The importance of graphic design cannot be stressed enough when it comes to building a brand and showcasing skills. Branding and design go hand in hand but before working on a new project, it is crucial to understand the basic principles of graphic design.
Web designers have this one and only chance to leave a first lasting impression when they work with clients so they should use all their experiences and knowledge when applying design elements to different projects like advertisements, banners, social media graphics, videos as well as web and app UI among others. Designers need not stick to all the rules but rather have fun while doing the job.
As a matter of fact, they should use their creativity and think outside the box to avoid creating ordinary or boring design structure. However, those who are new to web design should know the prescribed lines. Therefore it is important to understand the fundamentals of graphic design to come up with remarkable graphics.
Balance
Balance provides structure and stability to a design. For a better understanding, designers should imagine that design elements have a weight on each of them. Design is made up of elements like images, shapes and text boxes therefore it is crucial to know the visual weight possessed by each element. The elements do not necessarily have to be distributed evenly or be equal in size. The symmetrical and asymmetrical are the two types of balance. Symmetrical balance is the even distribution of the weight on both sides of the design while asymmetrical balance makes use of color, contrast and scale to maintain the flow.
Proximity
The principle of proximity involves forming a relationship between similar elements. They do not have to be grouped together but rather visually connected in terms of color, font and size, to name a few.
Alignment
The proper alignment in web design can create a seamless visual connection with design elements to make them more visually appealing. The blocks of texts, images and shapes are in an orderly manner since elements that are arranged in a disheveled way are removed.
Visual Hierarchy
Visual hierarchy is the way elements or messages are presented and arranged in accordance to their importance in a design. This can be done in different ways like using fonts that are bolder or larger to emphasize the title; positioning the key message above other design elements; or giving more focus to bigger, more colorful and more detailed visuals than smaller or less relevant images.
Repetition
The principle of repetition is basic particularly in terms of branding. When elements like logo and color are consistently repeated, this creates a flow and strengthens the design, making viewers easily recognize and recall the brand.
Contrast
Contrast is the principle of arranging opposing design elements. Some contrasting elements are small vs. large, dark vs. light and contemporary vs. old-fashioned, among others. Contrast grabs the attention of viewers and allows them to focus on the more important elements.
