The document discusses the 10 key principles that make for good design: message, hierarchy, placement/alignment/spacing, color, typography, imagery, contrast, balance, tone, and form and function. It explains each principle and provides examples. It emphasizes that understanding and applying these principles through practice and keeping them in mind can help make designs more effective and take them far.

1. THINGS
THAT MAKE
YOUR DESIGN Good

2. WHAT MAKES DESIGN GOOD?

3. WHAT MAKES DESIGN GOOD?
flashy images?

4. WHAT MAKES DESIGN GOOD?
flashy images?
(possibly)

5. WHAT MAKES DESIGN GOOD?
cool fonts?

6. WHAT MAKES DESIGN GOOD?
cool fonts?
(well, sometimes)

7. WHAT MAKES DESIGN GOOD?
drop shadows and bevels?

8. WHAT MAKES DESIGN GOOD?
drop shadows and bevels?
(ummm...)

9. BUT REALLY, WHAT MAKES DESIGN GOOD?

10. principles

11. principles
(wait, what?)

12. design principles
yes
THERE’S A METHOD TO THE MADNESS, A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS…

13. ready?

14. YOU
ready?

15. YOU DESIGN PRINCIPLES
( meat & potatoes )
ready?

16. YOU DESIGN PRINCIPLES
( meat & potatoes ) GOOD DESIGN
ready?

17. THAT’S THE RECIPE
YOU DESIGN PRINCIPLES
( meat & potatoes ) GOOD DESIGN
ready?

18. DOES THIS RECIPE APPLY TO BOTH
PRINT AND WEB DESIGN?

19. yes
DOES THIS RECIPE APPLY TO BOTH
PRINT AND WEB DESIGN?

20. principles
ARE THE KEY INGREDIENTS
HERE ARE

21. #1 MESSAGE (WHAT THE DESIGN MEANS)
M
ESSAGESTOPFREEPIZZAPARTYOVERHEREBETTER PRODUCTSBUY NOWWE’REOPEN

22. The message is what drives the direction of the design and dictates what the design is communicating and to whom. In essence, the message tells a story that can be communicated with words, images or both.

23. #2 HIERARCHY (DETERMINING WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT)
HIERAR
CHYGRAND OPENING1234 NEW AVE. DEC 1, 2014 | NOON-4PMMEET OUR FRIENDLY STAFF! MOST IMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANTLESS IMPORTANT

24. Hierarchy places priority on the elements of your layout, whether they are text, images or graphics. what’s the most important part of that message? second, third, and so on? You can show hierarchy in various ways, such as placement, size and color.

25. #3 PLACEMENT/ALIGNMENT
/SPACING (WHERE THINGS GO)
PLACEMENT / SP
ACING / ALIGNMENT

26. Placement focuses on the positioning of elements and making best use of the space available.
Spacing deals with the proximity — how close or far away — the design elements are from each other.
Alignment describes how elements line up with each other and how they line up with the overall space.

27. #4 COLOR (YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS)
CO
LOR

28. Color can be literal (i.e. a red apple) or color could symbolize greater messages (i.e. purple for royalty). Color is often dictated by many factors such as personal preference, a company’s brand standards, or its relationship to the subject matter.

29. #5 TYPOGRAPHY (THE USE OF LETTERFORMS AND FONTS)
TY
POGRAPHYcatcatcatcatcatcatcatcatcatcatcatcatcatcatcatcatcatcatcatcatcatatcatcatcatcatcatCATCATCATCATCATCATCAT

30. Typography describes the use of typefaces/fonts and letterforms to display content or to be used as artistic elements. The way that you organize
words/text onto the page can influence how well your audience will understand your message.
Consider font type, as well as the size, weight (thickness), color, and placement of the type.

31. #6 IMAGERY (YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS TOO)
PHOTOGRAPH
GRAPHICICONIMAGERY

32. IMAGERY comes in various forms, including photographs, graphics, icons, illustrations and charts/graphs. Use imagery in a way that connects to the overall message that you must communicate.

33. #7 CONTRAST (OPPOSITES ATTRACT)
SIZE
COLORSHAPECONTRAST

34. Contrast is the existence of opposing elements. This can include contrast of color, size, shape, space and more. Contrast allows for emphasis in your design.

35. #8 BALANCE (JUST ENOUGH OF “THIS” AND “THAT”)
WHITE
SPACECONTENTBALANCE

36. Balance within your design ensures that certain elements don’t ineffectively outweigh others, allowing the eye to flow easily through the layout. Balance allows focal points to be evident, but not overwhelmingly prominent.

37. #9 TONE (WHAT’S THE ATTITUDE?)
HAPP
YSADINFORMATIONALPROVOKINGEMPATHYTONE

38. TONE determines the feel or attitude that your design depicts. How do you want the audience to feel when they look at your work? What emotion does the message portray and how does the design relfect that emotion?

39. #10 FORM AND FUNCTION
(HOW IT LOOKS AND HOW IT WORKS)
W
ORKS WELLLOOKS GOODFORM AND FUNCTION

40. It’s important to have balance between what you want your design to do (function) and how you want it to look (form). While your designs should always strive to be visually appealing, make sure that they are satisfying the needs of the audience and effectively relaying the messages that need to be expressed.

41. UNDERSTANDING DESIGN PRINCIPLES
AND KNOWING HOW TO EFFECTIVELY
INCORPORATE THEM MAKES
good design

42. LEARN THEM

43. PRACTICE THEM

44. ALWAYS KEEP THEM IN MIND

45. AND YOUR DESIGNS WILL GO far!

46. NOW GO CREATE
Awesome Design!

47. Visit:
MAKEAWESOMEDESIGN.COM
and don’t forget to share this!
- to learn more
- to get the book
@cre8tiveventing /MakeAwesomeDesign