Mastering Design Principles: Contrast, Alignment, and Proximity

1. Contrast Big Title Small aftermath Dark Background Light writing If two things are not the same then you should make them different. Contrast Draws you eye to the page. Go Big and Bold!

2. Repetition • Repeat some aspect of the design throughout the entire piece. • A conscious effort to unify all parts of a design.

3. ALIGNMENT • Nothing should be placed on the page arbitrarily. • Every item should have a visual connection with something else on the page. Left alignment is more sophisticated Centered Alignment is Boring and is formal! Right alignment is more daring and modern

4. Proximity • Grouping related items together • If the information is organized and grouped together it is more likely to be read. Apples… Apples are red, Green or Yellow Apples have stars in the middle They have a stem Another part of an apple is the skin Pumpkins… Pumpkins are Orange Pumpkins have seeds inside They have stems They grow on a vine

5. Fonts Sans Serif • “Sans” means “without” • Sans Serif does not have feet on the letters • It has classic grace of an oldstyle, but with the serifs removed Apple Symbols Ayuthaya Geneva • Serif • Serif’s have feet on the letters • Serifs are very high on the readability scale • Baskerville Chaparral • Black Oak std