This is a basic introduction to the common design principles. It is mainly definitions & explainations as it is usually presented as part of a discussion/lesson for a high school audience. Examples of each principle are introduced by either having students view and find their own examples online, or are provided in class by the teacher.

1. Introduction to
the Basic Principles
of Design

2. Principles of Design
• Are guidelines for designers.
• Help us understand what looks “good”
and why a design or composition seems “right”.
• Helps you to explain your ideas, and why they
“work”.

3. The Basic Principles
of Design
• Rhythm
• Variety
• Emphasis
• Balance
• Proportion
• Harmony/Unity

4. Rhythm occurs when elements are repeated in a
design or layout.
Rhythm
From Rhythm , we can get a feeling for what comes
next, the same way we know how to follow the beat
when we listen or dance to music.
When we repeat the same shape with the same kind
of placement and spacing, we call it a
REGULAR RHYTHM.

5. In this arrangement, what would you
expect to see here next?
Rhythm and Patterns
This expectation of what’s supposed
to come next also creates a sense of
PATTERN.
?

6. Rhythm and Patterns
• Sometimes it is the unexpected that makes a pattern
interesting.
• By “messing” up the rhythm of the pattern, a designer
can add variety or emphasis to create interest in the
composition.

7. Variety
• Variety is using difference to add interest to your
design.
• Playing with expectations, adding different colours,
experimenting with different sizes of elements, or
styles of fonts, are just some of the ways to play with
variety.

8. Emphasis
• Emphasis refers to how a graphic designer gets your
attention.
• It is a way of making important things stand out.

9. Balance
• When all the elements are placed in a way the gives the
impression of equal weight or “steadiness” on a page.
• To help understand Balance, you first need to
understand what “weight” means in the world of graphic
design…

10. Examples of Weight
• “Weight” in design means “visual weight”:
• Elements can “feel” or look like insignificant,
unimportant specks, or they can grab your attention
with their size, line thickness or placement on the
page.

11. In this case, the difference in
size directs attention to the
bigger, heavier, happy face
on the right...
…therefore, more visual weight
in the bottom right corner than
top left corner.

12. Two types of Balance

13. Symmetrical Balance
Also known a Formal Balance

14. Asymmetrical Balance
Also known as
Informal Balance

15. Symmetrical Balance
• We tend to use Symmetrical or formal balance to
create stability and a “straight forward”, no nonsense
approach to composition and layout.

16. Asymmetrical Balance
• We tend to use Asymmetrical or Informal balance to
create “movement” and interest in the layout, but still
trying to create stability and balance in the composition.

17. Proportion
• Proportion has to do with different sized elements and
the relationship of one thing to another.
• For example, something can’t be big unless there
is something smaller beside it.
• Working with proportions on a page, you must look
at the overall composition and ask yourself, “Is this
comfortable to look at, or does something seem out of
place or out of balance with the rest of the page?”

18. Harmony/Unity
• Harmony or Unity in design refers to how all the
elements in the composition work together to keep it
working as a “whole”.