Hello and welcome to this beginner's guide series to graphic design.
From what graphic design is, skills to be a graphic designer, design theory, education you need, equipment you need to the graphic design portfolio and interview advice.
This series is for anyone at any level.
So if you're interested in graphic design and considering becoming a graphic designer
join me as I discuss a series of graphic design topics.
Now graphic design is not simply about making things look good
in graphic design there are rules that could be considered
these rules are called the principles of design and these are typically separate
good design from bad design. These principles all have a relationship
between each other and appear in every well designed piece of work you see.
A good grasp of design theory will mean there is always substance behind your work.
The key principles of design are: Contrast, hierarchy, alignment, balance, proximity, repetition simplicity and function.
Whatever work you produce be it for a magazine, a poster, a website or advertisement
the principles of design should be considered. A good designer keeps these principles as guidelines in
their toolkit and will consciously use them to develop their ideas.
In this video I'm going to discuss the fourth key design principle and discuss balance
as a design principle in graphic design. In this video I'll be referring to some
visual examples if you wish to take a closer look at these you can find them
in the downloadable PDF document that accompanies this series
link is in the description.
So balance is the visual weight of elements in a composition
We use balance to add stability, add structure, create emphasis and
to create dynamics. In design one will attempt to place visual elements in an
aesthetically pleasing arrangement or particular arrangement to fulfil a purpose
or achieve a particular look and feel. In design there are three main types of balance:
Symmetrical balance, asymmetrical balance and radium balance.
Understanding these three types of balance will help achieve the right type of visual effect in your design.
So looking at the PDF, here are some examples.
First I have some symmetrical balance examples. So symmetrical balance is
mirror image balance. If you draw a line down the center of the page all the
visual elements on one side of the screen are mirrored on the other side
they don't have to be identical visual elements but can be similar in number
colour or shape and scale. When visual elements are equal weight they are in balance.
Symmetrical balance can be used when one wishes to achieve formal design,
a sense of structure, a sense of organisation and stability.
Next is asymmetrical balance. Now asymmetrical balance itself has nothing to do with balance.
The term is used to describe a kind of balance that is not identical on
both sides of a central line, not relying on symmetry, opposite of symmetrical balance.
Asymmetrical balance occurs when several smaller visual elements on one
side are balanced by a large visual element on the other side or smaller
visual elements are placed further away from the center of the screen than
larger visual elements. Asymmetrical balance can be used when one wishes to
achieve a more casual or less planned look and feel. An asymmetrical
composition can create a feeling of tension as if the page or screen may tip
for things might slide off the side. Asymmetrical balance is more dynamic than
symmetrical balance and normally keeps the audience's attention focused on the visual message.
Next is radial balance. The third type of balance is radial balance
where all elements radiate out from a centre point in a circular fashion.
It is very easy to maintain a focal point in radial balance since all the elements
lead your eye towards the centre.
So those are the three main types of balance in design. Depending on the intended purpose
or look and feel, a designer must sense which type of balance to execute.
A designer must sense whether or not a composition is balanced or not
success is using good balance can help achieve is strong visual effect and good
quality design. So that is the fourth key design principle in graphic design.
When you look at design ask yourself how has balance been considered?
What part does balance play to create the overall design? Is there a good or bad sense of balance?
and how well does it work as part of the design?
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So the next key design principle is proximity.
In the next video I'm going to talk about proximity as a design principle in graphic design.
So see you in next video!