1. Ensure legibility – remove as many obstacles as possible
2. Reduce effort (to interpret the message)
3. Increase viewer’s active engagement
4. Focus attention
Goals of Visual Design
1. Visual
a. Realistic (actual object)
b. Analogic (showing something else or implying a similarity)
c. Organizational (maps, graphs, flowcharts, schematics, classification charts)
2. Verbal
a. Lettering style (font)
b. Number of lettering style
Series – not more than 2 different style types
On computer – maximum of 4 (including bold, underline, italics, size changes)
c. Capitals
Short headline –bold
Phrase – follow lowercase lettering
d. Color of lettering (contrast to background)
e. Size of lettering
Rule of thumb – ½ inch increase for every 10 feet of viewer’s distance
3. Spacing between letters
4. Spacing between lines
5. Elements that add appeal
a. Surprise
b. Texture
c. Interaction
Elements of Visual Design
Process of Visual Design
1. Pattern
a. Alignment
b. Shape – rule of thirds
c. Balance
i. Symmetrical – formal
ii. Asymmetrical –informal
d. Style (depends on audience if young or old)
e. Color Scheme – consider harmony, color wheel as guide
i. Complimentary – directly opposite each other, do not juxtapose with each other
ii. Analogous – colors that lie next to each other
2. Arrangement
a. Proximity – in relation with each other
b. Directionals (arrows)
c. Colored elements (grouped together)
d. Figure-ground contrast – dark figures on light background and vice versa
e. Consistency
Visual Design
patterns
colors
arrangement