Composition

orderly arrangement of elements using the Principles of Des

he Principles of Design help you to carefully plan and organiz

the elements of art so that you will hold interest and
command attention.
This is sometimes referred to as visual impact.

In any work of art there is a thought process for the

arrangement and use of the Principles of Design.

How you apply these principles determines how

effective your design is in conveying the
desired message and how attractive it appears.

The Principles of Design

consist of:
Balance
Contrast/Emphasi
s Repetitio
n
Alignment
Proximity
Unity/Harmon
y

Balance

Balance is the concept of visual equilibrium, it relates to our

physical sense of balance.

It results in visual stability.

nce can be either symmetrical (evenly balanced) or asymmetrical (un-evenly ba

It is powerful tool that can pull a composition together.

Contrast/Emphasis

Contrast is one of the most effective ways to add visual interest to your p

Contrast is created when two elements are different.

trast draws our eyes to it; our eyes like contrast, (Emphasis or point of

Contrast achieves emphasis by setting the point of emphasis apart fr

the rest of its background.

Repetition

You repeat some aspect of the design throughout the entire piece.

It is the recurrence of elements within a piece: colors, lines, shapes.

Repetition can be thought of as consistency.

s can add visual interest and if a piece looks interesting, it is more likely to b

Alignment

Alignment unifies and organizes the page with a common boundary,

which has the effect of connecting text items together.

Every item should have a visual connection with something else on the p

often strong alignment (combined with the appropriate typeface) that c

a sophisticated look, a formal look, a fun look, or a serious look.

Proximity

Proximity helps to organize information and reduce clutter.

Group related items and keep unlike objects further apart.

The proximity, or closeness, implies a relationship.

enever you create a flyer, a brochure, a newsletter, a web page, or what

the information is organized, it is more likely to be read and remembered

Unity/Harmony
Unity is the underlying principle that
summarizes all of the principles of
design.

It refers to the coherence of the

whole,
the sense that all of the parts are
working
together to achieve a common
result; a
Unity can be achieved through
effective
harmonythe
of all
the parts.
and consistent use of any of the elements.

The End