There are principles in design, just as there are principles in other professions or art. Principles serve as guidelines that help to achieve a particular task and ensure you get your desired result. When you adhere to principles, there is always a higher chance of getting it right.
The principles of design are the basis of every visual medium, form fine art to modern web designs. They aid in creating great visuals that would be pleasing and engaging with the viewers.
HIERARCHY
This is used to guide the user’s eye in navigating a design. It shows where to begin and read next using different levels of emphasis. A designer decides which elements they want the reader to read or see first and make those elements stand out using color, texture, shape, and form. Items or parts of a high level of importance in the design are usually larger, bolder, or eye-catching.
PROXIMITY
This involves the use of visual space to show a relationship in design. This is usually done by grouping related items or elements together, and groups not associated with each other should be separated to visually emphasize the lack of relationship. This helps the viewers to understand the design and makes the design more engaging.
CONTRAST
This helps to catch the viewer’s eye. It creates emphasis and calls the attention of the viewer to something important. It can be done using color, size of a shape, typography style, etc. It shows the viewer where to begin and go to next with the use of different levels of emphasis.
NEGATIVE SPACE
Also known as white space, it gives the design room to breathe and sort out clusters. It limits how much the user sees/reads at a time, so they do not get overloaded with content or information. In web and app design, there are two types of negative space (micro and macro). The space between smaller elements in a design (e.g., space between text in a button and the shape of the button) is the micro space, while the space between larger elements (e.g., space between two buttons) is macro. Negative space can be manipulated with the use of padding, margin, and line-height.
REPETITION
This involves being consistent in your design. The color, typography, shapes, and other elements used in the design should be consistent. Every design should have a consistent look and feel; this makes the design more comfortable to read, understand, and engage.
ALIGNMENT
This helps with the organization of your work, makes it visually appealing, and gives the design a good layout/structure. A design without consistent alignment would make the design fall apart
“The fundamentals of design are all about the bigger picture i.e., learning to appreciate the many small details that make up a composition.’’
These small details include; line, shape, form, texture, color, balance, and typography. They are the basic elements all makeup part of everything we create in design. When applied diligently with the use of the above design principles, these tiny details would produce a great design.
