SayPro Describe the principles and elements to a design project.

What Makes Good Design? Basic Elements and PrinciplesDesign InspirationThe wide availability of visual tools both online and offline has made it quite easy to create homemade graphic designs. Today, more and more freelancers and non-professional designers are using visual tools to jump start a career in graphic design. If you’re looking to improve your understanding of design and its creation, then read on.This blog post will not only delve into the details of the basic elements of design, it will go further by explaining the principles of how elements should be put together to create an entertaining and amusing visual project for yourself and your client.The Elements of DesignA beautiful design is not a product of great imagination or a result of an idea. Rather, it is a product of carefully plotted design elements chosen to create a visual representation of the idea and the imagination.Design is not about pictures placed together and arranged in a way that creates a story. Design is about creating harmony among the elements and having them come together in a final product that is unequivocally outstanding.The elements of design refer to a set of particular guidelines for graphic designers or artists. Design elements are the basic unit of painting, design, drawing, or any other visual piece coming into existence.These elements are vital to every visual project.LINEThe most basic design element is the line. With a simple drawing a line is regarded as just a mere stroke of a pen, but in the field or study of design, a line connects any two points. Lines are effectively used in separating or creating a space between other elements or to provide a central focus.The direction, weight, and character of the line can convey different states of emotions and can evoke various reactions.COLORColour affects the mood of the visual design. Colour represents different emotions and represents different personalities. The use of the colour red, for example, can incite anger, love, and passion or strong will. On the other hand, the colour blue creates a sense of peace, serenity, and security.Colour effectively contributes to the unity of a series of flyers and puts emphasis on the pertinent information that is conveyed by the other visual elements.Colour can stand alone at any time. It can serve as a background or be a supporting element to other elements. It can heighten the impact of shapes, lines, and fonts on texture. The use of individual colour is easy, but combining one with another will require a deeper understanding of its psychological implication in visual design.Start designing beautiful visual content with this easy-to-use tool.SHAPEA shape is formed when a line encloses an area. It is always defined by boundaries and more often used to stress a particular portion of a page.In design, shapes can be created when you are combining all other elements or they can be combined to create icons or symbols for your design project.Use shapes to add interest to your elements. Angular shapes indicate masculinity while velvety and curvy shapes like circles indicate femininity. Square shapes, elements, or designed items communicate security, trustworthiness, and stability. On the other hand, circles are like eye candy: They are organic, complete, indestructible, and almost always communicate unity.TEXTURETexture is the perceived surface quality of a work of art. Texture is hard to identify in today’s visual applications, but for career graphic designers, texture is a fun and creative design element that can be experimented with to add realism to any project design. It makes any visual design unique and can increase the visual value of any given element.Texture can be used to accent a particular area of the visual project so that it becomes more dominant than the other elements.SIZE AND SCALEThese elements go hand in hand. They are responsible for bringing balance, proportion, and contrast to every design.Size refers to the actual dimensions of a particular element, while the scale is its relation to the original value, and proportion refers to the relation of all present elements to both size and scale.Scale and proportion are used to indicate the exact size of an object or to emphasize the difference in size of two objects found on a particular visual presentation.DIRECTIONDirection is an element of design that establishes the general mood and atmosphere. It creates the illusion that there is movement within the design.Visual direction refers to instances in which the content screams “look over here” through the use of horizontal and vertical lines.Vertical lines establish an atmosphere of balance, alertness, and formality.Horizontal lines communicate peace, stability, and tranquillity.Oblique lines, on the other hand, suggest movement and action.The Principles of DesignPrinciple in this field refers to the ways elements may be manipulated to create a work of art.The principles and elements of design both carry the same weight in executing an effective piece. If you disregard the principles, then you have a visual piece that lacks a story.These principles are guidelines that are used to visually communicate the ideas represented by the elements.In a previous post, we discussed Visual Communication as an effective tool in conveying the company message and corporate mission. Today, we show you how to be more effective in creating visual content that is both appealing and informative.PROXIMITYProximity refers to the way in which elements are grouped together so that the attention of the viewer or reader is redirected to the various parts of the visually designed message. It is the nearness of one element to another.Proximity preserves unity and maintains the continuity of visual elements. It creates the relationship and connection among the elements on a page. Proximity provides a focal point, which is the centre of interest or activity.BALANCEBalance is the distribution of the various visual weights of the objects used in the visual presentation, the proper combination and harmony of colours used the tone and refinement of visual texture, and the appropriate use of space.Balance provides stability and structure in a particular design. Balance in design is similar to the concept of balance in Physics.ALIGNMENTThis particular principle refers to the order and organization between and among the elements. When elements are aligned, they create a visual connection with each other that communicates a story.Alignment serves to put elements together in a visible and readable arrangement. Alignment is the sister or extension of proximity. It specifically refers to positioning items in such a way that they line up with each other..Access thousands of vector icons, images and design templates.REPETITIONRepetition may be overwhelming, but not in design. Repetition is visually appealing when used to put emphasis on particular elements and can effectively grab the attention of a reader.Repetition strengthens the design by connecting individual elements together. It creates consistency and association, while at the same time creating a feeling of organized movement.CONTRASTContrast is defined as “the difference in visual properties that makes one object distinguishable from other objects.” Contrast is often used to emphasize key elements in specific design projects.Contrast is used to make elements stand out and grab attention. Contrast, like proximity, creates a focal point in a visual design.Contrast creates visual excitement and increases the interest of any work of art or design creation.A colour contrast, for example, can redirect the attention of a reader to a more important part or message of a presentation.SPACEThis principle is also known as white space or negative space. This is the very open, underutilized area of any visual presentation or creation.Space is an area activated by the elements. It is the active and visible distance or area between and around, above, and below or within the elements used in one project design.Direction: a Basic Element of DesignBottom of FormAmong the elements of good page design—whether for print or web—is the concept of direction, which is closely aligned with movement. Elements in the page design intentionally guide the viewers’ eyes from one area of the page to another. The three directions common in designs that are used to direct the eye are:

• Horizontal – If you divide the page or screen in half from side to side with a line or other element, the eye moves to each element in the top half of the design before moving to the section under the horizontal line or element that divides the page.

• Vertical – If you have two long, narrow columns of text or two long narrow photos or graphic elements, you have a design with a vertical direction. The eye flows from the top of one column to its bottom and then moves to the top of the second column.
• Diagonal – If you use diagonals or triangles in your design, the eye is captured, particularly on the web where you don’t see many diagonal direction layouts.

Every page design has a dominant direction, which is established by the placement of the most important elements.Use of Direction in DesignIn web design, direction is most often determined by the images on the page, but you can also impose direction through the placement of type or graphic elements on the page, and with lines— especially when they have arrowheads on them.How to Include Direction in Print and Web DesignsIncorporate direction in your web designs in the following ways:

• Look at your images to determine which direction the subjects are facing. If the people in the picture are looking to the right, then you should place the image on the left side of the page. Otherwise, the direction of the eyes in the photo will direct your readers’ eyes away from the page. You don’t want any people looking off the side of the page.

• Use your layout to suggest direction. Position dense elements, like photos, in horizontal, vertical or diagonal lines. While less dense elements, like text, surround them.
• Use lines, images or HR tags, to suggest movement and direction. A horizontal line is quiet and moves the eye smoothly from left to right on the page. A vertical line suggests movement from top to bottom, and a diagonal line strongly indicates movement from one area of the page to another.

• Unbalanced elements also indicate direction and movement.

Layout Characteristics That Influence Direction and MovementThe eye usually goes to the largest element on a page first. It may be a large photo or a large headline. Where it moves next is a function of direction in the design. In a good design, the place the eye goes next leads to an important part of the message the page is attempting to deliver. The motion of the first large object on the page to the next important object can be influenced by several things including:

• Colour. A bright colon attracts the eye more quickly than a neutral colon.
• Graphics. A pointing finger or an arrow causes the eye to look in a certain direction.
• Shapes. A shape that winds through the page—like a spiral or a dotted line moving from one element to the next—carries the eye along its path.

How to Determine DirectionIf you aren’t sure how to design a page to indicate direction, experiment by looking at web pages and print publications specifically to identify where your eye goes first and then where it goes second. Then look for the reason that happened. Once you recognize the design elements that cause your eye to move from one element to the next, you can use those elements in your own design.Balance – Basic Principles of DesignBalance in design is the distribution of elements of the design. Balance is a visual interpretation of gravity in the design. Large, dense elements appear to be heavier while smaller elements appear to be lighter. You can balance designs in three ways:

• symmetrical balance
• asymmetrical balance
• discordant or off-balance

Use of Balance in DesignBalance in Web design is found in the layout. The position of elements on the page determines how balanced the page appears.One big challenge to achieving visual balance in Web design is the fold. You may design a layout that is perfectly balanced in the initial view, but when the reader scrolls the page, it can come out of balance.How to Include Balance in Web DesignsThe most common way to incorporate balance into Web designs is in the layout. But you can also use the float style property to position elements and balance them across the page. A very common way to balance a layout symmetrically is to centre the text or other elements on the page.Most Web pages are built on a grid system, and this creates a form of balance for the page right away. Customers can see the grid, even if there aren’t any visible lines. And Web pages are well suited to grid designs because of the square nature of Web shapes.Symmetrical BalanceSymmetrical balance is achieved by placing elements in a very even fashion in the design. If you have a large, heavy element on the right side, you’ll have a matching heavy element on the left.Cantering is the easiest way to get a symmetrically balanced page. But be careful, as it can be difficult to create a cantered design that doesn’t look flat or boring. If you want a symmetrically balanced design, it’s better to create the balance with different elements – such as an image on the left and a large block of heavier text to the right of it.Asymmetrical BalanceAsymmetrically balanced pages can be more challenging to design – as they don’t have elements matched across the centreline of the design. For example, you might have a large element placed very close to the centreline of the design. To balance it asymmetrically, you might have a small element farther away from the centreline. If you think of your design as being on a teeter-totter or seesaw, a lighter element can balance a heavier one by being further away from the centre of gravity. You can also use colour or texture to balance an asymmetrical design.Discordant or Off-BalanceSometimes the purpose of the design makes an off-balance or discordant design work well. Designs that are off-balance suggest motion and action. They make people uncomfortable or uneasy. If the content of your design is also intended to be uncomfortable or make people think, a discordantly balanced design can work well.

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