The Four Fundamentals of Graphic Design
In an increasingly digital age, graphic design is essential for many different aspects of our lives. Designing graphics and visuals does not always have to be mastered in order to begin sharing your ideas, but it’s always helpful to keep looking for ways to improve. That’s why we think that no matter the situation or your level of ability, you should know the four fundamentals of graphic design.
A Brief Definition of Graphic Design
If you are reading this, then there is no doubt that you have some idea about what graphic design is. But, in case you don’t, here is a brief definition to get you started before we look into the fundamentals. To put it simply, graphic design is the art/profession of creating and sharing different types of visuals in order to communicate, enlighten, and enrapture with ideas or products. The idea of graphic design is to take ideas or products and use style to make them more appealing. It could be used to convey your ideas, sell products, or share art in a manner that draws people in. Often, this takes a professional, but even someone who is not trained in graphic design can utilize a few fundamental ideas to create appealing graphics.
Four Fundamentals of Graphic Design
Contrast
Contrast is a very important concept within graphic design. It refers to the juxtaposition of different elements in a design to create visual interest, emphasis, and hierarchy. This can be achieved through variations in color, size, shape, texture, or typography. Contrasting elements help to guide the viewer's eye and highlight important information. So we see that without contrast, the point of graphic design is essentially lost. To put this in perspective, we can look at an example of contrast that we are utilizing right in this post. By writing in dark text on a white background, we are using contrast to allow you to read the text clearly without much effort. This is contrast.
Time and thought are required in order to find the best combinations of color, size, etc. Without effective combination, you may accidentally hinder someone from being able to assess the information given. This could be because they get bored, overwhelmed, or confused. Whenever doing anything that involves an audience, remember that you must do everything to make it as accessible as possible, or you will lose their attention before you even begin.
Repetition
While contrast is very important, repetition is also a key element to effective graphic design. Contrast and repetition may sound like two competing ideas, so let’s explain what we mean. When looking at a brand, project, or group of projects, it’s important that your audience can tell each graphic belongs to the same brand or project. You can choose to repeat colors, fonts, key messages, logos, or other important aspects of the brand or project, but once you choose which items to repeat, you must be consistent. By repeating certain elements, designers can create a sense of unity and coherence in their work. This will help keep your audience from becoming overwhelmed or confused. If the audience receives too much input through varying elements, they may get lost in the change and miss the information you wish to get across.
Repetition also helps to reinforce key messages and establish a visual rhythm that enhances readability and comprehension. This means that repetition is a great way for you to remind your audience what your brand or project is all about.
Alignment
If you’ve ever worked within a presentation app or unfamiliar document, you may have gotten the feeling that something was not quite right with your text or visuals. You may have even attempted to move things around but could not figure out the problem. We have good news for you: it may be an easy fix! Chances are this may be an issue of poor alignment on a common axis or guideline. These may be foreign words to you, so let’s break it down.
Alignment refers to the arrangement of elements along a common axis or guideline. An axis or guideline simply refers to invisible lines that keep texts and graphics in order. Proper alignment helps to create a sense of order, organization, and stability in a design. Elements that are aligned with each other appear connected and harmonious, while misaligned elements can create visual confusion and detract from the overall impact of the design. Thankfully, modern softwares often provide a tool for fixing alignment issues, and familiarizing yourself with this tool before beginning a project can help you avoid frustration in the long run.
Proximity
The last fundamental of graphic design that we will look at is proximity. Proximity is closely related to alignment, and you will need both in order to create an appealing visual product. Proximity deals with the spatial relationships between elements in a design. Grouping related elements closely together helps to establish visual connections and convey relationships between them. By organizing content based on proximity, designers can improve readability, simplify complex information, and create a clear visual hierarchy that guides the viewer's attention. Being able to distinguish which elements would do better closer together rather than farther apart and vice-versa can only aid you in your goals with graphic design. Utilize layering when needed, but don’t be afraid to implement simple, clear distances between each element.
Conclusion
Remembering these four fundamentals of graphic design is a great way to improve your graphic design skills today. Layering in the different elements of your visual can be made smoother and simpler with these fundamentals. By establishing contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity within your graphic design, you are seeking to reach your audience and bring them clarity. Your goal is to engage and enrapture; not to overwhelm or bore. Be sure to check out online examples of great graphic design to see more examples of the four fundamentals and to learn more tips on how to improve your own graphic design game.
