2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 1 Principles and Elements of Design MOVEMENT, BALANCE, UNITY, CONTRAST, EMPHASIS, LINE, AND COLOR

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 2 Graphic design elements  Graphic design elements are the building blocks of graphics.  Line  Color  Shape  Texture

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 3 Lines  Lines can be straight or curved.  How are lines used in the composition on this slide?

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 4 Color definitions  Hue is another word for color.  Chroma is the intensity or purity of color.  Tint is a color mixed with white.  Tone is a color mixed with gray.  Shade is a color mixed with black.

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 5 Color and contrast  Using color can enhance or detract from a composition.  Color wheels help determine which colors are in greatest contrast. Use Kuler from Adobe Labs to try out new color schemes:

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 6 Color wheels  Analogous colors are a palette of compatible color combinations that blend well together. They are neighbors on the color wheel. They tend to live harmoniously because they are relatives to each other.  Complementary colors are opposite each other on the color wheel. They contrast, enhance and intensify each other. Therefore, complementary colors need to be used with caution. Share color wheel document

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 7 Color in design  Use color to label or show hierarchy.  Use color to represent or imitate reality.  Use color to unify, separate, or emphasize.  Use color to decorate.  Use color consistently.

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 8 Shapes  Shapes are enclosed objects that can be created by line or created by color and value changes that define their edges.

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 9 Texture  Texture is the surface look of an object created by varying dark and light areas.  Roughness  Smoothness  Depth

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 10 Credit where credit is due … Robin Williams Susan Hilligoss and Tharon Howard Susan Hilligoss and Tharon Howard

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 11 Four concepts  C ontrast  R epetition  A lignment  P roximity

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 12 Contrast “ The use of opposing elements, such as colors, forms, or lines, in proximity to produce an intensified effect in a work of art “ “The difference in brightness between the light and dark areas of a picture, such as a photograph or video image ”

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 13 Example of Nature Contrast

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 14 Repetition Key idea: “Repeat some aspect of the design throughout the entire piece.”

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 15 Repetition  When you get to the end of the information, does your eye just wander off the card? Here we go with the band again. Not a bad card, right? But note the question here: Now look at the change...

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 16 Repetition  Repeated bold type encourages reader to “bounce” between the two dominant typefaces Boldfacing that number, so it pairs with the headline, really makes it jump, and it hold your eye on the information.

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 17 Alignment Key idea: “Nothing should be placed on the page arbitrarily. Every item should have a visual connection with something else on the page.”

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 18 Alignment  No element has any connection to the others.  Elements aligned

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 19 Alignment Here’s a pretty standard layout, centered.

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 20 Alignment But look how much crisper it looks with alignment, plus some thought about proximity.

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 21 Alignment  Trapped white space pushes elements apart Does the text go with the cartoon, or are they independent chunks of information? The ragged right type seems to separate the elements.

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 22 Alignment  “ Find a strong line and use it.” Flush right type makes use of image’s border. Change the alignment, and it becomes obvious that they go together. Note the strong lines Robin Williams uses in this example to get alignment. Flush right type, strong vertical line on the cartoon.

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 23 Proximity  “Proximity, or closeness, implies a relationship.” Key idea: “Group related items together”

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 24 Proximity Problem: Reader’s eye must bounce all around card to obtain information

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 25 Proximity Solution: Group together related elements

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 26 Proximity Problems:  The two items in top left are in close proximity but not related  Gaps separate related items

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 27 Proximity Sol ut ion:  Regroup information  Change to caps/lowercase  Use squared edges  Let image break out of box

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 28 Proximity Problem:  Everything is close to everything else

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 29 Proximity Solution:  Contents are grouped  Contrast is added with headlines/rules

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 30 Contrast Problem:  What is the focus? Border? Eagles? Type? This slide shows the kind of design you see all the time from do-it-yourself Yellow Page customers. How in the world do you start accessing this information? It is daunting!

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 31 Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity Solution:  Contrast  Alignment  Repetition  Proximity Here is the same ad with all four principles being applied. How are they being used here?

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 32 Graphic design principles  Graphic design principles are ways in which elements are used together.  Movement  Balance  Emphasis  Unity

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 33 Movement  Movement is the use of lines, color, and repetition to create the illusion of motion.  Curved forms or lines  Repetition of geometric forms  Fuzzy lines or outlines

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 34 Lines  Lines can indicate motion or direction.  How are lines used in the composition on this slide?

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 35 Balance  Balance is the act of comparing or estimating two things, one against the other, and the contrast between:  Empty space (white space) and filled space  Text and images  Color and no colors and different colors  Textures against flat colors

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 36 Balance in composition  There are three different types of balance when using color, shape, and position:  Symmetry  Asymmetry  Radial symmetry

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 37 Symmetrical or formal balance  You can usually identify at least one of three lines of symmetry.  Horizontal  Vertical  Diagonal

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 38 Symmetrical balance

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 39 Examples of symmetrical balance

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 40 Examples of asymmetrical balance

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 41 Examples of radial balance

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 42 Unity  Unity: The correct balance of composition or color that produces a harmonious effect.  What is the focus of the message?

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 43 Emphasis  Emphasis: To express with particular stress or force.  What message is stressed here?

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 44 How do you see it? Good Aspects: ~ Use of borders and shading ~ Headlines stand out ~ Format is balanced What could be Improved: ~ More white space around text ~ Resist the use of hyphenation ~ Allow more space between header and start of information.

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 45 How do you See It? Would this Newsletter attract your reader to the material?

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 46 How do you See It? What a difference contrast makes!

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 47 You do the comparison

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 48 You do the comparison

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 49 Don’t Be a Wimp (in your designs)  Use Color  Place information in frames and boxes  Hierarchy, Hierarchy, Hierarchy  Use Graphic Art to add to your materials  Make it FUN for you and your reader!

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 50 Summary  The basis of good graphic design is use of design elements and their thoughtful application in the form of design principles.  Clearly identify what you are trying to accomplish — use design to convey your message.  Brainstorm alternatives.