Week 1: The Four Basic Principles of Design

Proximity, Alignment, Repetition and Contrast

ProximityGrouping of related items together

The proximity, or closeness, implies relationship

The basic purpose of proximity is to organize

Proximity Grouping of related items together The proximity, or closeness, implies

relationship The basic purpose of proximity is to organize

Proximity

Proximity (examples by Lesa Snider, Macworld.com)

Before After

Proximity (artdesignstudio.com)

Proximity USE ALL CAPS SPARINGLY White space is good. It gives your eyes a

break.

AlignmentNothing should be placed on a page arbitrarily.

Every item should have a visual connection with something else on the page.

Unity is an important concept in design.

Alignment Nothing should be placed on a page arbitrarily.

Every item should have a visual connection with something else on the page.

Unity is an important concept in design.

Alignment (examples from http://desktoppub.)about.com/od/designprinciples/l/aa_pod2.htm)

Before After

Alignment (oxfordgarden.com)

Repetition Repeat some aspect of the design throughout

the entire piece.

Bookman Old Style Subheads Triangle bullets and a light typeface (Gills

Sans MT) Bullets are all indented the same Everything is aligned the same

Repetition Business card, letterhead and envelope

Contrast Contrast is created when two elements are

different. If two items are not exactly the same, then make them different. Really Different.

Contrast (http://www.letsmakeitadate.com/)

Contrast Before

After