Five Key Principles of Design

Designers follow core principals to bring different pieces of content together, create style, and emphasize a message. Understanding these principles and how they can be used together is vital to a designer’s work, because visual communication is just as (if not more) important than the written message it’s trying to reinforce.

Unity

You achieve unity when all parts of the design share the same amount of importance in the design and no individual part overpowers the design. This can be achieved through use of:

Proximity

• Pieces of the design are physically close to one another and are considered related

Similarity

• Related pieces of the design share similar position, size, color, shape, or texture

Repetition & Rhythm

• Repetition is created by repeating sizes, colors, shapes, or positions throughout a design to create a group (or unit) of similar pieces, and rhythm is created when the repeated pattern is the main focus of the design and is interrupted by a different piece to create a variation in the design as a whole

Balance

You achieve balance by matching the visual weight of a piece (the amount of attention it receives) with the other pieces in the design, so no one part takes away from the whole. The different types of balance are:

Symmetrical

• Created when half of the design mirrors the other—the pieces being mirrored may not be identical but may mirror color, number of objects, or other similarities between the two sides (symmetry creates a formal feeling in the design)

Asymmetrical

• The opposite of symmetrical balance, it is created when the two sides of the design do not mirror each other—one side holds more attention than the other through contrasting colors, sizes, or other differences (asymmetry creates a dynamic feeling in the design)

Radial

• Created when other pieces in a design are arranged around a central piece, so they radiate out from it in a circular fashion

Hierarchy

A good design contains elements that lead the viewer through each piece in order of significance, from most to least important.

Scale

A designer can attract attention to a focal point using differently sized pieces against each other. For example, scale can create drama by making graphics larger than life.

Emphasis

A designer can create emphasis by contrasting size, position, color, style, or shape, making the focal point of the design stand out and draw the viewer to it first without sacrificing the unity of the whole.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_elements_and_principles
http://www.online.tusc.k12.al.us/tutorials/grdesign/grdesign.htm
http://www.globalization-group.com/edge/resources/color-meanings-by-culture/