{"id":39979,"date":"2021-07-01T08:53:10","date_gmt":"2021-07-01T15:53:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/picsart.com\/blog\/?p=39979"},"modified":"2021-08-19T09:15:12","modified_gmt":"2021-08-19T16:15:12","slug":"principles-elements-of-design-what-they-are-how-to-use-them-effectively","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/picsart.com\/blog\/principles-elements-of-design-what-they-are-how-to-use-them-effectively\/","title":{"rendered":"The 7 Principles of Design: Definitions and Examples"},"content":{"rendered":"

Good design is something we can learn. It follows a certain set of principles, ones that don\u2019t limit creativity but guide it. By learning these rules of the trade, you\u2019re sharpening your toolset. What you do with those tools is entirely up to you.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are 7 key principles of design: balance, emphasis, pattern, movement, proportion, white space, and contrast. As you go through that list, you\u2019ll likely realize some items are intuitive. That\u2019s because our minds are already good at recognizing these principles in well-designed images. As a quick exercise, and as we push these definitions further, think of an image or graphic that you like. Keep this image in mind as we learn more about the 7 principles, and see how they fit into it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Balance<\/span><\/h2>\n

When we look at a perfectly balanced image, it gives us a sense of calm. It feels good, like everything is right where it should be. Nothing looks like it\u2019s going to tip the visual scales.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s likely that we associate balance with being centered, and this definition is spot on for one of the types of balance in design: symmetrical. In this type, you could fold the image in half and each side would contain exactly the same visual information. This is known as <\/span>mirroring<\/span><\/a>. So many of the world\u2019s most recognizable logos rely on symmetrical balance, from that of Starbucks to Airbnb, and while it\u2019s an excellent, stable option, we have another in our tool kit as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Photo by Justin Main\u00a0 on Unsplash<\/span><\/h6>\n

This other option is asymmetrical balance. Balance is all about weight, so it\u2019s helpful to think about a set of scales. If we have graphic elements on each side of the scales, even if these elements are vastly different shapes or sizes, we still achieve overall balance. Consider the famous painting <\/span>The Great Wave Off Kanagawa<\/span><\/i>. Yes, the cresting wave is clearly more prominent on one side of the painting, but large-scale balance is achieved through the addition of the volcano, the large plume of a cloud, and the smaller waves on the other side of the painting, or (to continue with our metaphor), the other side of the visual scales. Does this kind of composition remind you of something? How about the Nike logo? Strong design principles are everywhere because they make sense and once you understand them, you can\u2019t unsee them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Emphasis<\/span><\/h2>\n

Emphasis is to design as shouting \u2014or, better yet, singing \u2014is to talking. It\u2019s where your eye goes first and, not surprisingly, is often a central or more heavily weighted element. Emphasis is a tool for pulling a viewer\u2019s attention to something important in our design, whether a specific letter or key shape\u2014perhaps a bolded letter or a pop of unexpected color. Emphasis is a visual mode of communication that not only says, \u201clook at me,\u201d but cues you into why you should be looking at that thing. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Photo by Rupert Britton on Unsplash<\/span><\/h6>\n

Pattern<\/span><\/h2>\n

We love a pattern. There are stacks upon stacks of psychological and scientific articles on our need as humans to sequence. It\u2019s part of how we understand and parse information, or create order. A very good, albeit meta, example of a pattern is text itself. Letters, not just in a sentence like this one, but in a logo or brand name, are usually the same height, roughly the same width, and bear the same spacing.\u00a0<\/span>Shapes also invite patterns.<\/span><\/p>\n

They create structure but also movement, getting our eye to move around the space and take in everything. Patterned shapes can also create uniformity in a space. For an everyday example look to your bookshelf. Mosaics, <\/span>pop-art<\/span><\/a> prints, stripes, and those foil embossed fleurs on older books are perfect examples of successful patterns at work.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Photo by Omar Flores on Unsplash<\/span><\/h6>\n

Movement<\/span><\/h2>\n

You\u2019re likely noticing by now that these terms share common ground. We just heard about movement, for example, up in the previous section when talking about pattern. This is no mistake. Good design elements support and inform each other. Movement is about getting the eye to move around the space, and while we already know that a pattern can do this, it is just one of the ways.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some straightforward examples of graphic elements that create movement are lines, arrows, and text. But, movement doesn\u2019t have to be linear. Want your viewer to wander around an image? Curves, progressions, and color spectrums might be the way. Think of how the eye takes in the wispy lights of the Aurora Borealis or the gradient of a sunset.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another element that creates movement is one we already have in the bag: balance. If an object in our image leans or suggests physical motion in a certain direction, the viewer\u2019s eye goes along for the ride.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Photo by Vincent Guth on Unsplash<\/span><\/h6>\n

Proportion<\/span><\/h2>\n

Everything in good measure seems like an apt enough motto for proportion. In creating an image that hits all the marks\u2014draws us in, creates a sense of balance, is coherent and expressive, and so on\u2014ensuring that our visual elements are the right size is key. Think of those little application icons on the screen of your phone. You don\u2019t have to squint to distinguish Twitter from Waze, no matter how similar the designs are in color and composition. Why is that? The image at the center of the icon is proportional to the space, making the graphic immediately recognizable, front and center.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We can extrapolate this logic to some of the world\u2019s most famous artwork. The great maestros of sculpture and painting measured proportions as exactly as they could be to get that ratio between, let\u2019s say, a hand and a face just right. And, while designing online with drag-n-drop-n-stretch tools requires no extensive measuring, we can use our good inherent sense of ratio to make sure that no element is too small, getting lost in the mass, or too large, pulling focus from the rest of the image unintentionally.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash<\/span><\/h6>\n

White (or Clear) Space <\/span><\/h2>\n

Design is not a test. It\u2019s ok to leave something blank. Negative space exists in every image, even if in the most subtle shading of an intricate drawing. It\u2019s what gives us a sense of depth and helps our minds understand the dimensionality of objects.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When intentionally carving out a space free of any elements in a design, yes, you might be creating dimension, but it\u2019s possible that you\u2019re just making an image that\u2019s easy on the eyes. Great work. White space is clean, crisp, and contrasting, and it helps create legibility in the case of a design with text. From a practical standpoint it might make your image more easily replicable, allowing it to move easily from white web backgrounds to print materials and so on.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Photo by Leone Venter on Unsplash<\/span><\/h6>\n

Contrast\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

You\u2019re probably ready to write this section yourself. There are numerous ways to create this effect in an image, and they are tied to the principles we already know about.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You can create contrast with white space or by placing two different colors side-by-side in a pattern. Use contrasting proportions: distinctly sized elements that offset each other for that perfect balance. Emphasize your text, whether through the use of bold color or letter weight. While strong contrast might be great for getting a message across or designing a logo, more subtle contrast creates a softer, dreamier effect. Let the mood of your piece guide you. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Photo by Anca Gabriela Zosin on Unsplash<\/span><\/h6>\n

 <\/p>\n

Take the image that you thought of at the beginning article. How does it employ the design principles? Does it use them all, even if subtly? Does it leave any out? Why? The same questions you\u2019re asking now are ones you can ask as you get creating. Be fearless; these 7 design principles have got your back. If you want to practice further first, check out this article on <\/span>90\u2019s graphic design<\/span><\/a>, and put the images there through the design principles test. <\/span><\/p>\n

Create at the Speed of Culture<\/i><\/a><\/h3>\n

Picsart is a full ecosystem of free-to-use content, powerful tools, and creator inspiration. With a billion downloads and more than 150 million monthly active creators, Picsart isn\u2019t just the world\u2019s largest creative platform; we\u2019re also the fastest growing.\u00a0Picsart has collaborated with major artists and brands like BLACKPINK, the Jonas Brothers, Lizzo, Sanrio: Hello Kitty, I am a Voter,\u00a0Bebe Rexha,\u00a0Maroon 5, One Direction, Warner Bros. Entertainment, iHeartMedia, Cond\u00e9 Nast, and more.\u00a0<\/i>Download the app or start editing on web<\/a><\/i>\u00a0today to enhance your photos and videos with thousands of quick & easy editing tools, trendy filters, fun stickers, and brilliant backgrounds. Unleash your creativity and\u00a0<\/i>upgrade to Gold<\/a><\/i>\u00a0for premium perks!<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We often think of art as the result of divine inspiration \u2014 a consequence of our fleeting fancies. But in actuality, the study of art is highly principled. And branches of it which are functional and used to achieve a desired result, like graphic design, especially benefit from adhering to (or deviating from) certain conventions.\u00a0As creators, we are often working towards a goal (and even when we\u2019re not, being principled about our work only makes it better!). Sometimes that goal is to just create something beautiful for ourselves or a loved one. Other times, it\u2019s more functional, like designing a poster for a concert or a new logo for an up and coming brand. But in both scenarios, while creativity and artistic inspiration is certainly an important part of creating good designs, understanding the deeper underlying principles is key.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":98,"featured_media":39987,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Principles of design and how to use them.","faq_show":false,"faq_enable_schema":false,"how_to_show":false,"how_to_show_on_single":false,"how_to_enable_schema":false,"how_to_is_upload":false,"faq_title":"","how_to_title":"","how_to_layout":"","how_to_cta_text":"","how_to_cta_url":"","how_to_image_alt":"","how_to_display_image":0,"faq_items":[],"how_to_steps":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[601,1669,1673],"tags":[14,1720,1721],"class_list":["post-39979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-design-school","category-inspiration","category-how-tos","tag-art","tag-design","tag-principles-of-design","entry"],"acf":{"faq_show":false,"faq_title":"Frequently asked questions","faq_enable_schema":true,"faq_items":null,"how_to_show":false,"how_to_show_on_single":false,"how_to_title":"","how_to_layout":"default","how_to_steps":null,"how_to_enable_schema":true,"how_to_is_upload":true,"how_to_cta_text":"","how_to_cta_url":"https:\/\/picsart.com\/create\/editor","how_to_display_image":null,"how_to_image_alt":"","footer_banner_name":"Start your design in Picsart","footer_banner_link_":"\/","footer_banner_button_text_":"Get Started"},"yoast_head":"\nThe 7 Principles of Design: Definitions and Examples - 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