Principles of Graphic Design

BALANCE
ALIGNMENT
PROXIMITY
CONTRAST
REPETITION
WHITE
SPACE
The principles of design are balance, proximity, alignment, repetition,

contrast and white space. The principles govern the relationships between
the elements used in the design and organize the composition as a whole.
Successful design incorporates the use of the principles to communicate the
intended message effectively. They help designers organize the images and
type on the page, so that it feels more comfortable to viewers and makes
a greater impact.
BALANCE
ALIGNMENT
PROXIMITY
CONTRAST
REPETITION
WHITE
SPACE
Balance is an equal distribution of weight. In terms of graphics,
BALANCE
this applies to visual weight. Each element on a layout has visual

weight that is determined by its size, darkness or lightness, and
thickness of lines. Balance is vital to the success of a design.
There are two main types of balance:
SYMMETRICAL BALANCE
ASYMMETRICAL BALANCE
SYMMETRICAL BALANCE
BALANCE
Symmetrical balance is an arrangement of elements so

that they are evenly distributed to the left and to the right,
or top and bottom of center.
ASYMMETRICAL BALANCE
BALANCE
Asymmetrical balance is an arrangement of unlike objects

of equal weight on each side of the page. Color, value, size,
shape, and texture can be used as balancing elements.
TIPS ON CREATING BALANCE
BALANCE
Color: Colors have weight (Red = Heavy, Baby Blue = Light)
Size: Larger = Heavier
BALANCE
balance
Lines: Thin vs. thick
The Principle of Proximity states that you group related items

together, move them physically close to each other so the
PROXIMITY
related items are seen as one cohesive group rather than a

bunch of unrelated bits. The basic purpose of proximity is to
organize. By simply grouping related elements together into
closer proximity automatically creates organization. If the
information is organized, it is more likely to be read and
more likely to be remembered.
This business card has 5 seperate
Your eye does not know where to
By grouping related information
elements which compete for
look first. The information is not
together, the design becomes
the viewers attention.
organized and is lacking proximity.
more clear and organized.
When you create a flyer, a brochure, a newsletter, or whatever,

you already know which pieces of information are logically
PROXIMITY
connected, you know which information should be emphasized

and what can be de-emphasized. Express that information
graphically by grouping it.
As in life, the proximity, or the closeness, implies a relationship.

By grouping similar elements into one unit, several things instantly
PROXIMITY
happen: The page becomes more organized. You understand

where to begin reading the message, and you know when you
are finished. And the "white space" (the space around the letters)
automatically becomes more organized as well.
New designers tend to put text and graphics on the page

wherever there happens to be space, often without regard to
ALIGNMENT
any other items on the page. The Principle of Alignment states,

"Nothing should be placed on the page arbitrarily. Every item
should have a visual connection with something else on the page."
When items are aligned, the result is a stronger cohesive unit.
The basic purpose of alignment is to unify and organize the page.
Left aligned type does not connect to the image on
Aligning the type to the right, along the edge of the
the right. Our eyes are drawn in 2 seperate directions.
image creates a strong visual alignment & creates unity!
Be conscious of where you place the elements (line, image, type)
ALIGNMENT
Competing alignments
(left and center)
Always find something else on the page to align with,

even if the two objects are physically far away from each other.
Avoid using more than one text alignment on the page
(that is, don't center some text and right-align other text).
Left and right alignment

create balance
Center alignment
Left alignment
The Principle of Repetition states, "Repeat some aspect of the design
REPETITION
throughout the entire piece." The repetitive element may be a bold

font, a thick line, a certain bullet, color, design element, particular
format, spatial relationship, etc. It can be anything that a reader will
visually recognize as being a theme. Repetition can be thought of
as consistency - it is a conscious effort to unify all parts of a design.
This card has a strong left alignment but no repetition.

Where do your eyes look first? When they get to the
bottom of the card, where do you look next?
By making the last element bold (the phone number)

we are using repetiton, to keep the viewers eyes on
the card longer. From the bottom we look back to the top.
Repetition helps organize the information; it guides the reader

and helps to unify parts of the design. Repetitive elements establish
REPETITION
a sophisticated continuity and can "tie the whole thing together."
Business identity, also known as branding

requires a strong use of repetition so the
customer can easily identify the business
Envelope
Letterhead & Business Card
A repetition of visual elements throughout the design unifies and

strengthens a piece by tying together otherwise separate parts.
REPETITION
Repetition creates unity and adds visual interest. Think of repetition

as consistency. Then push the existing consistencies a little further.
Avoid repeating the element so much that it becomes annoying
or overwhelming.
Contrast is the most effective way to add visual interest to your

page. Contrast is also crucial to the organization of information -
CONTRAST
a reader should always be able to glance at a document and

instantly understand what's going on. Add contrast through your
typeface choices, line thicknesses, colors, shapes, sizes, space, etc.
The Principle of Contrast states, "If two items are not exactly the
same, then make them different. Really different."
BLACK
&WHITE
This design lacks contrast because the size, color,
and style of typeface are all the same. It looks
boring and plain and can easily get overlooked.
&WHITE
By changing the font, increasing the size, and

adding shapes or color we have used contrast
to create a more eye-catching design.
Contrast has two purposes:
CONTRAST
* to create an interest on the page -
if a page is interesting to look at, it is more likely to be read.
* to aid in the organization of the information the message should be clear and easily recognizable.
Add contrast through: typeface choices, line thicknesses, colors,
CONTRAST
shapes, sizes, space, images, etc.
Don't be a wimp. If you're going to contrast, do it with strength.

Avoid contrasting a sort-of-heavy line with a sort-of-heavier line.
CONTRAST
Avoid using two or more typefaces or colors that are similar.

If the items are not exactly the same, make them different!
Designers are given information in text form,

it is their job to apply the principals in order
to make the design informative and appealing.
Apply the principals of design to create an

exciting layout and use contrast to add
visual excitement to the page.
CONTRAST
White space is the art of nothing. White space is the absence of
WHITE
SPACE
text and graphics. It breaks up the elements on the page. It

provides visual breathing room for the eye. Add white space to
make a page less cramped, confusing, or overwhelming. White
space doesnt actually have to be white. It gets its name from
the early days of graphic design where most printing was done
on white paper. White space can be black, blue, red, etc.
what ever color the background is. White space is also referred
to as negative space.
White space is always occurring in a design from the moment
WHITE
SPACE
you open up a blank document, the design has begun with

white space. There are two types of white space, the undefined
white space, which is what you get when you open a new
document, and active white space, which occurs when an
object is placed in an undefined white space.
White space is made of nothing, but shouldnt be treated that
WHITE
SPACE
way. There are several benefits that a generous dose of white

space can bring to a design. Simply by increasing the space
between elements in a layout, a design can take on a more
elegant appearance, and by injecting more white space into
a designs typography, content becomes more legible.
Novice designers always tend to forget the principle of white
WHITE
SPACE
space. They often try to fill the entire page, but it is important
to remember that in design, sometimes LESS is MORE!
Remember these 6 principles and apply them to your designs. You will find
that they often work hand-in-hand and eventually you will begin to use
them without even thinking about it. All great designs are founded on
these principles:
BALANCE
ALIGNMENT
PROXIMITY
CONTRAST
REPETITION
WHITE
SPACE

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BALANCE

The principles of design are balance, proximity, alignment, repetition,

Balance is an equal distribution of weight. In terms of graphics,

this applies to visual weight. Each element on a layout has visual

Symmetrical balance is an arrangement of elements so

Asymmetrical balance is an arrangement of unlike objects

TIPS ON CREATING BALANCE

Color: Colors have weight (Red = Heavy, Baby Blue = Light)

Size: Larger = Heavier

Lines: Thin vs. thick

The Principle of Proximity states that you group related items

related items are seen as one cohesive group rather than a

This business card has 5 seperate

Your eye does not know where to

By grouping related information

elements which compete for

look first. The information is not

together, the design becomes

the viewers attention.

organized and is lacking proximity.

more clear and organized.

When you create a flyer, a brochure, a newsletter, or whatever,

connected, you know which information should be emphasized

As in life, the proximity, or the closeness, implies a relationship.

happen: The page becomes more organized. You understand

New designers tend to put text and graphics on the page

any other items on the page. The Principle of Alignment states,

Left aligned type does not connect to the image on

Aligning the type to the right, along the edge of the

the right. Our eyes are drawn in 2 seperate directions.

image creates a strong visual alignment & creates unity!

Be conscious of where you place the elements (line, image, type)

Always find something else on the page to align with,

Left and right alignment

The Principle of Repetition states, "Repeat some aspect of the design

throughout the entire piece." The repetitive element may be a bold

This card has a strong left alignment but no repetition.

By making the last element bold (the phone number)

Repetition helps organize the information; it guides the reader

a sophisticated continuity and can "tie the whole thing together."

Business identity, also known as branding

Letterhead & Business Card

A repetition of visual elements throughout the design unifies and

Repetition creates unity and adds visual interest. Think of repetition

Contrast is the most effective way to add visual interest to your

a reader should always be able to glance at a document and

By changing the font, increasing the size, and

Contrast has two purposes:

* to create an interest on the page -

if a page is interesting to look at, it is more likely to be read.

Add contrast through: typeface choices, line thicknesses, colors,

shapes, sizes, space, images, etc.

Don't be a wimp. If you're going to contrast, do it with strength.

Avoid using two or more typefaces or colors that are similar.

Designers are given information in text form,

Apply the principals of design to create an

White space is the art of nothing. White space is the absence of

text and graphics. It breaks up the elements on the page. It

White space is always occurring in a design from the moment