines over flush left body copy or text that has an indent.
Find a strong alignment and stick to it. If the text is flush left, set the heads, subheads, and paragraphs flush left.
If there are photographs or graphic images, align them with a text edge and/or baseline.
Align image caption stories with the strong line of the photograph, which makes each stronger because of the stronger vertical edges this creates.
Lack of alignments is probably the biggest cause of unpleasant-looking documents. Our eyes like to see order; it creates a calm, secure feeling.
Alignment helps create unity on the page. Alignment helps connect and unify all the elements on a page, which creates an ordered, clean look.
Breaking the principle of alignment can be a nice design trick by breaking the reader's expectations.

4. Proximity

Group related items together so that related items are seen as one cohesive group rather than a bunch of unrelated elements.
Items or elements that are not related to each other should not be in close proximity to each other.
How do you know if a group of elements are related to each other?
By grouping non-related elements you either confuse or intrigue the reader.
By grouping several elements in close proximity to each other they become one visual unit.
If there are more than three to five items on the page, see which of the separate elements can be grouped together into close proximity to become one visual unit.
Try to avoid too many separate elements on a page. And don't stick elements in the corners and in the middle. Try to group elements together.
You can tell whether a page has too many separate elements by being conscious of where your eye is going as it reads down the page. Does your eye have to jump around the page to read it.
Once you have grouped elements into visual units make sure that you have sufficient white space between these groups. White space helps separate and announce each of these visual units.
Violating the principle of proximity can be a design tool.

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