The Basics of Design

Layout & Typography

Aims & Objectives

To introduce and demonstrate the key principles of design.
To develop understanding of terminology to help with the analysis of graphic designs. To research graphic designs and graphic designers. To discuss how to put the principles of design into action.

Principles of Design
The four things you need to know before starting:
Audience - who you want to hear your message Format of the page or design Constraints - time, budget, format Principles - of basic design

Principles of Design

Principles of Design
The most iconic, well-known and attractive designs are startlingly simple. Take these logos, for instance:
SPECIAL SKILL: TYPOGRAPHY SPECIAL SKILL: CONCEPT (DYNAMISM)

SPECIAL SKILL: ADAPTABILITY SPECIAL SKILL: SEDUCTIVE CONNOTATION

Principles of Design
The six key principles of design are:
Emphasis keeping your main message clear, both in terms of the layout and the typography. Contrast visually stressing the difference between the different elements on the page. Balance grouping information in a logical way, leaving a clear and pleasing effect and using space appropriately. Alignment drawing connections with different elements e.g. graphics, images, shapes and lines. Repetition where all the elements meet, they need to unify and feed into the main message. Flow how the design leads the eye, starting with the simplest point that Western readers tend to read from left to right.

Terminology
The following is some of the most important terminology that you will come across in design. Try to use both the principles and these terms when analysing and creating your designs:
Visual Hierarchy splitting information into primary, secondary and tertiary message. Focal point the part of the page that is most emphasised. Accent Any other points than the focal point that influence the key message, too much of which can cloud it.

Terminology
Thumbnail a quick, exploratory sketch that act as the visual proof of a thinking process. Thumbnails that you quite like become Roughs before choosing your favourite and polishing it up as a Comp (comprehensive). Body Copy the small type that carries most of the information in a design. Dead Space / White Space space that represents an unwieldy gap vs. space that contributes to the aesthetic flow. Serif / San Serif a serif is the parts of letters that stick out and are often flowing type whereas sans serif is without serifs and usually look more blocky. Leftfield not expected or prepared for (often have an unclear purpose; seen as quite quirky)

Emphasis
Keeping your main message clear, both in terms of the layout and the typography.

1. What are the primary, secondary and tertiary focal points?

2. Special effects

Emphasis
Keeping your main message clear, both in terms of the layout and the typography.

3. In pairs or groups, discuss how to improve the following designs

Emphasis
Keeping your main message clear, both in terms of the layout and the typography.

Use colours to keep the text in order e.g. flashes in yellow.

Emphasis
Keeping your main message clear, both in terms of the layout and the typography.

Consider mode of address and positioning in photography to reach out to your audience.

Emphasis
Keeping your main message clear, both in terms of the layout and the typography.

Adjust size (proportion) and reduce the variation of colours to make create a visual hierarchy.

Too big. Better.

Contrast
Visually stressing the difference between the different elements on the page.

1. What two changes to this page have had the most effect from a design point of view?
2. If you were to attempt to create a two-word logo purely in MS Word, what might you do to help it stand out?

Contrast
Visually stressing the difference between the different elements on the page.

3. How can you improve the contrast between elements in this menu?
4. How has the contrast improved here?

Contrast
Visually stressing the difference between the different elements on the page.

Kickers tend to contain less text but are usually larger; look for patterns.

Contrast
Visually stressing the difference between the different elements on the page.

Using boxes and stroke outlines to bring out written elements.

Balance
Grouping information in a logical way, leaving a clear and pleasing effect and using space appropriately.

1. Without re-sizing anything, how might you create a greater sense of balance with this flyer by rearrangement?

Balance
Grouping information in a logical way, leaving a clear and pleasing effect and using space appropriately.

2. Dont just fill up the page. Use the space wisely. How might you re-size and re-style this flyer?
3. See how this image complements itself on each side.

Balance
Grouping information in a logical way, leaving a clear and pleasing effect and using space appropriately.

Follow the eye line and make use of nose room.

Balance
Grouping information in a logical way, leaving a clear and pleasing effect and using space appropriately.

According to the style / feature photo, use a traditional menu strip or as a block.

Balance
Grouping information in a logical way, leaving a clear and pleasing effect and using space appropriately.

Choose fonts that complement the house style and each other whilst keeping the emphasis in the order

Alignment
Drawing connections with different elements e.g. graphics, images, shapes and lines.

1. Load up InDesign as shown. Why is it set up like this?

2. How might you re-position the text and graphics to greater effect with this poster?

Alignment
Drawing connections with different elements e.g. graphics, images, shapes and lines.

3. Here are some different alignment effects.

Click me

Alignment
Drawing connections with different elements e.g. graphics, images, shapes and lines.

Use the purple lines in InDesign (or imaginary borders) as well as the columns

Alignment
Drawing connections with different elements e.g. graphics, images, shapes and lines.

Use lines and graphics to separate items and introduce colour / graphic cohesion.

Take note of the eye-catching placement of the headlines and leading text / anchorage here.

Repetition
Where all the elements meet, they need to unify and feed into the main message.

1. How might you make better use of the egg symbol for these pages?

Repetition
Where all the elements meet, they need to unify and feed into the main message.

2. How do these font changes work? Are they effective?

Repetition
Where all the elements meet, they need to unify and feed into the main message.

3. What has improved here and what could be better?

Repetition
Where all the elements meet, they need to unify and feed into the main message.

Use themes e.g. connotations of language, graphic features, anchorage, lexical fields etc.

Repetition
Where all the elements meet, they need to unify and feed into the main message.

Re-using graphic features and smaller versions of the masthead.

Flow
How the design leads the eye.

1. What technique is this known as in Photoshop?

2. Why doesnt this work?

Flow
How the design leads the eye.

3. Explain why the text has been grouped in this way and what contributes to the flow.

Flow
How the design leads the eye.

The visual hierarchy can be made clear through sizing, positioning or alignment

Flow
How the design leads the eye.

Merging parts of a photo in the masthead / headline can highlight areas or create an association i.e. it links them.

Inspiration
Graphic design is a huge and expanding field that grows alongside the power of the web and commercial business. There is therefore lots of inspiration to find. Begin by picking one of the following designers and researching their work. Whichever you choose, try to identify some of their most celebrated designs and what styles, principles or techniques they appear to excel with:
David Carson Paul Rand Alan Fletcher Neville Brody Giambattista Bodoni Chip Kidd

Katherine McCoy
Saul Bass

Milton Glaser
Adrain Fruitger

Inspiration
For further inspiration, try the following links:
25 Graphic Designers to follow 46 Greatest Logos of All Time

10 Great Infographics
12 Documentaries every graphic designer should see Brilliant words of advice from 14 Great Graphic Designers

And, for a dose of reality:

The 25 Worst Things About Being A Graphic Designer Today

Aims & Objectives

To introduce and demonstrate the key principles of design.
To develop understanding of terminology to help with the analysis of graphic designs. To research graphic designs and graphic designers. To discuss how to put the principles of design into action.