236: II'nMI

Visual Design: Layout

Using Pixels to Communicate

EBU

EmphasisFocal point (where to look first)Hierarchy of interest

Balance Equilibrium of elements

Unity Harmony among all elementsWorking together as a whole

Emphasis

Yeah, sure, emphasize by contrasting hue, size, value, shape, proximity/isolation etc. But what about ...

Emphasis by Placement?Hot spots in visual compositions:

Top left for western readers in a textish contextCenter (can have stasis/balance issues)Rule of Thirds

Emphasis by Direction?Use the Gestalt Continuance principle

Emphasis by Cognitive Relevance?Face (esp. eyes), your name, current preoccupation

Unite (1971, Barbara Jones-Hogu)

No emphasis?No differentiation.All dull flat texture.

Emphasis

Mini-Brainstorming: Other ways to emphasize visual elements ... ?

Besides: placement, direction, cognitive relevance.

Balance

Use symmetry sparingly!It can work for or against you:

It can weaken the dynamic motion in an imageBeing compellingly off-balance keeps viewers engaged

It can formalize the image, add power to itThink: Stanley Kubrick, Tibetan sand mandalas, wedding invitations

Use grids liberally!They can help lots with alignment/continuance, as well as proportion, all key for achieving balance.

GridResult

Balance equations

http://www.iwc.com/en-us/

http://busesatthebrewery.com/

http://www.luciaortega.com/

Unity

Unity is one of the primary goals in visual designIt's the U of EBU (Emphasis, Balance, Unity)

A visual design exhibits unity when:All its various elements feel like they belong there.

To paraphrase Jonathan Ive: When the design seems so perfectly apt that it seems inevitable. Why would anyone design it any other way?

Things that help infuse a design with unity:Consistency (visual and conceptual)ContinuitySimplicity, restraint, minimalismEmphasis, balance, and dominanceFollowing your beloved Gestalt principles

http://www.lego.com/en-us/

emphasis?

http://narayanrehab.com/http:/narayanrehab.com