What are the principles of design?
The principles of design are the rules a designer must follow to create an effective and attractive composition. A principle of design is a rule that governs how design elements should appear on the page or screen. Working together, these principles of design are necessary to create pieces of design that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
These rules work behind the scenes to make sure a design is stable, balanced, and successfully delivers its message. All while still allowing the visuals to pop.
This piece will highlight the seven key principles of design to remember and analyze how they apply to us in the world of UX.
The fundamental 7 principles of design are:
- Alignment and balance
- Contrast and hierarchy
- Emphasis
- Movement
- Proportion
- Repetition
- White space
Design differs from art in that it has to have a purpose. Visually, this functionality is interpreted by making sure an image has a center of attention, a point of focus. Maybe you’re thinking, ‘But wait! I thought the design was all about creativity?’ If you’re an entrepreneur or designer who’s just starting out, you might be tempted to go wild and combine the first five typefaces, and colors that catch your eye, believing you’re creating something fresh and new. You will probably find yourself with a design that is muddled, unfinished, or well, just plain ugly.
Graphic design, like any discipline, adheres to strict rules that work beneath the surface to make the work stable and balanced. If the design is missing that balance, it will be weak and ineffective.
