Basic Design Principles With Jose (Part 2)
Even a little bit of design know-how can go a long way toward making your project look like it was created by a professional. JM, the Art Director at SmartDraw, contributed his expertise to highlight these simple, yet effective techniques.
2. Alignment
Alignment can help elements seem unified and connected.
You may not feel as if you are placing items on the page randomly, but unless you are consciously aligning each new element with something on the page, that’s exactly what you are doing.
As with grouping, alignment helps the reader digest information. The imaginary line that connects aligned items reinforces their connection and pleases the eye. Different alignments elicit different reactions so experiment with left or right alignment for something more dramatic than the traditional centered look.
3. Visual Unity
Picking colors that harmonize with each other is the first step to a decent design. Repeating those colors, logos, icons, or shapes throughout your project creates a sense of unity-the feeling that this document, whether a one-page flyer or an entire book, is “one piece”. Pick a visual theme and carry it through. Your project will feel like a unified whole.
Part 1 of this series can be found here.
