Lesson 7 Proximity, Alignment, Repetition, and Contrast

AOIT Graphic Design

AOIT Graphic Design

Lesson 7

Proximity, Alignment, Repetition, and Contrast

Student Resources

Resource / Description /
Student Resource 7.1 / Example: Effective and Ineffective Graphic Designs
Student Resource 7.2 / Note Taking: Principles of Graphic Design
Student Resource 7.3 / Reading: Principles of Graphic Design
Student Resource 7.4 / Worksheet: Designing with Proximity in Mind
Student Resource 7.5 / Worksheet: Designing with Alignment in Mind
Student Resource 7.6 / Reference Sheet: Text Alignment
Student Resource 7.7 / Worksheet: Elements of Contrast
Student Resource 7.8 / Defining Format: Proximity, Alignment, Repetition, and Contrast
Student Resource 7.9 / Creative Brief: Pizzarizza Restaurant Menu
Student Resource 7.10 / Assignment Sheet: Creating a Restaurant Menu
Student Resource 7.11 / Planning and Design Sheet: Restaurant Menu

Student Resource 7.1

Example: Effective and Ineffective Graphic Designs

Student Names:______Date:______

Directions: Look at the two graphic designs on the following page. Decide which one you think is the better design, and make a list on this page of everything you notice that makes that design better than the other.

Which design do you like better, Costa Rica Design 1 or Costa Rica Design 2?

List everything you notice that makes one design more effective than the other:

AOIT Graphic Design

Lesson 7 Proximity, Alignment, Repetition, and Contrast

Costa Rica Design 1

Costa Rica Design 2

AOIT Graphic Design

Lesson 7 Proximity, Alignment, Repetition, and Contrast

Student Resource 7.2

Note Taking: Principles of Graphic Design

Student Name:______Date:______

Directions: As you watch the presentation about the principles of graphic design, write the most important point you want to remember about each principle on this worksheet.

Proximity

Alignment

Repetition

Contrast

Additional notes

Student Resource 7.3

Reading: Principles of Graphic Design

This presentation illustrates how to apply the principles of proximity, alignment, repetition, and contrast effectively to create graphic designs that draw viewers in and help them organize information effortlessly.

Proximity – Items that are related should be close to each other. This helps the viewer organize information quickly.

Alignment – Every visual element should be connected by an invisible line with at least one other element. This helps the viewer see connections and brings organization and unity to a design.

Repetition – Repeating visual elements in a design adds interest and unity. It helps the viewer make connections.

Contrast – If elements are not the same, make them very different. This contrast creates both organization and visual interest in a design.

Visual hierarchy – By adding visual weight to an element, you can make it pop out so that the viewer’s eye goes there first. A visual hierarchy leads the viewer through the design, making him look at the most important item first, then the next most important, and so on. The most important item is often called the focal point.

Balance – Equally distributing the visual weight of elements on a page creates a pleasing and clear layout.

You will learn more about visual hierarchy and balance in the next lessons in this unit.

In this image, it is hard for the reader to organize information because elements that go together are not grouped together. The viewer doesn’t know where to start and where to go next. There is no sense of unity.

Putting items that go together in close proximity to each other helps the viewer understand what this image is about.

Aligning items results in a stronger cohesive unit. It tells the reader that even elements that are not physically close to each other belong to the same piece.

In this image, you can immediately zero in on the information you are looking for because the alignment shows you where you should look. Your eyes don’t have to wander around looking for patterns.

Repetitive elements can be fonts, lines, bullets, color, a design element, a format, or a spatial relationship.

In addition to creating unity and organization, repetition adds visual interest to a design. The circles draw you in and get you interested in discovering what the best restaurants are. The repetition breaks the design elements down so that you can easily spot the circle for the best restaurant in the U.S., for example.

Creating diversity among repeating elements adds interest and helps the viewer distinguish differences among elements that are similar.

Contrast creates interest on a page and aids in organization. Our eyes are drawn to contrasting elements.

Examples of contrasting elements are large type and small type, an old-style font and a sans serif font, a thin line and a thick line, a cool color and a warm color, a horizontal element and a vertical element, a small graphic and a large graphic.

With this image, the viewer is drawn in to the page to find out more about the band. Who is that “special guest”?

In something as simple as a book cover with very little text on it, adhering to the principles of graphic design draws viewers in and makes them want to pick up the book.

As you work through this lesson, be sure to keep your eyes open for good examples of applying the principles of graphic design. And every time you create a graphic design, check your own work to make sure it adheres to the principles of proximity, alignment, contrast, and repetition.

Student Resource 7.4

Worksheet: Designing with Proximity in Mind

Student Names:______Date:______

Directions: Look at the examples of graphic design on this worksheet and answer the questions below them. Then use a pencil and paper to sketch out an improved version of each example that adheres to the rules of proximity.

Business Card Example

· Where do you begin reading? What draws your eye there?

· How many times does your eye stop?

· Do you know when you’re finished? Why or why not?

· Are physically related elements close to each other? Which elements should be in closer proximity?

Sketch out a design that includes the same information and adheres to the principle of proximity.

Newsletter Masthead Example

A masthead is the graphic image and text title at the top of a news publication’s first page. It identifies the newsletter, tells which issue it is, and provides information about the publisher.

· Where do you begin reading? What draws your eye there?

· How many times does your eye stop?

· Do you know when you’re finished? Why or why not?

· Are physically related elements close to each other? Which elements should be in closer proximity?

Sketch out a design that includes the same information and adheres to the principle of proximity.

Student Resource 7.5

Worksheet: Designing with Alignment in Mind

Student Names:______Date:______

Directions: The basic purpose of alignment is to unify and organize a page. First read through the rules for alignment, then study the three graphic designs in this resource and answer the alignment questions about each design.

Rules for Alignment

· Our eyes like to see order! Every item should be connected with something else on the page by invisible lines.

· Information is instantly more organized if there is one type of alignment (right, left, or center) that connects separate pieces.

· Most designs that have a sophisticated look are not centered.

· Never center headlines over flush-left body copy or paragraphs that are indented. If text doesn’t have a clear left and right edge, you can’t tell the heading is centered.

· Find a strong alignment and stick to it. If the text is flush left, set the headings and subheadings to flush left.

· If blocks of text are across from each other horizontally on a page, align their baselines (bottom). If there are several different blocks of text on a page, align their left or right edges.

· Align the edges of graphic elements with other edges on the page.

· Check illustrations, captions, headlines, and rules to make sure they are aligned with text, and not sticking out over the edge.

· If you have an image with a straight edge next to a column of text, align the text along the straight edge of the image. (For example, if the image is on the right, then right-align the text.)

/ · Use a ruler to draw lines showing which elements in this design are connected by invisible lines.
· Why do you think the alignment is effective or ineffective?

/ · Use a ruler to draw lines showing which elements in this design are connected by invisible lines.
· Why do you think the alignment is effective or ineffective?
/ · Use a ruler to draw lines showing which elements in this design are connected by invisible lines.
· Why do you think the alignment is effective or ineffective?

Student Resource 7.6

Reference Sheet: Text Alignment

Flush left
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. / Centered
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. / Runaround
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Flush right
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. / Justified
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Asymmetrical
We hold these truths
to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their
Creator
with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are
Life,
Liberty and the
pursuit of Happiness. / Concrete

Flush left: The first letters of the text are aligned on the left while the right edge is allowed to flow naturally into a ragged edge. Typography experts consider flush left to be a very readable alignment.

Flush right: The end of each line of text is aligned on the right while the left edge flows into a ragged edge. This option works best for short amounts of text because it is hard for the reader’s eye to find the start of the next line, especially if the text line lengths are very long.

Centered: Each line of text is centered, making both the right edge and the left edge ragged. This alignment implies formality and is often used in headline type. The irregular left edge makes it difficult for the reader’s eye to find the beginning of the next line of type, so avoid using centered alignment for more than just a few short phrases.

Justified: Both the left edge and the right edge of each line are aligned. Justified alignment is very readable when set properly and is widely used in books, magazines, brochures, and other text-intensive pages, because this alignment allows for a higher word density. Because of the word density, justified columns tend to look visually darker. Justified columns also tend to develop “rivers” of white space that require adjustment to the lines of type.

Runaround: The text wraps around a picture or another piece of text. This alignment is commonly used in newsletters and other text-intensive pages. It is also called text wrap.

Asymmetric: This alignment conveys a sense of informality and energy. It is visually very interesting, but it is difficult to read because the beginnings and ends of lines do not align with each other. The viewer’s eye has to work to find the beginning of the next line. This alignment is best used for short lines of type.

Concrete: In this alignment, the arrangement of the text takes on the shape of an action or object it describes. This alignment is often difficult to read but is visually very interesting. This text alignment has much creative potential, but it is not easy to move type into an identifiable shape!

Student Resource 7.7

Worksheet: Elements of Contrast

Student Name:______Date:______

Directions: Look at the graphic designs on this worksheet, and answer the questions next to each design, noting the elements of contrast as you work.

/ Elements of Contrast

· How does the reader know what is important?

· How does the reader know what to look at first?

· What keeps the reader focused?

· What draws readers in and keeps their attention?

/ Elements of Contrast

· How does the reader know what is important?

· How does the reader know what to look at first?

· What keeps the reader focused?

· What draws readers in and keeps their attention?

/ Elements of Contrast

· How does the reader know what is important?

· How does the reader know what to look at first?

· What keeps the reader focused?

· What draws readers in and keeps their attention?