Design Principles: Balance, Grids, Layout and Canon

Balance:

Elements can be intentionally unbalanced to create a certain mood  

Proximity/Unity:

Proximity creates a bond between visual elements on a page

Unity is achieved by using a third element to connect distant parts

Alignment:

Brings order to chaos. Can make layout easier or more difficult to read. Can foster familiarity, and or bring excitement to a stale design. 

Repetition/Consistency: 

Repeating design elements and consistent use of type and graphics within a document shows a reader where to go ad how to navigate your designs and layouts safely. Ensure that your document utilises the principles of repetition, consistency, and unity in page design. Do page numbers appear in the same area? Are major and minor headlines consistent in size, style and placement? Have you used a consistent graphic or illustrative style throughout? 

Grids and Proportions: 

Fibonacci and Golden Ratio: Fibonacci sequence ration 8:13 links to Golden section. This sequence is not only evident within design but also nature. 1.62 is ratio that forms basis of paper sizes. Classic Renaissance paintings, the human face and even body parts are arguably more attractive when they follow the Golden Ratio.

Canons:

Principles of page layout design used to measure and describe proportions, margins and print area. The written and unwritten rules of design. 

Canon, as rules of graphic design, should be both applied and ignored depending on the purpose and context of the design. For example, it makes sense for a newspaper or important news-based publication to employ a strict set of rules and guidelines in order to make their publication(s) consistent and effective in communicating the information. Conversely, an experimental publication might purposefully break written rules of design in order to convey a message of social/political disruption and rebellion.