1. Four Design Principles

2. FOUR BASIC PRINCIPLES Contrast Repetition Alignment Proximity
Although each design principle is discussed separately, they are really interconnected
Rarely will you apply only one principle

3. CONTRAST Created when two elements are different
If two items are not exactly the same, then make them different REALLY DIFFERENT

4. BASIC PURPOSE OF CONTRAST
Basic purpose is two-fold:
One purpose is to create an interest on the page
The other purpose is to aid in the organization of the information

5. HOW TO GET CONTRAST WHAT TO AVOID CONTRAST Add contrast through
Typeface choices
Line thickness
Colors
Shapes, Sizes, Space
WHAT TO AVOID CONTRAST
If you are going to contrast – do it with strength. Avoid contrasting a sort-of-heavy line with a sort-of-heavier line, brown text with black headlines

6. HEATH HAWKS
CONTRAST
CONTRAST

7. REPETITION
Repeat some aspects of the design throughout the entire place
The repetitive element may be a bold font, a thick rule (line), a certain bullet, color, design element, particular format, spatial relationships. It can be anything a reader will visually recognize.

8. BASIC PURPOSE OF REPETITION
To unify and to add visual interest

9. WHAT TO AVOID REPETITION
HOW TO GET REPETITION
Think of repetition as being consistent
Use a 1-point rule at the bottom of each page or under the headline
Use a distinctive font or a reversed number
WHAT TO AVOID REPETITION
Avoid repeating the element so much that it becomes annoying or overwhelming

10. Mickey Mouse Employment Education Favorite Activities Favorite Quote
Walt Disney Studios
Anaheim, California
58 years old, no children
Employment
Walt Disney Studio
Various television studios
Education
Favorite Activities
Driving steamboats
Roping cattle
Favorite Quote
Everybody can’t be a duck.
Repetitions:
Bold Typeface
Light Typeface
Round Bullets
Indents
Spacing
Alignments

11. ALIGNMENT Nothing should be placed on the page arbitrarily
Every item should have a visual connection with something else on the page

12. Center text, make it obvious.
TEXT ALIGNMENTS
This text is centered.
If you are going to
Center text, make it obvious.
See, in this paragraph it is difficult to tell if this text was centered purposely or perhaps accidentally. The line lengths are not the same, but they are not really different. It you can’t instantly tell that the type is centered, why bother?
This text is flush left. Some people call it quad left, or you can say it is left aligned.
This text is flush right. Some people call it quad right, or you can say it is right aligned.
This test is justified. Some people call it quad left and right, and some it blocked – the text lines up on both sides. Whatever you call it, don’t do it unless your line length is long enough to avoid awkward gaps between the words.

13. BASIC PURPOSE OF ALIGNMENT
To unify and organize the page
Strong alignment creates a sophisticated look, or a formal look, a fun look, or a serious look

14. HOW TO GET ALIGNMENT Be conscious of where you place elements
Always find something else on the page to align with, even if the two objects are physically far away from each other

15. WHAT TO AVOID ALIGNMENT
Avoid using more than one text alignment on the page (don’t center some text and right-align other text)
Try to break away from centered alignment

16. PROXIMITY Group Related Items Together
Move them physically close to each other
As in life, the proximity, or the closeness, implies a relationship
Items or groups of information that are not related to each other should not be in close proximity (nearness) to the other elements
When several items are in close proximity to each other, they become one visual unit rather than several separate units.

17. BASIC PURPOSE OF PROXIMITY
Basic purpose of proximity is to organize

18. HOW TO GET PROXIMITY
Squint your eyes slightly and count the number of visual elements on the page by counting the number of times your eye stops.
If more than 3 to 5 items on the page see which of the separate elements can be grouped together into closer proximity to become one visual unit

19. WHAT TO AVOID PROXIMITY
Avoid too many separate elements on a page
Don’t stick things in the corners and in the middle
Avoid leaving equal amounts of white space between elements unless each group is a part of a subset
Don’t create relationships with elements that don’t belong together! If they are not related, move them apart from each other.

20. Lessons from hitchhiking
What Goes Around
Comes Around
Lessons from hitchhiking
Across the country
Robin Williams
January 1, 2003

21. Lessons from hitchhiking
What Goes Around
Comes Around
Lessons from hitchhiking
Across the country
Robin Williams
January 1, 2003
PROXIMITY

22. What Goes Around Comes Around Lessons from hitchhiking
Across the country
Robin Williams
January 1, 2003
ALIGNMENT

23. What Goes Around Comes Around Lessons from hitchhiking
Across the country
Robin Williams
REPETITION

24. Comes AROUND What Goes Lessons from hitchhiking across the country
CONTRAST
Robin Williams