Principles of Visual Design

Principles of design are the fundamental bases that govern design choices with regards to design elements, size, colour, positioning, etc. They act as a compass for the entire design team. Applied successfully, these principles give designers the power to create meaningful, aesthetically pleasing, and well-functioning designs.

Principles of Design

Study the PDF below (for academic use only)

Principles of Design PDF

BALANCE and ALIGNMENT

Balance refers to the arrangement of elements in relation to a visual central axis. It is the distribution of the visual weight of elements. It makes the design feel stable. Like in the physical world, objects in a design carry weight, which is called visual weight. The visual weight of a design needs to be distributed; or it would become a disturbance to the viewer. Balance could be symmetrical or asymmetrical

Alignment is orderly arranging elements in a way that matches how people naturally scan the page. It helps balance your image so that it's visually appealing. creates a visual connection between related elements.

EMPHASIS / DOMINANCE

Emphasis is a strategy that aims to draw the viewer’s attention to a specific point. Emphasis is setting up the focal point of a design, which people see without much effort. Emphasis can be created by size, weight, position, colour, shape, and leading line.

CONTRAST and SIMILARITY

Contrast is the visible difference in properties of the design elements. Similarity is the visible likeness in properties of the design elements.

For contrast, the difference in objects could be light and dark, thin and thick, small and large, bright and dull, etc. Best contrast is shown when we have the maximum and the minimum of a property of the design element in the same design. For example, black and white image. Dull white to dark grey will be a low contrast image.

Similarity: Design elements that appear similar in some way — sharing the same colour, shape, or size — are perceived as related or together.

REPETITION

Repetition is the recurrence of a design element. An element of design like, lines, shapes, forms, colour, etc. is repeated many times. Repetition is a good principle in magazine layout, website design, even for PPTs. The repetition design principle refers to the use of similar (or identical) elements throughout a design. By harnessing this principle, you can guide readers through your communications, create visual cohesion unity and rhythm.

UNITY / VARIETY

Visual unity is when there is a similarity between the individual components of a design. This ensures no single part is more important than the other.

Variety in a design refers to the use of multiple visual elements within a single composition. Variety creates visual interest to capture your viewer’s attention and make your design more interesting.

PATTERN, RHYTHM, and MOVEMENT

Patterns are simply a repetition of one or more design element working in concert with each other. When you repeat elements with intervals the repetitions can create a sense of rhythm in the viewer and a sense of movement. Movement is the path the viewer's eye takes through the work of art, often to focal areas. (leading line)

HIERARCHY

Visual hierarchy is organising elements in a design to show order of importance.

SIZE, SCALE, and PROPORTION

Scale and proportion are both design elements that have to do with size. Scale is the size of one object in relation to the other objects in a design or artwork. If something is drawn to scale, it shows an object with accurate sizing. Proportion refers to the size of the parts of an object in relationship to other parts of the same object.

PROXIMITY

Proximity is arranging elements that are related to one another closer to each other; and placing things that are not related to one another far from each other.

PERSPECTIVE

Perspective is the tool we use to indicate depth. In visual hierarchy objects closer to you drive more attention

UNITY and HARMONY

Harmony can be described as sameness, the belonging of one thing with another. The repetition of design elements like colour, texture, shape, and form is one of the easiest ways to achieve harmony to create a composition. Harmony brings in unity in a design.

WHITE SPACE

White space, sometimes called negative space, isn’t necessarily white. White space refers to any blank or empty space surrounding all the other elements in a design composition. Minimalist designs use a lot of white space, while maximalist designs may not use any.

Comments

Visual Culture

Visual culture is a multifaceted field that examines the pervasive role of visuals in shaping human understanding, beliefs, and behaviours. It posits that visuals are not merely reflections of reality but rather " constructed realities " that actively influence our perception of the world. At its heart, visual culture positions visuals as the reference and data for knowledge, beliefs, thinking, creations, behaviour, etc.; which in turn further shapes current beliefs, thinking, creations, behaviour, etc. Visuals are images/collection of images that are made to be seen. Framed (made) and put out. This highlights that visuals are not spontaneous occurrences but deliberate constructions, detached from the place and time in which it first made its appearance, says, John Berger . Examples like the contrasting Newsweek and TIME magazine covers of O.J. Simpson illustrate how different framings of the same event can convey distinct messages and narratives, underscoring the idea ...

Visual Analysis: SEMIOTICS

Visual analysis is a systematic and scientific approach to examining visual materials that goes far beyond casual observation. In our visually saturated world, images have become a inescapable universal language that shapes our perceptions, attitudes, and experiences. From the artworks adorning gallery walls to the advertisements lining city streets, visuals communicate narratives, evoke emotions, and reflect sociocultural ideologies . However, the process of seeing and interpreting visuals is not as spontaneous or natural as we often assume. As John Berger notably stated, " seeing is an active decision ," suggesting that the process of interpreting visuals is neither spontaneous nor natural, but rather requires conscious effort and critical thinking. The way we perceive and interpret visual content is heavily influenced by habits, conventions, and our individual perspectives. Serious visual analyses requires conscious effort and critical analysis to unravel the ...

The Brown Sisters: A Four-Decade Portrait of Time and Sisterhood

Nicholas Nixon's "The Brown Sisters" stands as one of photography's most compelling longitudinal portrait studies, documenting four decades of sisterhood through annual black-and-white photographs taken from 1975 to 2014. Using an 8×10 inch view camera, Nixon captured his wife Bebe and her three sisters—Heather, Mimi, and Laurie Brown—in the same order each year, creating a remarkable visual meditation on time, aging, and familial bonds. For the full set of images see the PDF below (for academic use only) Forty Portraits in Forty Years PDF What began as a spontaneous family photograph in 1975 evolved into a profound artistic documentation of human transformation. The project's strength lies in its methodological consistency: the sisters maintain their positions, with the sequence remaining unchanged throughout the series. This rigid framework paradoxically highlights the subtle changes that occur year by year, creating a powerful commentary on the passage of time...

PHOTOGRAPHY Composition

Photography composition or framing is the process of Selection of a subject, placement of the subject, and choice of background. Photography composition Study the PDF below (to be used for educational purposes only) Photography Composition PDF Composition is the result of a series of aesthetic decisions that a photographer makes 1. Selection of subject What is the Focal point? Where do you want the eyes of the viewers to repeatedly come back to? Where do you want the eyes of the viewers to rest? What is the element you don’t want your viewers to miss? What do you want the viewers to call your image? 2. Choice of background Background enhances the subject. Background simplifies the frame. Background minimalises the frame. Background qualifies the subject. 3. Placement of subject There are ample guidelines to make the placement magical. Rule of Thirds/One Third line Middle li...

The Male Gaze and the Construction of Gender in Visual Culture

Visual culture encompasses the totality of images, visuals, and visual practices that shape our lived experience. It manifests through art, photography, cinema, design, and countless other forms, representing the ideas, customs, and social behaviours that revolve around visual materials. Visual culture is not merely decorative or informational; it is a powerful force that produces, circulates, and interprets visual forms to construct meanings, shape beliefs, and convey power within specific cultural contexts. From traditional artworks such as paintings and sculptures to mass media like film, television, and advertising, from digital platforms including websites, apps, and video games to everyday objects like fashion, logos, and packaging—all these elements communicate meaning and fundamentally shape our understanding of the world. The quality and impact of visual culture depend on two critical factors: the quality of the visual content created and the nature of the act of see...

Mass Media: Platforms and Content

Mass Media today is interplay between technological infrastructure and creative expressions. Mass media, defined as channels of communication designed to reach large audiences, has undergone profound transformation in recent decades. What began as predominantly print-based communication has expanded into a multifaceted ecosystem encompassing visual, audio, and interactive modes of engagement. This essay explores the dialectical relationship between media platforms and content, arguing that the two elements exist in dynamic tension—with platforms shaping content possibilities while content innovations drive platform evolution. As Marshall McLuhan famously observed, "the medium is the message," suggesting that the vehicle of communication fundamentally alters how we perceive and process information. This principle remains relevant as we navigate an increasingly fragmented media landscape characterised by both institutional and user-generated content. The Architecture of Mass M...

In Pursuit Of Creativity and Becoming One’s Best Version

A study by Way Walker conducted across painters, poets, musicians, and filmmakers—spanning many outstanding artistic creations and pursuits, domains, genres, and movements—reveal five key discoveries. 1. Don't Go Wide but Go Deep Don't try hard to create something that everyone will like, though that sounds reasonable. The greatest creators did not go wide; they went deeper. They created art for one person, one group, or a younger or future emotional avatar of themselves. It is made for one feeling, one version of self that needed the message the most. The goal of art need not be to make something universal or make something big. Van Gogh did not paint for the world; he painted for his brother. Maya Angelou wrote poetry to address her wounded self. This is the paradox: the more personal it is, the more universal it becomes. You start trying to impress everyone, you end up impressing no one. Go out and touch one person deeply, and you will end up moving thousands. Once you k...

photo.graph.art.design

Search This Blog