Proximity and Alignment

Read this section. Then, read Chapters 2 and 3 in your textbook.

Proximity
The Principle of Proximity states that you group related objects together. When you see items on a page,
your eye will look for patterns or shapes that appear alike, so you want to start with a focal point and
create a path for the eye to travel.

Objects that are grouped together will create a focal point. The same goes for objects that are larger or
brighter. When working on a design project, look at the objects in the design and the space you want to
fill. Do they look close enough? Is there a repeating pattern to the shape? Be aware of what the lines on
the page are creating. Are they straight or curvy? Are they heavy or thin? Are they close together or far
apart?

You can group items according to scale or size. You can also use color to group them together. Try a
continuity of shape and colors to create your piece. How you interpret those patterns will decide how you
create your design.
 FIGURE 11—Proximity can lead the viewer’s
eye through a design.

Take a close look at the shapes and colors of all the components in Figure 11. Notice how your eye
naturally follows the shapes of the rectangles and toucan birds and groups them together.

View the following resources for more information about proximity in art:

 Gestalt Theory

 Designing with the Gestalt Principles

 Gestalt Design Principles

Alignment
Now that you’ve grouped your patterns together, how are you going to place them on your page? The
Principle of Alignment states that nothing should be placed on a page arbitrarily and that every item
should have a visual connection with something else on the page.
Simple is better. Too many objects scattered on a page can create confusion for the viewer.

To create good visual alignment, you have to create visual connections and order on your page. To do so,
you can use horizontal, vertical, center, or edge alignment to bring your objects together. Each object
should connect to another by similarity of type, shape, or color.
 FIGURE 12—

Horizontal Center Alignment FIGURE 13—

Left-Edge Vertical Alignment

In Figure 12, observe how the birds create a horizontal line that’s repeated by the two rectangles, and in
Figure 13, note how the text aligns to the left of the design and the bird repeats the pattern. Both figures
contain repeating colors. Examine the red from the bird in the text of the logo design and the light color
from the bird in the main body of the text.

Deepen your understanding of how to make alignment work for you by checking out the following Web
resources:

 How to Use Centered Alignments: Tips and Examples

 Basic Alignment Principles in Graphic Design (with Examples)

Assignment 2 Activities
 Complete the following non-graded textbook activities and, if applicable to the activity, check
your answers with those listed in Chapter 14:
➢ Train Your Designer Eye activities in Chapters 2 and 3
➢ To Do activities in Chapters 2 and 3

 Complete the following practice and review the feedback after you submit your answers.

Summary of proximity

When several items are in close proximity to each other, they become one visual unit rather than several separate
units. Items relating to each other should be grouped together. Be conscious of where your eye is going: Where do
you start looking; what path do you follow; where do you end up; after you’ve read it, where does your eye go
next? You should be able to follow a logical progression through the piece, from a definite beginning to a definite
end.

The basic purpose

The basic purpose of proximity is to organize. Other principles come into play as well, but simply grouping related
elements together into closer proximity automatically creates organization. If the information is organized, it is
more likely to be read and more likely to be remembered. As a by-product of organizing the communication, you
also create more appealing (more organized) white space (designers’ favorite thing).

How to get it
Squint your eyes slightly and count the number of visual elements on the page by counting the number of times
your eye stops. If there are more than three to five items on the page (of course it depends on the piece), see
which of the separate elements can be grouped together into closer proximity to become one visual unit.

What to avoid

 Avoid too many separate elements on a page.

 Avoid leaving equal amounts of white space between elements unless each group is part of a related
subset.
 Avoid even a split second of confusion over whether a headline, subhead, caption, graphic, or the like
belongs with its related material. Create a relationship among elements with proximity.
 Don’t create relationships with elements that don’t belong together! If they are not related, move them
apart from each other.
 Don’t stick things in the corners or in the middle just because the space is empty.
The Principle of Alignment states: Nothing should be placed on the page arbitrarily. Every item
should have a visual connection with something else on the page.
The principle of alignment forces you to be conscious—no longer can you just throw things on the page
and see where they stick.
Get in the habit of drawing lines between elements to determine where the connections are lacking.
Take a moment to decide which of the items above should be grouped into closer proximity, and which
should be separated.
Summary of alignment
Nothing should be placed on the page arbitrarily. Every element should have some visual connection with
another element on the page.
Unity is an important concept in design. To make all the elements on the page appear to be unified,
connected, and interrelated, there needs to be some visual tie between the separate elements. Even if
the separate elements are not physically close on the page, they can appear connected, related, and
unified with the other information simply by their placement. Take a look at design projects you like. No
matter how wild and chaotic a well-designed piece may initially appear, you can always find alignments
within.
The basic purpose
The basic purpose of alignment is to unify and organize the page. The result is similar to when you (or
your dog) pick up all the dog toys strewn around the living room and put them into one toy box.
It is often a strong alignment (combined, of course, with the appropriate typeface) that creates a
sophisticated look, a formal look, a fun look, or a serious look.
How to get it
 Be conscious of where you place elements. Always find something else on the page to align with, even if
the two objects are physically far away from each other.
What to avoid
Avoid using more than one text alignment on the page (that is, don’t center some text and right-align
other text).
And please try very hard to break away from a centered alignment unless you are consciously trying to
create a more formal, sedate presentation. Choose a centered alignment consciously, not by default.

Repetition, Contrast, and Review of the Four Design

Principles

Repetition
According to the Principle of Repetition, some aspect of the design should be repeated
throughout the piece. Repetition works in helping the viewer’s eye know how to be drawn across
the page. You show the viewers where you want them to look and create an invisible path for
their eyes to follow.

Strong visual elements create a visual path on your page. This can generate interest in the page
and hold your viewers’ attention. You can create repetition with text, objects, colors, or sizes.

But if you use too much repetition, the design can become confusing. Instead, consider the
elements you have and how you can make them consistent throughout your piece.

For example, if you’re incorporating a photo in your piece, you can use the color, line, or shape
of the photo to create repetition. Refer back to Figure 11 and observe the repeating shapes and
colors on the flyer. All the colors in the design were taken from the birds in the photos, and the
toucan provides a repeating shape that draws your eye through the whole page.

Learn more about repetition from the following resources.

 Design in Art: Repetition, Pattern and Rhythm

 Rhythm & Repetition
 Repetition, Pattern, and Rhythm

Contrast
According to the Principle of Contrast, the designer should contrast various elements to draw in
the reader’s eye. So, if two items aren’t exactly the same, they should be made really different.
By creating contrast, you’re generating a visual target for your eye. You can do this by changing
the color of part of your design or the size or value of objects or types.

FIGURE 14—Light and Dark Contrast

FIGURE 15—Color Contrast

Where is your eye looking? Too little contrast can become boring or bland. However, too much
contrast can cause confusion and uncertainty. You want to use just enough contrast to engage the
viewer’s attention to your piece and organize the information. Take a look at Figures 14 and 15.
The swan business card in Figure 14 shows light and dark contrast. Figure 15 demonstrates color
contrast, as blue and orange are complementary colors.

Learn more about contrast by viewing the following sources:

 Create Contrast by Creating Obvious Differences

 Contrast and Meaning
 Become a Master Designer: Rule Three: Contrast, Contrast, Contrast

Assignment 3 Activities
 Visit 5 Basic Principles Of Graphic Design You Take For Granted Everyday for a
recap of the four design principles and the concept of white space.
 Complete the following non-graded textbook activities and, if applicable to the activity,
check your answers with those listed in Chapter 14:
 ➢ Train Your Designer Eye activities for Chapters 4 and 5
➢ To Do activity in Chapter 4
➢ Little Quiz in Chapter 6
➢ Complete the following practice and review the feedback after you submit your
answers.
Review your learning materials, and when you’re ready, complete your lesson examination
before moving on to the next assignment.

Repetition, Contrast, and Review of

the Four Design Principles
Read this section. Then, read Chapters 4–6 in your textbook.

Repetition
According to the Principle of Repetition, some aspect of the design should be repeated
throughout the piece. Repetition works in helping the viewer’s eye know how to be drawn across
the page. You show the viewers where you want them to look and create an invisible path for
their eyes to follow.

Strong visual elements create a visual path on your page. This can generate interest in the page
and hold your viewers’ attention. You can create repetition with text, objects, colors, or sizes.

But if you use too much repetition, the design can become confusing. Instead, consider the
elements you have and how you can make them consistent throughout your piece.

For example, if you’re incorporating a photo in your piece, you can use the color, line, or shape
of the photo to create repetition. Refer back to Figure 11 and observe the repeating shapes and
colors on the flyer. All the colors in the design were taken from the birds in the photos, and the
toucan provides a repeating shape that draws your eye through the whole page.

Learn more about repetition from the following resources.

 Design in Art: Repetition, Pattern and Rhythm

 Rhythm & Repetition
 Repetition, Pattern, and Rhythm

Contrast
According to the Principle of Contrast, the designer should contrast various elements to draw in
the reader’s eye. So if two items aren’t exactly the same, they should be made really different.
By creating contrast, you’re generating a visual target for your eye. You can do this by changing
the color of part of your design or the size or value of objects or type.

FIGURE 14—Light and Dark Contrast

FIGURE 15—Color Contrast

Where is your eye looking? Too little contrast can become boring or bland. However, too much
contrast can cause confusion and uncertainty. You want to use just enough contrast to engage the
viewer’s attention to your piece and organize the information. Take a look at Figures 14 and 15.
The swan business card in Figure 14 shows light and dark contrast. Figure 15 demonstrates color
contrast, as blue and orange are complementary colors.

Learn more about contrast by viewing the following sources:

 Create Contrast by Creating Obvious Differences

 Contrast and Meaning
 Become a Master Designer: Rule Three: Contrast, Contrast, Contrast

Assignment 3 Activities
 Visit 5 Basic Principles Of Graphic Design You Take For Granted Everyday for a recap of
the four design principles and the concept of white space.
 Complete the following non-graded textbook activities and, if applicable to the activity, check
your answers with those listed in Chapter 14:
➢ Train Your Designer Eye activities for Chapters 4 and 5
➢ To Do activity in Chapter 4
 ➢ Little Quiz in Chapter 6
➢ Complete the following practice and review the feedback after you submit your answers.
Review your learning materials, and when you’re ready, complete your lesson examination
before moving on to the next assignment.

The Principle of Contrast states: Contrast various elements of the piece to draw a reader’s eye
into the page. If two items are not exactly the same, then make them different. Really different.

The Principle of Repetition states: Repeat some aspect of the design throughout the entire
piece. The repetitive element may be a bold font, a thick rule (line), a certain bullet, design
element, color, format, spatial relationships, etc. It can be anything that a reader will visually
recognize.