The principles of Design are guiding values, basic assumptions that help decide the type, composition and arrangement of the objects in a project. The design principles are the rules that every designer and visual merchandiser should follow to create an effective and pleasant composition for the observer.
EMPHASIS
indicates the different size and the gradual relationship between the different elements. The size of the elements is a fundamental aspect to attract the user’s attention to a specific point, to highlight the areas of importance, to define a focal point and to give uniformity or contrast to the composition, depending on the targeted objective.
UNITY
describes the relationship between the individual elements and the whole of the composition and serves to give the image a sense of wholeness or of rupture and variety to the composition.
HIERARCHY
refers to the weight that each individual visual element will have within the composition, determining which elements will first attract the eye and the user’s attention, also defining the relationship between these elements, space and perspective.
proportion
The proportion of the elements is essential to identify the weight and importance of the single element and the overall balance of the composition. The larger elements seem to play a relevant role compared to the smaller ones and immediately attract the attention of the user.
Balance
is the balance of objects within the composition and relates to their specific weight and their arrangement within it.
Contrast
is a very useful technique for attracting the observer’s attention to particular elements and plays with the relationship between contrasts, for example: large / small; light / dark; color / black and white and so on. The contrast also helps to give movement and liveliness to the composition, keeping curiosity high.
rhythm
The rhythm defines the movement that the composition will have and relates to the repetition or alternation of elements.