10 Basic Principles of Graphic
Design
Image credit: Unsplash
“There are three responses to a piece of design — yes, no,
and WOW! Wow is the one to aim for.” — Milton Glaser
Graphic design plays a critical role in brand-building and at the
same time, in showcasing your skill-sets. Although branding
and design are an inseparable experience, it’s important to
understand the fundamentals of graphic design before
embarking on any new assignment. When working with
clients, you get only one opportunity to make a strong first
impression, so why not infuse their experience with your
knowledge and application of design elements to a range of
projects — social media graphics, web and app UI, videos,
banners, advertisements, et al. Of course, as a designer, don’t
worry about drawing outside the lines and having fun whilst
doing it! In fact, you must frequently colour outside the lines to
pull away from a mediocre or a repetitive design structure, but,
the beginners must first know what those prescribed lines are.
So, let’s understand the ten basic design principles that will
help you create stunning graphics.
01. Balance
Balance lends stability and structure to an overall design. To
understand it better, think that there’s weight behind each of
your design elements. Shapes, text boxes and images are the
elements that form your design, so it’s important to be familiar
with the visual weight each of those elements possesses.
Now, this doesn’t mean that the elements always need to be
distributed evenly or that they must be of an equal size —
balance is either symmetrical or asymmetrical. Symmetrical
balance is when the weight of elements is evenly divided on
either side of the design, whereas asymmetrical balance uses
scale, contrast, and colour to achieve the flow in design.
A symmetrically balanced design. (Designed by: Anahat Rawal)
This vibrant design is a distribution of elements (stripes and colours) to achieve an asymmetrical
balance. (Designed by: Anahat Rawal)
02. Proximity
Proximity helps in creating a relationship between similar or
related elements. These elements need not be grouped,
instead, they should be visually connected by way of font,
colour, size, etc.
The above is an example of ‘Proximity.’ Here, a consistent shape (circle) and colours create an
organised design.
03. Alignment
Alignment plays a pivotal role in creating a seamless visual
connection with the design elements. It gives an ordered
appearance to images, shapes, and blocks of texts by
eliminating elements placed in a dishevelled manner.
The text, shape and image have been lined up in the middle, creating an ‘Alignment.’
04. Visual Hierarchy
In simple words, a hierarchy is formed when extra visual
weight is given to the most important element or message in
your design. It can be achieved in various ways — using
larger or bolder fonts to highlight the title; placing the key
message higher than the other design elements; or adding
focus to larger, more detailed and more colourful visuals than
those less relevant or smaller images.
In this design, you can easily point out the heading, date, shapes, image and also, the text at the
bottom.(Designed by: Anahat Rawal)
05. Repetition
Repetition is a fundamental design element, especially when it
comes to branding. It creates a rhythm and strengthens the
overall design by tying together consistent elements such as
logo and colour palette, making the brand or design instantly
recognisable to viewers.
In this online portfolio, the green colour is repeated across the page, creating cohesion and a
‘Repetition.’ (Designed by: Anahat Rawal http://bit.ly/Anahat_Behance)
06. Contrast
Contrast happens when there is a difference between the two
opposing design elements. The most common types of
contrast are dark vs. light, contemporary vs. old-fashioned,
large vs. small, etc. Contrast guides a viewer’s attention to the
key elements, ensuring each side is legible.
This image has been darkened to allow the text to create a sharp contrast against the background.
07. Colour
Colour is an important design basic and it dictates the overall
mood of a design. The colours you pick represent your brand
and its tonality, so be careful with the palette you choose. As a
graphic designer, it’s always helpful to have a basic
knowledge of colour theory, for example, gold & neutral
shades evoke an overall feel of sophistication, bright colours
signal happiness, and blue creates a feeling of calmness.
Colour palettes can be used as a contrast or even to
complement the elements.
This contrasting colour palette creates a vibrant and an energetic design.
08. Negative Space
We’ve discussed the importance of colours, images, and
shapes, but what about the space that is left blank? It is called
the ‘negative space’, which in simple words means the area
between or around the elements. If used creatively, negative
space can help create a shape and highlight the important
components of your design.
This is a stunning example of negative space. (Image Credit: Mallika
Favre http://malikafavre.com)
09. Typography
“Words have meaning, type has spirit,” — Paula Scher.
Typography is one of the key pillars of design, and it speaks
volumes about a brand or an artwork when executed
stylistically or even customised. Sometimes, ‘type’ is all you
need to showcase your design concept.
An example of display typography. (Designed by: Anahat Rawal)
10. Rules
Once you’re an adept graphic designer who understands the
foundations of design, then it’s time to break some of those
rules. And, by that, I don’t mean, use pixelated images or an
illegible font type. Remember, whatever it is that you’re
choosing to communicate, should not be compromised.
Sushileaf’s new album design is a rule-bending work of art. https://apple.co/2JgpSSW
While these principles may require some of you to be more
observant and take mental snapshots of novel designs (that
you stumble upon), they’re key principles for those who want
to create a great brand by way of strong visuals and content.
