Everybody knows you must first understand the specific tools and procedures to excel at any art form. Design is different from playing an instrument or even making a meal.
The elements of graphic design (line color, texture, shape, and texture) are the ingredients she has to work with, as well as the design principles (movement rhythm, proportion, and so on).
The ingredients she uses to prepare the meal are design, layout, and composition. The chef could throw everything in a bowl and call it good.
The 5 rules for design composition and layout
She could also arrange the ingredients, so each element is highlighted; she can convey a message through a beautiful package.
She can make the experience of eating a meal unforgettable with patience and care. Find out how to create a seven-tiered masterpiece.
#1. Grid
Designers see an invisible grid running through their designs. Grid-lines are a common feature of modern web design that should be implemented properly by a custom web design company and are almost impossible to ignore.
Grids are more effective, cleaner, and easier to use. Grids organize the design process and make it easier to create layouts. Imagine you are creating a poster for a lecture series.
You can create a grid that will be consistent regardless of the changes in dates, times, images, and colors. Your basic designs will feel cohesive even if they change.
You can have instant consistency, which takes less time to adjust and update. Working in a group, baseline grids can also provide a great road-map.
Designers know the feeling of relief when they open another designer’s design and see a clear grid.
#2. Scale and intensity
People will quickly look at your design and move on. Imagine that you take a photo of your mom at a family gathering.
You want to draw attention to the moment, the joy, and the happiness of the reunion by making your mom the focal point and subject of your composition.
You should use emphasis and scale to communicate to your viewers that your mom is the focus. You can place your mom prominently in the photo and ensure she is the largest object.
To emphasize her, blur the background or focus on her brightly-colored dress. Your eye can see the focal point of the design and create a hierarchy.
The focal point in the above scenario is the absurd cake. Our eyes immediately go to it, and then we read the rest of the context.
#3. Balance
Isn’t it possible to find balance in all aspects of life? Design is no exception. Designers must constantly manage other elements to create harmony in their designs.
You can imagine an invisible set of balances in each scenario. Make sure you don’t tip the scales by cloistering any elements on one side.
This website design does this by combining large text elements (such as “What We Do” or “Our Works”) with shorter paragraphs of explanation copy.
White space, or negative space, is an element of the composition. White space allows our eyes to follow the design’s paths. Allow each piece on the page to breathe, and you will naturally see the balance between the positive and negative spaces.
It is easy to see how moving elements higher up in a web design (thereby shrinking the space and disrupting its balance) can make the design feel cramped and ultimately unworkable.
#4. Rule of thirds
In design, the Rule of Thirds is inextricable. It’s a simple yet effective guideline that can often feel like cheating: Divide your plan into three rows of three columns.
Natural guidelines for where to put your subject and supporting elements are provided by the points where horizontal and vertical lines intersect. Do you struggle to find balance in your designs The Rule of Thirds can be your best friend?
Photographs will give you the best examples. The grid created by the Rule of Thirds perfectly aligns the focal points (the horizon and tree) in the above example.
It would be less pleasing if the mountain were in the vertical middle and the tree was horizontally dead center.
#5. Rule of Odds
According to the Rule of Odds, pleasing compositions have an odd number of elements in the foreground. Most often, it is three.
The balance between the two objects to the left and the central point in the middle creates a natural balance. This is the most challenging rule for wedding photographers.
This can often be seen in logo design where a centered logo mark may be offset on either end by the company name, as in Needle Records’ logo.
A well-constructed design is a powerful tool.
This is just an overview of how a designer can create a composition that impacts viewers the most. Remember that rules can be broken.
It will help you improve and strengthen your designs if you understand and implement these regulations and structures in your work.
