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Design Elements &

Principles
There’s always a lot to learn, a lot to do, and a lot to consider when you’re a beginner –
not to mention the fact that technology is constantly evolving, new software is being
released, and new trends are coming at you rapid-fire. Truth be told, it can get a little
overwhelming.

So, let’s slow things down a little bit. This article will take you through 20 principles of
design to hopefully give you a headstart in this creative environment. So, stay tuned, get
comfy, and let’s discuss some principles.

01. Line

I’m sure we’re all aware of what lines are, but just to be sure, lines can be defined as any
linear marks. So, when you think about it, lines make up just about everything. Even
these words and letters you’re reading now are made up of thousands of curved, angled
and straight lines.

Lines can channel certain ideas too. Straight ones can evoke order and neatness, wavy
lines can create movement, and zig-zagged lines can imply tension or excitement.

A technique applied a lot in photography is the use of ‘leading lines’ which do just what
they claim – they lead the eye. Finding and emphasising strong leading lines in your
piece can allow you to direct the eye through the entire piece or to certain focal points.

Lets look at an example of leading lines in web design. This webpage has a cool
diagonal grid with very strong leading lines that take you down the page, from section to
section, in a swift zig zag shape.
A strong use of line is a great way to stylise your illustrations. Check out these wire
frame illustrations by Ksenia Stavrøva for apparel brand SNDCT. By using simple white
lines to execute each illustration, the design as a whole is given cohesivity and a
recognisable style. Consider emphasising your use of line in illustrations to create an
intriguing effect.

Posters for SNDCT by Ksenia Stavrøva


Posters for SNDCT by Ksenia Stavrøva

Lines are versatile, simple and effective graphic elements that you certainly should not
take for granted! Experiment with them today, and see what cool things they can add to
your design!

02. Scale

Scale is a large part of design, sometimes literally. In a very basic definition, scale is the
deliberate sizing of individual elements.

Scale can help us make sense of designs and images. Think about if you were to draw a
mouse next to an elephant, you’d probably draw the mouse much smaller than the
elephant, which would help viewers instantly understand your drawing.

In this way, scale helps us make sense of things. But, scale doesn’t always have to be
based on realism. You can size your elements dramatically large or small to create
stunning effects and to signal which parts of your design are more important and which
are less.

For example, check out this poster by Gabz Grzegorz Domaradzkifor the movie Drive.
In this poster, the lead character has been scaled up dramatically, drawing attention to
him first, and the other faces second.
While this scale is not technically based on realism as people’s faces are generally the
same size in real life (and Ryan Gosling is not a giant to my knowledge), the dramatic
scaling up and down of faces helps viewers to get a quick grasp on each character’s level
of importance in the film, as well as making for an effective design.
This scaling of elements to signal importance is often called ‘hierarchy’ which we’ll
discuss more in depth later on, fear not! But, for the mean time, let’s look at an example
that uses scale to signify importance.

This publication design by The Consult scales up certain statistics, information and
numbers a lot to draw attention to those pieces of data over others.
Labour Market Intelligence by The Consult

Want some more tips and tricks for mastering scale in your designs? Check out these 5
creative ways to use scale in your designs.

03. Colour

I know I don’t really need to preach about how important colour is to designs, but I’m
going to anyway. Colour is paramount. Colour creates specific moods, atmospheres,
channels emotions and each shade has certain specific connotations associated with it. In
short, colour can make or break your design.

Lets look at two branding examples. First up, we have a design bySmack Bang
Designs for women’s skin rejuvenation service ‘Lite Luxe’. This design has opted for
light, soft and pastel colours. Whites, light greys, soft blush tones and a copper/gold
foiling, these chosen colours complement each other gently to create a calm, elegant and
feminine design.
Lite Luxe by Smack Bang Designs

On the other hand, we have this branding for juice brand Frooti by Sagmeister & Walsh.
Unlike the previous example which chose a palette that gently complemented itself, this
branding has chosen a colour palette that sharply contrasts, creating a much more
vibrant, energetic and playful design.
Rebrand by Sagmeister & Walsh

Colour isn’t a principle simply limited to branding elements though, colour expands into
everything, even photographs. Filters and image adjustors have given us the unlimited
ability to adjust our photographs’ colouring and tones.

Are you designing a sleek and sophisticated poster? Why not run a sharp, noir-inspired
monochromatic filter over your image, like Canva’s ‘Street’ filter. Or perhaps you’re
going for a whimsical look? Consider dropping the contrast on your image a little to
mute your images’ colours a bit and make it softer and calmer.

04. Repetition

Think about any big name brand, Coca-Cola, Google, Apple, Nike, I’m sure you can all
think of their logo, their general tone of voice and their general colour schemes used.
Why are these things so memorable at the drop of a hat? Yep, you guessed it –
repetition.

Repetition is a crucial element when it comes to branding design, both in terms of


keeping your branding consistent and in terms of tying your items together.

Lets have a look at a branding example by Michelle Wang. As you can see, this identity
uses a consistent colour palette and consistent logo application, right down to consistent
margin spacing.
Repetition is a key element when it comes to branding, but it can also make for beautiful
one-off designs. For example, repetition is a key ingredient when it comes to creating
patterns and textures.

Check out this packaging design by Nastya Chamkina that uses repetition to create a
beautiful pattern. Patterns don’t have to be dull and floral like dusty old curtains, they
can be fun and effective. So, why not implement repetitive patterns into your next
design?
Teatul by Nastya Chamkina

Want some more inspiration like the beautiful pattern-based branding below? Be sure to
swing by this article of 50 gorgeous geometric patterns designs in graphic design!

Xoclad by Anagrama

05. Negative Space

To put it bluntly, negative space is the ‘space inbetween’, the area between or around
other elements that form its own shape

The widely regarded king and path-forger of negative space was artist M.C. Escher
whose work I’m sure you’ve seen and been baffled by before. Escher did a number of
tessellations that focussed on one shape leading into the next via negative and positive
space, like this woodcut print “Sky & Water I”.

Sky and Water I by MC Escher

See how Escher has used the space in between the birds to create the shape of fish? This
is negative space at work – considering everything around and in between your physical
design, and manipulating that space to form something new.

Negative space when used strategically and cleverly can help create truly stunning and
clever designs. Have a look at these simple animal icons by designer George
Bokhua that use simple, clean shapes to render clear depictions of each animal.
Animal
Graphics by George Bokhua

06. Symmetry

As species, human beings are scientifically proven to be drawn to symmetry. We find


symmetrical faces, patterns and designs generally more attractive, effective and
beautiful.

Symmetry is used a lot in logos in order to create a harmonious and balanced design.
Some examples of large brands with symmetrical logos are Target, McDonald’s, Chanel,
Starbucks, etc.
Of course, symmetry is not always an option for every design, and nor should it be.
There’s a fine line between a design looking balanced and symmetrical, and looking like
one side was copied, flipped and pasted to the left. So instead of trying to achieve perfect
symmetry, instead try to introduce subtle elements of symmetry into your design.

For example, this wedding invitation uses a high degree of symmetry, but it it’s not
perfectly mirrored. Instead, the designer has chosen to adjust the illustrations to fit the
type and the message in subtle ways that keep the design symmetrically balanced and
ordered, but not too blatantly mirrored, creating a delicate, romantic and balanced
design.
Jarrid &
Laura Wedding Invitation by Nate Koehler

Symmetry isn’t always as obvious either, sometimes it is subtle, sometimes you may not
even notice it. A prime example of invisible symmetry can be found in editorial design,
and more specifically text boxes. Open up any magazine you have laying around and
chances are in a longer articles you’ll notice that the body copy has been split up into
columns of text, and these columns are often symmetrically sized to keep things legible,
neat, as well as visually appealing.

Check out this annual report spread design by Brighten the Corners and Anish
Kapoor that draws attention to the symmetricality of the text columns by mirroring them
on either side of the spread.
Zumtobel Annual Report by Brighten the Corners and Anish Kapoor

By using a bit of symmetry in your layout, you can create a sense of balance and order.
So, next time you’re designing a publication design, or a design with a lot of type, pay
attention to how much (or how little) symmetry you’re using. If your design doesn’t look
quite right, have a go at toying with your symmetry, whether this be increasing it or
decreasing it.

07. Transparency

Also occasionally known as ‘opacity’, transparency refers to how ‘see-through’ an


element is. The lower your opacity, the lighter and less noticeable your element is, and
the higher it is, the more solid the element is.

Let’s look at an example that uses transparency. This stunning example by Jack
Crossing layers various shapes of different colours, sizes, and opacities to create a truly
beautiful graphic. In this way, adjusting and toying with transparency and transparency
effects can allow you to emphasise your layers and shapes in a unique and striking way.
DME_Promotional Poster 2008 by Jack Crossing

Transparency is also a great technique for generating a sense of movement in static


images. For example, check out this poster byFilippo Baraccani, Mikko Gärtner,
and Lorenz Potthast that layers various images with different levels of transparency to
create an engrossing effect and sense of movement.
University
of the Arts Bremen by Filippo Baraccani, Mikko Gärtner, and Lorenz Potthast

Transparency isn’t just limited to digital graphics either. Check out how this invitation
card for the New York Museum of Glass has aptly been printed onto transparent glass,
giving the design a unique and engaging effect. Consider what mediums your design will
be printed on, what opacity and finish they can/will have, and don’t be afraid to get
creative with it.
08. Texture

Clean, sharp and sleek graphic designs can be wonderful, but sometimes, roughing it up
a little with some texture can be even better. Texture can add tactility, depth and can add
some pretty interesting effects to your design.

However, as with many things, be sure to use this technique in moderation, as too much
texture can quickly overwhelm your design. Remember: there’s a fine line between
shabby-chic and just plain old shabby.

See how too many textures can create a muddy effect? The more textures applied, the
harder type and other elements are to see without a stroke effect around each letter.

Of course, if you’re going for the muddier look stylistically, then layering textures might
bode well for you, but if you’re looking for a way to incorporate texture in a less
imposing way, stay tuned.

Let’s have a look at an example that uses texture in a way that enhances the piece. This
beautiful typographic design by Dan Cassaro creates a vintage-inspired effect by using
texture. Notice that the use of the rough texture isn’t distracting but rather nicely
enhances the piece as a whole, giving it a more handcrafted, authentically-vintage feel.

Ever
Upward by Dan Cassaro

Check out this business card design by Inkdot for Foremost Wine Company that takes
texturing to a whole new level by embossing the topography-inspired texture directly
into the business card. By considering texture and how your design literally and tangibly
feels, you can create a memorable piece for your design that is sure to stand out from the
crowd.
Foremost
Wine Co Business Card

09. Balance

Balance is a pretty important thing in most of life, and it’s equally as important in the
world of design.

One way to master balance is to think of each of your elements as having a ‘weight’
behind it. From text boxes, to images, to blocks of colour, consider each of their sizes,
shapes, and what ‘weight’ they have in relation to other elements on the page.

A good technique is to imagine if your design were to be printed out as a 3D model.


Would it stand, or would it tip to one side?
Check out this cat logo by George Bokhua that is beautifully balanced. If it were to be
printed, chances are it would sit upright.

Line Cat
by George Bokhua

One type of balance is ‘asymmetrical balance’, which is less about mirroring left and
right/top and bottom, and more about distributing, sizing and aligning elements so that
their ‘weights’ are event. Let’s look at an example.

This vibrant piece uses scale and a clever distribution of elements to make for a balanced
design. Note how this piece achieves balance from left to right and top to bottom
through the sizing of elements. By balancing the cluster of images out with the cluster of
type.
What’s
Your Graphic Design Personality?

10. Hierarchy

Hierarchy in design is a lot like hierarchy in culture, as both are built on very similar
ideas. At the top of a hierarchical scale, we have the most important things, the kings.
These elements are to be ‘dressed’ the most extravagantly and command the most
attention.

Check out these examples from A2 Magazine that showcase three different ways to
signal your title/heading’s importance, from the more subtle examples right through to
the big and bold examples. Whatever your choice of avenue, be sure that consumers can
instantly point to the title without thinking.
A2 Magazine Issue 1

The next tier of hierarchy we have the noblemen, the elements that are still important,
but that don’t command quite as much attention as the kings. These are things like
subheadings, pull quotes, additional information. Make sure to keep these eye-catching
and noticeable, but not anywhere near as noticeable as your headings.

Check out this save the date card by Southern Fried Paper. Notice how the date (a very
important part of a save the date card) is made larger, bolder and more noticeable than
the type below it. And yet it doesn’t outshine the obvious “Audrey and Grant” title.

Audrey and Grant by Southern Fried Paper

And on the final rung of the hierarchical scale are the peasants, the humble elements of
your design that are given the least amount of visual pizazz, usually things like body
copy, less important information, links, etc.

Have a look at this poster for The Night Market by Mary Galloway. You can easily point
out the title, the subheading/date, and then down the bottom, the smallest type of
additional information that isn’t as crucial to the communication.
The Night Market by Mary Galloway

Of course, hierarchy isn’t just limited to type. Images also have hierarchy, think back a
little to when we talked about scale. The larger, more colourful, or more central elements
of your image are going to have a higher hierarchy than those smaller, duller, less
detailed elements.

11. Contrast

Contrast is often the magical key ingredient to making your designs ‘pop’, which is a
(sometimes frustrating) demand from many design clients.

In a very basic definition, contrast is the degree of difference between two elements of
your design.

Some common forms of contrast are dark vs. light, thick vs. thin, large vs. small, etc.

Contrast has a great effect on readability and legibility as well, it’s a big reason why you
see novels and many other publications printing in black text on a white background.
Imagine if they printed using light grey on a white background. The contrast would be
very low and the type hard to read. So, if you’re using type, make sure you bump up that
contrast.

For example, check out this poster by Jonathan Correira and the way it ensures there’s
adequate contrast against the type and image. Since this image is split in half, one side
being dominantly green and the other dark grey, the type colour has been adjusted
accordingly to ensure each side is legible.

Imagine if the “New York” was executed in the same colour as “Bike Expo”, the
contrast would be lowered greatly and it would be much harder to read.
Bike
Expo New York by Jonathan Correira

Another great example of a high-contrast design is this piece byRobbie Cobb that not
only contrasts dark and light, but also thick and thin to make for a striking and engaging
design.
One by Robbie Cobb

Contrast isn’t just a stylistic element or a legibility-enhancer, it can also act to draw the
eye to certain elements of your design. This technique is used a lot in website design,
let’s look at an example from Audible’s landing page.

Audible

See how this landing page design has darkened and muted the image to allow for the
bright red box to contrast sharply against the background. This deliberate contrast helps
to draw instant attention to the main call of action (which links directly to a signup
page).

So, use contrast to make your designs visually ‘pop’, draw attention to certain elements
of your design.

12. Framing

Just like you do with your photographs and pieces of art, framing your designs correctly
is an important aspect. We usually think of framing in terms of photography – what you
include, what you don’t, etc. But, framing is equally as important in design.

Physical frames such as box outlines or graphic elements can enhance or draw attention
to specific elements of your design.

For example, let’s check out this menu design by Trevor Finneganthat chooses to frame
one of the specials as well as the business’ mission statement to draw attention to these
two elements that the eye may have otherwise just passed over. Such a simple way of
highlighting certain elements of your design can have a big impact.

Joe’s
Coffee by Trevor Finnegan

Frames don’t have to be graphic either. If you’re working with photographic elements,
why not consider using them to frame your designs? Check out this poster that uses
random objects to create a frame for the superimposed type. This way, you draw
attention to the piece by the frame, and direct the eye to the really important bits.

Poster Design via MyDesy


13. Grid

Think of a design grid like the foundation to a house – it’s a crucial first step in allowing
for you to build a functional, and beautiful final product. It signals to the
builder/designer where certain elements should be placed, what should align with what,
and provides a general outline for construction.

Grids are important, usually invisible elements to just about any design. They are
comprised of a certain number of rows and columns that you can align your elements
against. Grids can help to keep your content in order, neat, legible and looking good.

Let’s look at some examples of different grid systems.


Five
Column Grid via Magazine Designing

This example by Nikola from Magazine Designing shows a five-column grid at work.
Note how some elements are contained to one column, while others stretch over two,
sometimes three columns, and yet the design as a whole appears neat, clean and well
aligned.

For a bit more flexibility, consider adding in some more columns, like this example
below.
Twelve
Column Grid via Magazine Designing

Once again from Nikola from Magazine Designing, this image shows how a twelve-
column grid can give you a lot of flexibility when it comes to aligning your elements.
Once again, note how some elements span many columns, while others sit over just two.
Don’t think of your grid as lines you have to colour inside of, but rather a set of simple
guidelines used to help you create a stunning design.

So, find a grid that suits you and your design and move from there.

Now we’ve established what a grid is, what it looks like, and how it works, let’s look at
some real world examples of grids at work. Check out this example below by Matt
Willey, and try to figure out how many columns he used in this design’s grid.
YouCanNowMagazine by Matt Willey

Did you estimate three? Or perhaps six? Either way, this example has a clear and
identifiable grid system to which each element has been aligned, making for a striking,
neat and attractive design.
Grids are flexible, adaptable and infinitely handy, so consider using one for your next
design and see what it can do for you!

14. Randomness

Up until now we’ve been preaching about alignment and order. But, what about the
more organic, rough, and random designs? Randomness plays a large part in design, but
it is a specific kind of randomness. Let’s call it ‘design randomness’.

The difference between ‘design randomness’ and other forms of randomness is purpose
and execution. With design, your main goal should be communication – what does this
piece need to say to consumers? Is it saying it in a clear way? How can I make the
communication stronger?

For example, let’s have a look at a design that uses type in a way that could easily be
deemed ‘random’ but that has purpose and intention. This poster by Heath Killen for the
film ‘The Killer Inside Me’ mostly uses scratchy, hand-rendered type, and where it uses
typefaces, the letters and words are kerned and spaced sporadically and irregularly.

For Film
(14/18) by Heath Killen
This piece layers the hand-type and positions it in a very random way that some people
would say hinders the legibility. But, this was done with purpose – the intent being to
represent a scrambled and warped psyche.

Herein lies the difference between ‘randomness’ and ‘design randomness’. If this design
were applied to a poster for a children’s movie about cheerful talking animals, it would
seem random, and wouldn’t communicate the right thing at all. But, in this case, the
random design communicates the movie’s themes perfectly.

Also have a look at this design by Laura Berglund that uses a degree of randomness to
create an organic-looking, collage-like effect. While this piece looks like it was slapped
down onto a page and instantly looked stylishly rough and dishevelled, have a bit of a
look at it and note how many design conventions it actually does use.
Seed by
Laura Berglund

Look at how each element has actually been strategically positioned, leading lines have
been implemented to guide the eye around the piece, and there has been a selective
balance between flat colour, texture and photography.

Check out this design by Juan Camilo Corredor. This design has opted to represent
randomness, with strange shapes, textures, illustrations, all cropped unusually and
arranged in interesting ways.

Indicadores by Juan Camilo Corredor


This design appears random, but if you dissect its elements, you’ll notice that certain
parts of the design have been aligned (bottom left blue shape perfectly aligns with the
green pointed shape next to it, etc.), the layout helps the eye flow across the page, and
there’s even some hints of a grid at work.

The point being – things don’t have to be neat and orderly to be classed as
design. Representing ‘randomness’ and playing with a few avant garde designs can be
effective and super fun.

Take a leaf from Juan Camilo Corredor’s book and resize elements in strange ways,
throw in a tail of an ‘a’, crop a chicken’s head off, but try to do it while being aware of
design conventions and your overall purpose.

15. Direction

An important aspect of many designs is how the eye moves over the page, and the
direction it takes – this is also sometimes referred to as ‘flow’. How does your eye move
across the page? Do your readers know exactly where to look next? Is the direction that
their eye takes logical?

Studies have dissected the exact nature of our eye movement habits and the patterns our
eyes trace over when viewing specific things. Have a look at this eye tracking study by
Nielsen Norman Group that tracked people’s eyes while viewing web pages to see their
pattern of consumption. Check out the heatmap results below.

F-Shaped Pattern For Reading Web Content via Nielsen Norman Group

The studies proved that a common pattern for the eye to take is an “E” or “F” shape
when it comes to web pages, so placing your top content to the left of your page, or
along the top is your best bet. Another common pattern that the eye traces over is a “Z”
shape, as shown below.
Z-
Diagram via Tuts+

Overall, the general idea is that the eye naturally travels from the top left corner to the
bottom right corner, in a ‘sweeping’ motion. This theory is best explained in depth by
The Gutenberg Diagram, and you can read up about the nitty-gritty of it all over here.

Rather than designing 100% by these patterns, though, try to adapt your designs’ flow
and direction on a case-by-case basis. Just keep in mind that the eye gravitates to the top
left of a page and winds its way down from there.

Let’s look at an example that has a distinct and effective use of direction.

This design by Atelier Martino&Jaña directs the eye in a very fluid and organic way, by
weaving the text along the curves and shapes of the image. The title and date stand out to
us first (thanks to a little hierarchy) and then our eyes are left to flow through the piece
as we read the information and take in the photograph.
Guimarães JAZZ
2009 by Atelier Martino&Jaña

So, in short, this piece’s flow and direction encourages viewers to read and consume the
type while simultaneously taking in the image.

16. Rules

This is a point sure to spark a lot of debate and to divide any room of designers – half
proclaiming that there are no rules in design, the other protesting that there are many.
And technically, they’re both right.

As with any skill, there are things you have to learn, and this comes with general rules.
Things like: make sure your type is legible, learn to kern, don’t use pixelated images,
etc. These are the foundations of design, the things that help you make a basic design.
But, as many argue, once you’ve learnt these rules, it’s definitely time to break them.

Let’s look at an example that deliberately breaks the rules big time. This poster by
Shahir Zag deliberately breaks some cardinal typographical rules in order to make a
(very true) joke.

How to
Piss Off Your Designer Friends by Shahir Zag

Another example of a rule breaker that you’ll certainly come across during your design
adventures is David Carson. Carson was an avant garde grunge designer for publications
such as Ray Gun Magazine where he produced shocking, dynamic, and rule-bending
spread designs that are still admired today.

One of the beloved anecdotes about Carson is his layout for an interview with musician
Bryan Ferry. Having read over the content and deciding that the interview was pretty
dull, Carson chose to execute the entire interview in Zapf Dingbats (a Wingdings-like,
symbol-based font) rendering it totally unreadable. Check out the spread below.

1994 Ray Gun Spread by David Carson

Carson’s basic ethos when it came to design was ‘don’t mistake legibility for
communication’.

Carson and other rule-breaking designers are often choosing to communicate different
ideas to you by breaking the rules. The ‘migraine’ poster by Shahir Zag we previously
discussed breaks the rules in order to make a joke, and Carson’s spread breaks the rules
in order to make a point about that interview.

So, while the legibility is a little compromised, the communication definitely is not.

Following the rules and breaking them each have their own places in the world of
design. Take everything with a grain of salt and learn as much as you can so that you can
break and bend the rules the right way and make a memorable splash.

17. Movement

Have you ever heard or seen somebody describe a painting or piece of art as having “a
lot of movement to it”? You might have first been baffled by that explanation – after all,
how does a static painting move? But, movement is a big part of the visual arts,
including graphic design.

Earlier we discussed the direction and flow of your design, these factors play a big part
in the movement of your design. If your final piece has a good flow from top to bottom,
left to right, corner A to corner B, etc., your piece will ‘move’ smoothly.

But, what about the cases where you want to give an element a literal sense of
movement? Maybe you have a ball that you want to show in motion, or a car that you
want to depict zooming down a highway. There’s a lot of ways you can depict this kind
of movement, so let’s run over a few examples.

First, we have transparency. We briefly touched on how transparency/opacity can create


motion for your designs earlier, but let’s look a little deeper.

This logo example by Vladimir Mirzoyan layers sharp geometric shapes of various
opacities over each other to replicate a hummingbird’s wings in flight. The simple effect
of overlaying these elements creates a clean, clever and sophisticated sense of
movement.

Hummingbird by Vladimir Mirzoyan

Similarly, check out this proposed poster design by Alan Clarkefor the 2012 Olympic
Games. By layering simple shapes of varying opacities, this poster creates a strong sense
of speed and motion.
Cycling
by Alan Clarke

Movement can also be achieved through a blur effect. Check out this example that
applies motion blur effects to a typically static design element – type.

This example, a book cover by German designers Anzinger, Wüschner, Rasp, applies an
intriguing blur to the edges and corners of the letter to create an illusion of movement.
'F: A
Novel' by Daniel Kehlmann – Cover Design by Anzinger, Wüschner, Rasp

And finally, movement can also be captured through motion lines. These are common in
comics and illustrations, when a character is running away, or moving swiftly. So,
channel your inner comic book illustrator and make the most of motion lines. Let’s look
an example.
This example below by Matt Chase uses motion lines subtly on the ‘future’ to indicate
movement. A subtle but effective way of giving the design a dynamic edge and
indicating movement.

Nothing Past, Nothing Future by Matt Chase

18. Depth

Depth is an important and exciting principle in the world of design. Even with the
flattest of mediums, you are able to create a sense of depth, and an illusion that your
design expands beyond the second dimension.

So, how do we create an illusion of depth in our designs? There are many techniques
you can use to communicate depth in your design, let’s run over a few.

First, we have what is probably the most commonly known technique – shadows. Now,
shadows can be tricky little devils, as they aren’t always linearly shaped, sometimes they
stretch, bend, warp and skew. So, a good technique when exploring shadow-usage is to
observe real world shadows, see how the light hits various objects at different points and
try to replicate that.

Let’s look at an example that showcases an effective use of shadows to create depth.
This poster for a book fair byDominique Schmitz uses a lot of shadows in a lot of
different and challenging, but very realistic ways. Have a look at the way each shadow is
rendered differently and appropriately for each element. Realism takes work, but the
payoff is often worth it!
Design Book Fair by Dominique Schmitz

Another technique is overlapping certain elements. This reduces the flat appearance, and
makes things seem more layered and on different levels and tiers. Check out this design
by Fabian De Lange that overlaps illustrative elements, type and graphic elements (the
white border) to create a layered look with plenty of depth.
Mumbai
by Fabian De Lange

Another technique is to play with perspective, which is a technique that often gives
elements a “3D effect”. By adjusting the perspective of certain elements, you can give
the illusion of raising them up off of the page, creating instant depth. Let’s look at an
example.

This electronica-inspired poster by Neil Stevens skews each letter to the right a little bit
and gives them distinct shape and depth. This simple way of illustrating, shading and
adjusting the perspective of each element helps to create a dynamic and engaging design.
Electronica by Neil Stevens

Of course, on the other end of the spectrum is reducing the amount of depth in your
design. This is a popular style as of late, often referred to as ‘flat design’.

A well-known user of the flat design technique is Apple. In September 2013 Apple
launched a new operating system that came jam-packed with a whole new design
upheaval that basically took away all of the bevel effects and drop shadows that created
the appearance of depth and replaced them with flatter app icons, screens, etc.

19. Typography
Typography is arguably one of the biggest foundations of design. Type says a lot
(sometimes literally) and the way you choose to execute your type, whether a heading or
some body copy says even more.

For a thorough rundown of all things typography and font-related, be sure to check
out this cheat-sheet full of tips, tricks and links to help you master the written word!

Let’s look at an example of display typography. For those of you not familiar, display
type basically refers to the fancier, more stylistic typographical designs. Think of movie
poster titles, magazine headings, etc.

Check out these magazine spread designs by Benjamin Bours,each which have had their
titles custom designed intricately and effectively. This showy and detailed typography is
display type at work.

GQ Spreads by Benjamin Bours

Next, we have body copy. Now, there’s an ongoing debate amongst the world of body
copy between those who favour serif and those who favour sans-serif in terms of
readability and legibility.

So what is the answer? Well, it’s down to preference and each situation, but generally
speaking, serif is best for print, and sans-serif is best for web. Let me hand it over to this
fantastic infographic by UrbanFonts to explain.

Serif vs. Sans by UrbanFonts

Once you’ve decided between serif or sans-serif, then comes the detailed and sometimes
time-consuming step of setting your type.

For a much more thorough rundown of the basics of mastering type, be sure to check out
this article of 20 Typographical Mistakes Every Beginner Makes!
Check out these 20 Typographical Mistakes Every Beginner Makes

However, for the mean time, let me impart these few basic pieces of wisdom to you:

 Kern your titles


 Make sure your body copy isn’t too big or too small for the medium you are
printing onto
 Try to avoid using too many typefaces at once
 Left-alignment is easiest to read for large bodies of type
 If in doubt, print it out (you can often pick up on awkward typesetting much
easier when it’s on page)

When it comes to typography, another hurdle to leap over is the art of combining
typefaces. While it sounds easy, and sometimes it is, it can also be challenging at times.
Let’s look at an example that combines typefaces well.

This magazine design for 99U Magazine uses only a few different typefaces but
manages to combine them in a whole array of different ways. Effective and stylish!
Check it out.

99U Quarterly Magazine Issue No. 4

For more advice on combining your typefaces, check out these helpful tips.

20. Composition
Composition is a nice point to end on as it is the bringing together of every other
principle we’ve discussed.

‘Composition’ refers to the overall arrangement of elements in your design, which


sounds a bit dull when explained that way, I know, but it’s actually one of the more fun
elements of design. This is where you can play, experiment and make a good design
look great.

As mentioned, composition is basically where all the previous 19 elements we’ve


discussed come together. You can use scale, repetition, typography, line, randomness,
etc. to create unique, effective and suitable layouts.

Let’s look at some designs and pick apart their composition. First, we have this email
newsletter for J.Crew. This design puts the focus on the “30” by using scale and depth to
highlight it. It also draws attention to the title by using hierarchy and placing it at the top
centre of the page, making it larger than the other type, and framing it.
J.Crew
Factory Ad

These are just a few techniques implemented in this simple design. Note how they all
come together in this specific way to create a strong, attractive and effective design.

Here’s another random example – this time, a poster by Lab B Design Office. This
design uses similar techniques and design principles as the previous one, but producing a
very different result. This piece uses scale and depth by varying the scaling of the blocks
of type and positioning them around and behind the photograph to create depth. It also
uses hierarchy heavily, and frames the type in boxes and the image with the type.
His
Master’s Voice by Lab B Design Office

Overall, by using different combinations, techniques, and content you are able to create
an infinite amount of layouts.

Think of it like learning ‘do re mi’. Once you have that part down-pat, you can then use
different combinations of those notes to create just about any song you want to sing.

Sound Of Music metaphors aside, let’s run over some quick tips and tricks for mastering
your composition. Here are some important things to consider when it comes to
composition:

 Is the design balanced?


 Does the design have logical hierarchy?
 Does the eye follow over the page/s easily and logically?
 Is my main communication clear to audiences?

Conclusion
Design is a complicated business full of principles, tricks, and techniques, some of
which you can learn from others, and some of which you have to learn on your own.

Take every ‘rule’ you read about with a grain of salt and apply it where it feels
appropriate, and abandon the rules whenever you feel they aren’t. Design is a constantly
evolving and changing field and each situation is different, unique and exciting.

But, for the beginners amongst us, keep these 20 principles in mind. Whenever you’re
out and about, take note of posters, menus, and signs you see, and try to identify which
principles it uses and how it uses them. Develop a ‘design eye’ and keep a mental (or
physical) record of interesting ways to use these techniques and store that away for a
rainy day.

Overall, have fun with it. Play, experiment, but do it with purpose and care. Good luck!

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