Principles of Design
The four essential elements for creating captivating websites
The four principles of design
are balance, rhythm,
emphasis and unity. Each
one of them is essential
for bringing together the
different visual elements
that are necessary to
achieving a strong design,
which, in turn, is imperative
for a website to succeed
on any level. What follows
is an examination of each
principle, with insights
about how to incorporate
them into your own Web
design for optimal results.
Balance — Different colors, shapes and sizes can create different degrees of what is called “visual interest”
on a Web page. It is important that pages are designed to hold a user’s interest without overwhelming
them or causing distraction away from the elements most important to conversion goals. As
such, distribution of this interest needs to be controlled and balanced by considering each element in a
layout and its “visual weight” — determined by its size, shade and thickness of lines.
Symmetrical balance is achieved by placing elements in the design evenly. If you place a large,
heavy element on the right side, you will have a matching heavy element on the left. Centering is the
easiest way to get a symmetrically balanced page. But be careful, as it can be difficult to create a centered
design that doesn’t look flat. For symmetrically balanced design, it is better to create the balance
with different elements — an image on the left and a large block of text to the right of it, for example.
Asymmetrical balance is an arrangement of unlike objects of equal weight on each side of the page.
Color, value, size, shape and texture can be used as balancing elements. However, asymmetrically balanced
pages can be more challenging to design, as elements are not matched across the centerline of the design.
For example, you might have a large element placed very close to the centerline of the design. To balance
it asymmetrically, you could place a small element farther away from the centerline. If you think of
your design as being on a teeter-totter or seesaw, a lighter element can balance a heavier one by being further
away from the center of gravity. You can also use color or texture to balance an asymmetrical design.
Sometimes the purpose of the website itself makes an off-balance design the right choice. Designs that
are off-balance suggest motion and action. They make people uncomfortable or uneasy. If the content of
your design is also intended to be uncomfortable or make people think, a discordantly balanced design
can work well.
Rhythm — Rhythm in design is also known as repetition — a pattern created
by repeating elements that are varied, allowing your designs to develop an internal
consistency that makes it easier for your customers to understand. Once the brain
recognizes the pattern in the rhythm it can relax and understand the whole design.
Repetition (repeating similar elements in a consistent manner) and variation
(a change in the form, size or position of the elements) are the keys to visual
rhythm. Placing elements in a layout at regular intervals creates a smooth, even
rhythm and calm, relaxing mood. Sudden changes in the size and spacing of elements
creates a fast, lively rhythm and an exciting mood.
Gestalt is a general description for concepts that make unity and variety possible
in design. The mind has the ability to see unified “wholes” from the sum of
complex visual parts. Some principles of gestalt are proximity, similarity, continuance,
closure, uniform connectedness and 1+1=3 effects.
Emphasis — Emphasis (or dominance) in design provides the focal point
for the piece, enabling the most important design element to stand out. To draw
the reader to the important part of the piece, every layout needs a focal point.
Generally, a focal point is created when one element is different from the rest.
However, to maximize emphasis, it is necessary to avoid too many focal points, so
as not to dilute the dominant effect. When all elements are given equal emphasis,
it can make the piece appear busy, at best, or even boring and unappealing.
Emphasis can be achieved in the following ways:
• Using semantic markup to provide some emphasis, even without styles.
• Changing the size of fonts or images to emphasize or de-emphasize them in the
design.
• Using bold, black type for headings and subheads and much lighter text for all
other content. Placing a large picture next to a small bit of text.
• Using contrasting colors. For example, using a series of evenly spaced, square
photographs next to an outlined photograph with an unusual shape.
• Placing an important piece of text on a curve or an angle while keeping all of
the other type in straight columns.
• Using colored type or an unusual font for the most important information.
Unity — Unity (or proximity) helps all the elements look like they belong together.
Readers need visual cues to let them know an article is one unit — the text,
headline, photographs, graphic images and captions all go together. Elements that
are positioned close to one another are related while elements that are farther apart
are less so.
Unity can be accomplished through the following methods:
• Being consistent with the type font, sizes and styles for headings, subheads,
captions, headers and footers throughout the website.
• Positioning elements so that those close to one another are related, while elements
that are farther apart have less of a relationship.
• Using only one or two type styles and various size or weight for contrast
throughout the site.
• Repeating a color, shape or texture in different areas throughout.
• Choosing visuals that share a similar color, theme or shape.
Web users rely heavily on visual clues when making decisions about a website
— whether to click and explore, consider a purchase or sign up for a service.
This is even more pronounced for first-time visitors when the decision to stay
on-site or abandon is made in just a few seconds. Follow these four design principles
and you can be sure that your users and new visitors will stay engaged with
your website.
About the Author: Guillermo Cedillo is responsible for the design and implementation of modifications of
different Web, desktop and mobile applications as a User Interface Designer for Sieena.
Sieena is a Nearshore software development firm specializing in Microsoft technologies,
with operations in Los Angeles and Monterrey, Mexico.


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