Design Principles 101

Koko
3 min readOct 11, 2023

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Just like everything in our universe consists of rules and systems, graphic design also has its own set of rules. These rules are not set in stone and can be creatively broken, it is important to know them as it serves as a strong foundation to any design system, whether it is a logo design, poster design, web design or an app design. Today we will explore on few of these design principles.

Balance

Achieving visual stability by distributing elements evenly. There are of two types of balance; symmetrical and asymmetrical.

A symmetrical balance is when all visual elements of a design are equally distanced from the central axis making both sides of a composition identical mirror images of each other.

Symmetrically balanced design

An asymmetrical balance lacks symmetry, which is a natural way to find balance in a design. For that reason, is it considered a more sophisticated design technique and one that takes practice and patience to master.

Asymmetrical balance design

Contrast

This can come in different formats like; colour, size, shape or other visual elements. This is mostly important when you want to direct the viewers or laying an emphasis to a particular element on the design.

Colour contrast
Shape contrast
Size and colour contrast

Hierarchy

This is almost the same with contrast, except that hierarchy is the orderly arrangement of elements in order of importance. As the famous quote in design goes “the bigger an element, the important it is.”

Heirachy design principle

Proximity

This deals with the principle that close elements are related. This helps in crafting a heirachy and for easy readability from a users point of view.

Proximity design principle in web design

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