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Chapter 7 Design and Layout
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Color Temperature
Temperature of a color is a characteristic of the
visual perception. Warm colors are magenta, red,
orange, yellow, and sometimes green. Cool colors
are cyan, blue, purple, and sometimes green. Using
the colors in different combinations can create
different meanings. See Figure 7-28.
Principles of Design
In the process of designing a printed product,
many different ideas are generated through the use
of design elements. To ensure the images have a
pleasing relationship, design principles must be
applied to sort out or select the right ideas.
The basic principles of design are balance,
contrast, unity, rhythm, and hierarchy. These
principles are used by the design artist to create an
image that is both visually pleasing and functional.
Balance
Balance describes the even distribution of images
to create a pleasing visual effect. Balance has one of
the most important psychological influences on human
perception. Consciously and unconsciously, people
have a basic need for balance.
This principle can be illustrated by the
placement of letters on a scale, as shown in
Figure 7-29. Visually, a judgment can be made
by the value of each image. The type of balance
in Figure 7-29A is symmetrical and is called
formal. The type of balance in Figure 7-29B is
asymmetrical and is called informal.
Formal balance is achieved when all of the
elements on a page are of equal weight and are
positioned symmetrically. Informal balance may be
achieved by changing the value, size, or location of
elements on a page. The use of various colors and
color intensities can also create informal balance.
For example, two squares of equal size but different
color values, such as pink and dark red, will appear
to be unequal in size when placed side by side.
Balance is a guiding principle of design. The
layout should be considered as a whole when
positioning the elements.
Contrast
Contrast is the most powerful of the design t
tools and is about nearly everything, including the
variation of elements in a printed product. When
used, contrast gives meaning and direction to a
design, which leads to successful hierarchy and a
successful pattern.
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher
Figure 7-28. Warm and cool colors react differently to each
other in different proportions.
HOT
COOL
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher
Figure 7-29. Balance in an image is produced through
an equal positioning of elements. A—Letters placed
symmetrically to achieve formal balance. B—Letters placed
in uneven quantities to represent informal balance.
A
Symmetrical = Formal
B
Asymmetrical = Informal
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