This lesson has been adapted from “AIOT Graphic Design Lesson 7: Proximity, Alignment, Repetition, and Contrast”

The original lesson and many other graphic design lessons can be found at http://lroblee.wikispaces.com/Graphic+Design

The Principles of Graphic Design

Proximity

Alignment

Repetition

Contrast

Please take notes as we cover each of the 4 concepts below. There will be a graded assignment at the end of this mini-lesson. You will need your notes!

Proximity: Grouping Related Items Together

• Related items should be seen as a cohesive group (they should look like they go together).

• Unrelated items should not be in close proximity (they should not be close together).

Does this design have unity?

• Where do you begin reading?

• How many times does your eye stop?

• What separate elements could be grouped together?

Proximity provides visual clues about organization

• Where do you begin reading?

• How many times does your eye stop?

• What improvements would you make?

Alignment: Unifies and Organizes a Page

• When elements are aligned, invisible lines connect them in your eye and in your mind.

• Elements appear connected simply because of their placement

Aligning items so they go together

Which page is a stronger cohesive unit? What creates the cohesion?

Repetition: Repeating a part of the design

• Use repetition to create consistency and visual interest.

• Use repetition to achieve unity and organization.

Repetitive elements can be fonts, lines, bullets, colour, a design element, a format, or a spatial relationship.

How could you use repetition to create unity and organization in this design?

• When you look at this design, what do you know instantly about the world’s 15 best restaurants?

• What gives this design a look of inconsistency?

How is this an improvement over the last design?

• When you look at this design, what do you know instantly about the world’s 15 best restaurants?

• What are the repeating elements? List as many types of repetition as you can.

• Why does each part of the design look like it belongs?

Do This!

Contrast is created when elements are different

• Contrast creates interest on a page and aids in organization. Our eyes are drawn to contrasting elements.

• To be effective, contrast must be strong. If elements are not the same, make them very different.

Contrast creates interest

Which of these pages draws your eye in? Which page makes you want to read more?

List as many contrasting elements as you can find on this page.

Do This!

Watch Video Before Completing the

Assignment on the Next Slide!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eUhJ_jTrMQ

Explain how the cover on the right improves the proximity, alignment, repetition, and contrast?

Do This!(Hand In)