PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

This is the first page you land on after clicking a link. It could be a home page, a blog post, a product post…. you get the idea. It is synonymous to the receptionist of an office.

Here with me is the landing page of the website of an online store that sells boots, that I conjured.

Without further ado, I will be explaining what some of these design principles are and highlight how they were used singly in the design above. Different schools of thoughts have various listings for the types of principles of designs but I will be talking about the common ones in this article.

This is how the elements within a composition are arranged either symmetrically, asymmetrically, or radially to create the impression of equality in weight or importance. Balance is the distribution of the visual weight of objects, colors, texture, and space.

I pictured all the elements in this composition actively spaced to allow them breathe well. To ensure this balance, I put equal spaces at both ends for better visual accommodation. I also made sure they it is balanced on both sides to create cohesiveness, completion, and satisfaction. To achieve optimal balance, my composition is somewhat balanced horizontally.

Have you ever looked at something that made your eyes hurt? A flyer with funny looking fonts that you had to squint to decipher? Or a newspaper ad that is barely legible because the dark grey type was printed against black ink? This is a from lack of contrast, or the arrangement of opposite elements.

As seen above, there is a clear distinction in the texts (red arrows). The colors show variations calling attention to where it is needed. A drop shadow is even put in the ‘BUY NOW’ as a call to action. Similarly, in the icons at the right (olive green arrow), the shape shows the variation in the icons as well.

Contrast helps to show that one item is different for the other to create emphasis or call attention.

Alignment is an important principle of design. It helps create a sharp, ordered appearance for ultimately better designs by ensuring your various elements have a pleasing connection with each other. If something looks not quite right in your design, check your alignment!

I made sure that the elements ranging from icons to shapes and then to texts aligned at points worthy of reference. Alignments can be very difficult to obtain especially for beginners so don’t beat yourself over it. Just be consistent as this will give your work a bettet feel. Imagining an invisible grid will also not be a bad idea to prevent disorganization.

Repeating colors, fonts, words, or shapes can help tie your design and overall look together — it also helps people remember your brand or other important information. As much as humans love spontaneity, there should be consistency to prevent confusion.

In the landing page, only two fonts were used and two major colors, that are purple and marigold. If there are so many colors, there will be disorganization. Every item has a consistent feel which has been displayed in the colors and even the style.

…I am sure this made you feel at home and also to maintain focus.

The parts of your design you choose to leave blank are just as important as the ones you’re filling with colors, text, and images. Negative space, otherwise known as white space, creates shape and can help highlight the most important pieces of information in your design.

I also made sure that my negative space was enhancing my texts and all other elements in between. This prevents overcrowding and allows my content get sufficient oxygen.

Color is a powerful design principle because it helps you communicate on an emotional and subconscious level. Understanding the basics of color theory can help you use color to your advantage. For instance, blue tends to make people feel calm or trusting, while red can help rile up emotions can get people to take action. It is why stop signs – and often, buy buttons – tend to be red.

I chose purple because it seemed so subtle to use. I also chose a color that could complement the color of the boots in the image and purple seemed to be the best fit.

There are other design principles which can be used interchangeably with the ones I have stated in here and most importantly, when the principles are combined and used correctly, the design commands attention and is always hard to ignore. It guides your eye through, keeping you visually entertained and engaged.

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