Design: Importance of the Principles.
In my journey through design, I know just started but you see with the little knowledge I have gathered, I have realized that every little detail matters. And paying attention to the principles of component that makes design is key.
The fundamentals of design are the basis of every medium and is all about the bigger picture, that is, appreciating the very small details that make up the compositions. I will be explaining why every one of them matters #Allprinciplesmatter. The basic element of Design includes; Line, Shape, Form, Texture, and Balance.
#1. Line: This is a shape that connects 2 or more points. It could be thin, fat, jagged, wavy. It appears frequently in design and is used to divide or organize contents or even guide the user’s eye. When working with lines, you have to pay attention to details like the weight, color, texture, these decide the quality and impact of your work.
#2. Shape: This is any 2-dimensional area with a recognizable boundary. It includes circles, square, triangle, etc. There are 2 categories of shape; a) Geometric Shapes and b)Organic Shapes. Shapes are a vital part of communicating ideas visually by giving images depth and making us recognize them.
#3. Form: When a shape becomes 3 dimensional, it becomes a form. It can be implied using blending techniques such as shadows and perspective.
#4. Texture: This describes the physical quality of a surface. It can be 3dimensional or implied. You see, texture adds depth and tactility to flat images which makes the image appear smooth, rough, hard or soft depending on elements at play. You have to be subtle when applying texture to your design.
#5. Balance: This describes the equal distribution of visual weight. It can be affected by color, size, number, negative space. I must admit it can be tricky for a beginner. Following balance, designs are of 2 types :
I) Symmetrical Design: Designs that are the same or similar on both sides of an axis and feel balanced.
ii) Asymmetrical design: Designs that are different but the weight is evenly distributed.
#Principle of Typography.
This is the style or appearance of text, it is the art of working with text. The component of typography are Typeface and Fonts; Typeface describes the specific styling (Bold, Regular, Medium) while Font is a complete set of characters that share the same typeface, styling, and size (San serif, Roboto, etc). The 3 major types of fonts are ;
i) Serif font: This font has little strokes called Serif attached to the letter.
ii) San serif: Unlike the serif font, it has no stroke attached, hence, its name which means “without serif” in french.
iii) Display Font: This font is best for small amount of texts like header and tiles.
#Principle of Color.
Color plays a vital role and is a major aspect of the design building block. It helps to set mood or emotion, used for communicating something important or not. Every color sends a message and is seen in our everyday lives.
Color theory is the guideline that informs you of the color that fits together. The type of colors include;
- Primary Color: This includes Red, Green, and Blue.
- Secondary Color: Combination of 2 Primary colors.
- Tertiary Color: Combination of 1 primary and 1 secondary color. And all these form the color wheel.
#Principle of Layout&Composition.
This helps to give your design structure and makes it easier to navigate. Its 4 basic principle includes
- Proximity: Uses visual space to show the relationship in your content, all you have to do is make sure related items are grouped together.
- Whitespace: These are areas that do not contain any design element. It gives room to breathe and helps define and separate different sections.
- Alignment: It helps with the arrangement and good arrangement makes design appealing.
- Contrast: It is the difference between elements and helps emphasize the information the designs to convey.
With these fundamentals I have listed out, I hope it helps you just as it helped me to create the very best designs that catch the eyes.
