Principles of Design/Layouting

PowerPoint Presentation

Balance

It has mirror image symmetry, but it is not particularly compellingIntroductionMedia designers - those who create newspapers, magazines, web pages, advertising, and any other visual media image - operate with a basic set of principles, just as artists, musicians and writers do. Certain visuals are more appealing to you when you view them. Usually, this is not an accident; it is the result of careful planning based on design principles. Here are some design principles that need to be addressed when taking photographs or video or constructing web pages or newspaper layout.BalanceSymmetry distribute the weight on each side of an image or layout. (see example on next slide)Asymmetrydifferent but equal visual weight on each sideBalance is achieved through optical weightslead their eyes where you want them to go - from the most important element to what you consider the least

Look at the newspaper front page. Is it symmetrical or asymmetrical? Which part of the page, top, or bottom, has the most weight? Is the page balanced left to right?

BalanceProportionIt is simply arranging spaces in the picture in pleasing relationship. The bigger something is, the more space it should receive.things that are more important are made larger. Therefore, the more important items are larger than the less important items

Repetition and VarietyRepetition is repeating visual elements to create a pattern.it is pleasing to the eye to find these patterns in the things that you want to photograph and to create them in your media designs.Variety breaks up the monotony and gives us a surprise at times. Take a look at this photo and think about how these two are working together.

SequenceThis concept goes naturally with the idea of balance and proportion.Readers in the Western world generally read from left to right, top to bottomBut, readers also move from big to little, black to white, color to non-color, from unusual shapes to ordinary shapes. You can move readers with lines or imagined lines that might do all sorts of things such as extend into another element on the page.This means that you as a designer can move readers' eyes in sequence all over the page if you plan carefully.

UnityThis deals with harmony. Everything should and must look as if it fits together. This applies to photographs in such a way the elements should cohere. Everything in the photograph should strive to be its own little piece of art.

Specific ways to achieve unity in your web or newspaper design:Bold approaches usually use Sans Serif type styles. Avoid using too many different types of fonts in any one production. Multiple fonts tend to confuse readers. Limit yourself to about three per page.Consistent placement is a way to achieve unity, such as always placing a heading in the same place with the same type font, etc.Dramatic shapes are more appealing than squares. Squares are boring. Images that are much wider than they are tall or much taller than they are wide capture readers' attention. Aim for this in the images you place on Web pages and in print publications.Unity is also obtained by using fewer rather than more elements on a page. Fewer elements allow you to group things together that are relatedEmphasis and EconomyWith emphasis you want to train yourself to look through the viewfinder and focus on a single visual element. Decide what the focal point of the event is and then position the camera accordingly. With economy you'll want to eliminate everything not necessary to communicate the information. Frame the shot so that all the other things that distract from the focal point are out of the photo.

Emphasis and EconomyThink about how the photographer has achieved economy and emphasis. What do you think the photographer wants you to see? What do you see in the photo that distracts from the main subject or emphasis?

Emphasis and EconomyNow look at this photo. What do you think the photographer wants the viewer to see? Does this photo achieve emphasis and economy?

Emphasis and EconomyEmphasis may be achieved through bigger, blacker, more colorful, more unusually shaped.Only one item or cluster dominates per page, spread or Web page. The image of the Florida State football team is the obvious dominating element in the layout at the left.

Possible Design Concepts to AvoidPicture cutouts: using star shapes, etc. Bad pictures are bad no matter what. Tilts: turning pictures off centerVertical typography.Mortises: putting type over parts of picturesOverlapsThank you for listening!Source: http://org.elon.edu/visual_literacy