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• 1 2019-05-07T02:43:19-07:00 Elements of Design 5 plain 2019-05-10T16:18:53-07:00

  Rule of Thirds

  The rule of thirds refers to the composition of a photograph, and to the best way to organize the object of a photograph to make it as eye-catching as possible.The idea is to imagine 4 lines that would divide your photo into nine boxes, like a Tic-Tac-Toe board, then try to line up the focus of your photo with the places where those lines intersect. Those intersections are places where the eye will be naturally drawn, so if the objects within the photo line up with them it creates a more dynamic, eye-catching layout. Essentially, if you want to make sure that your image is the center of attention, keep in mind that "asymmetrical designs are often more engaging to viewers" (Morey 315).
  
  

  Contrast

  Contrast is the practice of using two very different design elements together. The most common example of it is putting black text on a white background, which is a practice that spans across dozens of websites to ensure that text is readable. When using color to create contrast, the highest levels of contrast come from using complementary colors. High color contrast is important to ensure that the aspects of a design are visible, and it's especially important to consider when choosing the color of text and its background. Contrast can also be used between fonts to draw attention to certain information, to show which information is most important, or to separate multiple sections of text. This page, for example, uses headers to separate each element of design.
  
  The most important thing to remember with contrast is that while it can improve visibility and create a hierarchy of information, if a document has too much contrast the different elements will start to clash, and clashing can make a design look messy, disorganized, or turn it into an eyesore.

  Balance

  Balance refers to how well the pieces of a design work together. Symmetry is the easiest way to create balance, and is a very pleasing characteristic for a document to have. Balancing a document keeps it looking neat and intentional, and it can show what information is of equal importance. Alternatively, disrupting balance can create a focal point within a document, and can be an effective way to draw the eye when done intentionally.

  Movement

  Movement in design doesn't refer to actual movement, but implied movement. Adding lines to a design or using action shots creates a natural sense of movement within a document that draws the eye around the page.

  Rhythm/Pattern

  Rhythm and Pattern are all about creating repetition to tie in different elements of design. Using similar fonts, colors, or shapes are all simple ways to create a pattern within a document. Another good reason to create a pattern is to disrupt it, which would create a focal point. However, disrupting a pattern only works once; after that, any further disruptions will appear messy and the power of the focal point will be lost.

  Unity

  Unity is the feeling that everything in a design belongs together, and that every aspect of the design relates to another. Unity is how you can tie a design together, and it's important for creating a document that looks intentional, even when it breaks from traditional design practices. A good example of unity is the Captain Marvel Website, which uses nostalgia for the 1990's as the unifying theme for its fairly tacky website.