Great works of art and design don't happen by chance. There are principles and rules, even if they get broken from time to time, they were still there in the first place.

1. THE PRINCIPLES OF
GREAT DESIGN
By @LeeCarnihan

2. GREAT DESIGN USES SOME,
IF NOT ALL, OF THE
FOLLOWING PRINCIPLES...

3. PRIMACY
What we see first will prime us for what follows.
What we see last will also be remembered,
but the middle is often forgotten.

4. PROXIMITY
Where is each element on the page positioned and why?
How does its position affect the other elements in the design?

5. PROPORTION
Is each element of the design in proportion to all the others?

6. USE OF SPACE
What is left out can often help make your point.

7. PERSPECTIVE
Where is the viewer standing in relation to the design?

8. FOCUS
What is the eye being drawn to? Or being asked to look at?

9. BALANCE & WEIGHTING
How are the elements weighted and distributed across the design?

10. COMPOSITION
How are all the elements composed?
How well do they harmonise?
Or do they conflict?

11. SYMBOLISM
What messages are you embedding in your design?
Are they literal, figurative and culturally relevant?
Are they well understood or completely new?

12. PATTERN
The brain likes pattern because it’s regular and predictable
and that makes it quick and easy to process.

13. DISTINCTION
The odd one out stands out.

14. TEXTURE
How does the design feel?

15. FLOW
Where are the design’s elements leading?
Is there a beginning, middle and end?

16. EMPHASIS
What’s the most important element in the design?

17. COLOUR
Colour can convey meaning but what if the colour was absent,
could your design still be understood?
Are the colours culturally relevant?

18. CONTRAST
Contrast can be used to help something stand out
or as a complement or to create visual conflict.

19. SBS
Saturation, brightness and sharpness.
Not principles as such but techniques to employ as part of the principles.

20. QUALITY OF EXECUTION
Many a good idea has been ruined by poor execution.

21. AND IF YOU’RE WONDERING
HOW TO USE THOSE PRINCIPLES
IN A DESIGN STRATEGY,
TRY THIS...

22. USE THE RIGHT PRINCIPLES
IN THE RIGHT MEDIUM
FOR THE RIGHT PERSON
IN THE RIGHT CONTEXT
AT THE RIGHT TIME.
SIMPLE.

23. I’m Lee. I love design. What do you love?
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