Design like a Pro: Four Principles of Graphic Design

Design Like A Pro

FOUR PRINCIPLES OF VISUAL DESIGN

The Four Principles

 Contrast

 Repetition

 Alignment

 Proximity

Design Like A Pro | Kelleher Web Design | www.kelleherwebdesign.com

Why Are These Principles Important?

 Not just about looking pretty

 Easier and more inviting to read

 Easier to find important information

 Communicates relationships between elements

Kelleher Web Design - www.kelleherwebdesign.com

Why Are These Principles Important?

 Establishes credibility and trustworthiness

 Guides the reader’s eye to important elements


Principle# 1: Contrast

No contrast With contrast

Our Services
Acme Senior Consulting is a comprehensive geriatric care
management company. Empowering older persons and their families
Our Services
Acme Senior Consulting is a comprehensive geriatric care management
is a vital component of our professional services. Our services company. Empowering older persons and their families is a vital component
include: of our professional services. Our services include:
Geriatric Psycho-social Assessment: A crucial first step to assist you Geriatric Psycho-social Assessment: A crucial first step to
in determining the care needed by your aging parents, it includes: assist you in determining the care needed by your aging parents, it includes:
an evaluation of the emotional, mental, social, physical and living  an evaluation of the emotional, mental, social, physical and
arrangement needs of your parent or family member. living arrangement needs of your parent or family member.
a written report designed to organize all the current information  a written report designed to organize all the current
gathered during this assessment to get you started in providing information gathered during this assessment to get you started
appropriate care. in providing appropriate care.
Geriatric Care Management: Ongoing service to assist you in Geriatric Care Management: Ongoing service to assist you in
coordinating and managing your aging family member or parent's coordinating and managing your aging family member or parent's essential
essential daily living needs, this may include such support services daily living needs, this may include such support services as:
as: Housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation, shopping,
Housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation, shopping, transportation, transportation, bill payment, medical insurance claims and
bill payment, medical insurance claims and medical appointments; medical appointments;
Reassurance visits to ensure your parent's safety and quality of life; Reassurance visits to ensure your parent's safety and quality of

life;



 Establishes relationship between elements

 Makes it easier to find information

 Makes it more inviting to read



How to Add Contrast

 Size

 Weight

 Color

 Style

 Negative Space


Principle# 2: Repetition

Our Services
Acme Senior Consulting is a comprehensive geriatric care management company.
Empowering older persons and their families is a vital component of our professional
services. Our services include:

Geriatric Psycho-social Assessment: A crucial first step to assist you
in determining the care needed by your aging parents, it includes:
 an evaluation of the emotional, mental, social, physical and living
arrangement needs of your parent or family member.
 a written report designed to organize all the current information
gathered during this assessment to get you started in providing
appropriate care.

Geriatric Care Management: Ongoing service to assist you in
coordinating and managing your aging family member or parent's essential daily
living needs, this may include such support services as:
Housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation, shopping, transportation,
bill payment, medical insurance claims and medical appointments;
Reassurance visits to ensure your parent's safety and quality of life;



 Creates a consistent visual language

 Establishes relationship between elements

 Easier to read

 Establishes credibility



 Limited color palette

 Limited fonts (1-2 serif, 1-2 sans serif)

 Repeat image elements and styles



Too many fonts & colors can make you look like a stalker


Principle# 3: Alignment

Our Services
Acme Senior Consulting is a comprehensive geriatric care management company.
Empowering older persons and their families is a vital component of our professional
services. Our services include:

Geriatric Psycho-social Assessment: A crucial first step to assist you
in determining the care needed by your aging parents, it includes:
 an evaluation of the emotional, mental, social, physical and living
arrangement needs of your parent or family member.
 a written report designed to organize all the current information
gathered during this assessment to get you started in providing
appropriate care.

coordinating and managing your aging family member or parent's essential daily
living needs, this may include such support services as:
Housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation, shopping, transportation,
bill payment, medical insurance claims and medical appointments;
Reassurance visits to ensure your parent's safety and quality of life;



 Makes text easier to read

 Gives a less cluttered look

 Easier to guide the user’s eye

 Establishes credibility



Use Avoid

Left-align looks good Centered is only
and is easy to read. for wedding
invitations
Right-align is cool, too,
and can create easy-to- Fully-justified text
read lines. creates awkward
spacing between words

Design Like A Pro | Kelleher Web Design |
www.kelleherwebdesign.com

Principle# 4: Proximity

Uniform proximity Varied proximity

Our Services
Our Services Acme Senior Consulting is a comprehensive geriatric care management
Acme Senior Consulting is a comprehensive geriatric care management company. Empowering older persons and their families is a vital component
company. Empowering older persons and their families is a vital component of our professional services. Our services include:
of our professional services. Our services include:
Geriatric Psycho-social Assessment: A crucial first step to Geriatric Psycho-social Assessment: A crucial first step to
assist you in determining the care needed by your aging parents, it includes: assist you in determining the care needed by your aging parents, it includes:
 an evaluation of the emotional, mental, social, physical and
 an evaluation of the emotional, mental, social, physical and
living arrangement needs of your parent or family member. living arrangement needs of your parent or family member.
 a written report designed to organize all the current  a written report designed to organize all the current
information gathered during this assessment to get you started information gathered during this assessment to get you started
in providing appropriate care. in providing appropriate care.
coordinating and managing your aging family member or parent's essential
daily living needs, this may include such support services as:
coordinating and managing your aging family member or parent's essential
Housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation, shopping, daily living needs, this may include such support services as:
transportation, bill payment, medical insurance claims and
Housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation, shopping,
medical appointments;
transportation, bill payment, medical insurance claims and
medical appointments;


Principle# 4: Proximity

 Conveys relationship between elements

 Makes it easier to find information


Additional Concepts

 Color Models
 RGB (red, green, blue) – on screen

 CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) – print
yellow

 Fonts to Avoid
 Papyrus– overused, makes work look amateurish
 Comic Sans MS –because it’s an ugly font!


Additional Concepts

 Less is more (especially fonts & colors)

 There are exceptions to every rule


Additional Concepts

Specific to Websites:
 Navigation menus must be logical and intuitive (for
users, not just you!)

 Make design responsive to screen widths (increasing
number of pageviews are on mobile devices)

 Avoid deprecated technology (e.g. Flash)


Additional Concepts

Specific to Websites (cont’d):

 To establish unique brand identity, avoid pre-made
themes/templates (or your site will look just like
10,000+ others)

 Limit web fonts (increases page load times & too
many can look amateurish)


Resources

Books:
 Design for Hackers: Reverse-Engineering Beauty by David
Kadavy
 Non-Designer’s Design Book by Robin Williams (not the
comedian)

Web:
 http://kuler.adobe.com – Color selection
 http://www.google.com/webfonts – Web fonts


Design like a Pro: Four Principles of Graphic Design

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Design like a Pro: Four Principles of Graphic Design