Breaking Down Design: Exploring the Essential Elements and Principles
The principles of design are the first step to being able to communicate effectively to an audience. There are different opinions on how many principles of design there are, but the most important ones I’ve taken away from my experience in design are:
Lines
Shapes
Color
Texture
Type
Space
Image
Lines
A line is a one-dimensional design element that’s connected by two points. Lines can be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, straight, curved, zigzag, solid, or broken, “depending on their form, weight, length and context, lines can help organize information, define shapes, imply movement and convey emotions” (Nineham). Even a simple line can change the entire flow of a design.
Shapes
Every designer should understand the difference between geometric (created by a set of points that connect either by straight or curved lines) and organic (much less uniform and proportional, might include natural or abstract) shapes. Designers can use shapes to “express different ideas, create notion of movement…or emphasize an area of interest” (Pop). Shapes can express different moods, for instance:
Circle = positivity, friendship and community
Square = balance, dependability and strength
Triangle = science, religion, history, civilization and power
(Nineham)
Color
We learn about colors in elementary school, while it may seem trivial, colors are a tool that can heavily impact the emotion trying to be communicated. Also, understanding the color harmonies and how they pair together is essential to creating balance and readability in your design. Generally when choosing a color palette, one should go for complementary, triad or monochromatic shades. Below is a graphic with the most basic knowledge a designer should have:
Here are some resources for choosing a color palette:
Texture
Texture is “the physical quality of the surface” (Olutwatoyosi), and can bring a 3d element to an otherwise 2D design. Texture is especially helpful in advertising as it gives the viewer of idea of what it might feel like to touch or hold something. Some easy ways to add texture are custom brushes and patterns, opacity, grain and blending colors.
Type
It’s been before about other design elements, but type can truly make or break a design. Different typefaces can emit different moods, for instance larger/thicker words convey that those words are more important. This is why slab-serif fonts are often used for sports logos and gear. Thin letters connote elegance and modernity, but can sometimes present as weak or fragile. It’s important to have a balance in size and weight between typefaces, and as a general rule, don’t exceed three typefaces in any given project.
Space
Space is necessary to prevent a design from becoming too cluttered. Adding or subtracting space can separate and link objects together, or create emphasis. Visual elements with lots of space around them suggest importance. It’s important to recognize the positive space as the emphasis of the design, and the negative space as background material (Nineham).
Image
Perhaps the most impactful visual tool of communication, images provide context and act as a tool to catch viewer’s attention. Images typically include photography, illustrators and icons. When adding photographs be sure to edit and distort the images through cropping and filters to create consistency with the rest of the design.
Works Cited
Nineham, Laura. “Embrace the 8 Essential Elements of Graphic Design.” Skillshare Blog, 11
Apr. 2023,
https://www.skillshare.com/en/blog/the-seven-basic-elements-of-graphic-design/#:~:text=.
Oluwatoyosi, Falodun. “The Importance of Design Principles and How They Impact Good Design.” Medium, UX Collective, 29 July, 2020. https://uxdesign.cc/the-importance-of-design-principles-and-how-they-impact-good-designs-93b58b723918.
Pop, Amalia Madalina. “Geometric Shapes in Design: How to Use Them Creatively - Creatopy.” Creatopy Blog, 15 Sept. 2022, https://www.creatopy.com/blog/geometric-shapes/#:~:text=Designers%20use%20shapes%20to%20express,emphasize%20an%20area%20of%20interest.
