Don’t be fooled by the high sounding words, design is as simple as ABC. It is simple because of the flexibility and freedom it allows as you make your own discoveries. There’s so much room to spread your creative wings and fly and still be on the right path. You are in the right as long as you use design elements and principles as a compass in your journey. Elements and principles of design are the building blocks of effective designs. They are the foundation upon which a good design is build even though the final design will be determined primarily by individual style and preferences.
Elements of design (line, colour, texture, space, shape, form) are raw materials that can be combined and arranged whichever way we want to create a complete whole that communicates some sort of statement. Principles of design (unity, balance, focal point or dominance, rhythm, harmony, repetition, contrast, movement) are like a guide you take along on an expedition. They suggest ways in which you can put these raw materials (design elements) to the best use to get to your desired destination. How you use the elements of design is determined by the principles of design you embrace.
By looking at designs in terms of the interplay between the elements of design and the guiding principles of design, you are better equipped to make the best of design for your business.
We will discuss in detail all the elements and principles of design in subsequent posts. Taking an element or principle one at a time, we will break it down in an easy to understand format so that you can easily see how it relates to your own business.
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