Design excellence is not a random occurrence. A brilliant designer intentionally selects elements such as color, form, and typography, all of which influence how a spectator or user perceives and interacts with a work. Certain design principles can also make a design more functional, especially when it comes to the design of digital products; with the correct components, you can build meaningful user experiences that successfully address their pain points.
1. Lines
The line is the most fundamental and fundamental feature of design. Any two connected points constitute a line in design. These lines might be straight or curved, smooth or rough, continuous or interrupted, thick or thin. A line creates division and hierarchy in your design, directing the user’s attention to certain information or a focus point. Lines can also be used to create subconscious languages in designs. A diagonal line, for instance, implies motion, but a straight line is more organized and neat.
In addition, it is essential to understand that there are two ways to generate a line:
- Connect two points with a pen, brush, or other digital instrument. The term for this is “real line.”
- Create an “implied line” that appears at the intersection of two shapes.
2. Shapes
When a two-dimensional line encloses a region, shape is the second aspect of design. A form can be geometric (such as a circle, triangle, or square), or it can be organic (such as leaves, flowers, and animals). Boundaries—including lines and color—ultimately create shapes and can also be used to highlight a portion of the page.
3. Colors
Color is an additional potent design element. It can stand on its own, serve as a background, or accentuate other aspects in your design.
Additionally, color is an excellent tool for developing and establishing a brand’s personality. For instance, red is commonly associated with love, strength, power, and desire, whereas green is commonly associated with serenity, good fortune, and health.
It is essential to understand the three properties at play while constructing a color palette. This will enable you to optimize the impact of this design principle. These are the three properties:
- Hue: is the term for the color’s name. Examples of colours include “red”, “blue”, and “green”.
- Saturation: describes the strength or purity of a hue. A color’s saturation might be brilliant or muted (and anywhere in between).
- Value: of a color indicates its lightness or darkness. Additions of white or black can “tint” or “shade” a color, respectively.
These three properties: hue, color, and value; enable a designer to employ a variety of colors, all of which contribute to evoking a brand’s ambiance and message.
4. Typography
The most important element of graphic, web, and user interface design is probably typography. Your text’s look can convey atmosphere in addition to conveying a message. Are you an upbeat blog or a somber online newspaper? The use of typography could enhance mood. A Sans Serif typeface, such Open Sans, is seen as more modern, while a Serif font, like Times New Roman, tends to reflect a more traditional and serious tone.
The use of typography in your design can create a visual hierarchy in addition to expressing a mood or sentiment. By pointing out where to look and which screen elements are most important, it gives users a sense of how to read the content from beginning to end.
For example, larger font sizes serve to direct the user’s interest to the center of the page. The reader instinctively realizes that a subheading will be supported by more information or explanation when it is accompanied by a smaller font size. When developing UI typography, the weight, height, and size of your typeface are essential considerations.
5. Texture
Texture is the sensation of a surface, or in the case of a digital design, the suggestion of a possible sensation. Texture can add depth to a design and make the experience more dynamic and visually appealing. For instance, a luxury linen company looking to portray warmth and comfort may choose a background made of cotton material. In contrast, if you are selling building supplies, you could choose to go with a background made of cement, stone, or brick and use gritty, textured type.
6. Space
When referring to space, we mean the region around, below or above an object. It has positive and negative aspects. Positive space describes the focus or regions of interest, such as a person’s face or the furnishings in a room. The background surrounding the topic or other items of interest is referred to as negative (or “white”) space.
When used effectively, negative space is essential to the success of a design. A bigger amount of white space implies that your text does not have to compete with other design elements, which has the potential to:
- Enhanced readability: Less competition between your text and other design elements results from more white space.
- Simplify your design: Using white space to divide your design into pieces prevents your reader’s eye from becoming overloaded.
- Complete the illustration: Humans have the intrinsic ability to recognize closed forms. White space may therefore help the reader fill in the gaps unconsciously when a shape or component is flawed.
- Add a touch of elegance: The adage “less is more” can give your design an impression of sophistication.
