Multimedia Design

Adam Huntington

ETE 261

1/30/09

Alignment

Unifies and organizes designs. Can help create: sophisticated look formal look fun look serious look

AlignmentText follows common alignment organizing and giving flow.

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Find existing repetitions and strengthen them.

Avoid repeating the element so much that it becomes annoying.

RepetitionRepeating common design elements.

Contrast!

Make it Different!

Purpose Add contrast through typeface choices, thickness, colors, shapes, sizes, space, etc. Don’t be a wimp! Avoid contrasting a sort-of-heavy line with a sort-

of heavier line. Avoid contrasting brown text with black

headlines. Avoid using two or more typefaces that are

similar.

Contrast

Proximity• Don’t stick things in the corners and in the middle

• Avoid leaving equal amounts of white space between elements (unless each group is part of a subset)

• Don’t create relationships with elements that don’t belong together

Purpose: to organize

• Avoid too many separate elements on a page

Proximity

Design is simple but pulls attention

top down.

Unity and Variety• Use variety

to create visual interest.

• Unity is the overriding principle that is served by all others

Observe the variety in color in the ad to the left, as well as

the unity developed

through pattern.

Hierarchy and Dominance

• Hierarchy is the established order, importance, and emphasis given to visual elements.

• Dominance is the prevailing influence of one element over another

The face in this design is framed and almost natural looking compared to the odd designs surrounding it. It is thedominant element in this design.

Porportion

Bad Porportions

Much

Better!

•Underlying structure based on:

•Squares

•Vertical rectangles

•Horizontal rectangles

Size Relationships

Balance

• The visual distribution of elements in a composition.

• Two types:– Symmetric – Asymmetric

Mirror line

Scale

• Related to proportion

• Refers to size comparison of the internal parts of a compositionAncient Greeks used proportion to build some of their greatest known structures

Emphasis

• Use of a focal point to stress certain elements or give special attention to an element.

LOOK

Rhythm and Movement

•Form and Space

•Using different elements spaced correctly in the correct form can give the eye something to follow.

This image uses rhythm to draw your eye here

Proximity and Repetition

•Proximity- Position and space given to the placement of elements in a composition.

•Repeating shapes and patterns

Using placement this design draws the eye to see the “typo” on top.

Shape and

Space• Shape determines

meaning• Relationship between

space and shape are crucial

Notice how the round shape is spaced on a

blank background separated from the

geometric design below formed by the tiles by the rectangular flower pots.

Line

• Moving path of a point• Can lead the eye• May function as a division

or as a graphic element.• Some types can imply a symbolic

meaning• Texture or pattern may be

formed by line.

In this design line is used in the text as well as the design pointing the viewer to follow the text down to

the bottom.

Size• Scale and Porportion• Size can help place a product

or design into perspective.

The hand in this picture shows the size of the

iphone. Giving an observer the idea of how portable and

refined the product is.

• Can convey attitude or mood

• Creates emphasis and variety, can support an established hierarchy.

• Can activate shapes and space

Notice the pale blue background,It is offset by the green mint leaves

and lime.Color supports the hierarchy

in this design as well as makes the shapes pop.

• Refers to quality and characteristic of a surface.

• Can be tactile and visual

• Enhances other elements

• Relies on shape and space to exist.

This design uses textureto give a certain feel to the design.

Typography

• Can function as:– Shape– Texture– Point– Line

• Contain verbal meaning• Word forms must communicate

message as well as function as graphic elements

This particulardesign uses smaller wordsto create a larger set ofwords.