If you haven't already heard, there are apparently seven principles of design - a.k.a. the foundational concepts to consider for best design practices. The problem is, everyone has a different idea of which principles those seven should be. After doing a little bit of research, I came up more than seven core principles that the best creative blogs out there insist are THE seven principles of design:
Alignment
Balance
Color
Contrast
Emphasis / Dominance
“Gestalt” (I wasn't sure what this meant either!)
Hierarchy
Movement
Negative Space / White Space
Pattern
Proportion / Scale
Proximity
Repetition
Rhythm
Unity/Harmony
Variety
Now, these principles are not to be confused with the seven elements of design - of which there is little debate over...
Color
Form
Line
Shape
Space
Texture
Value
These elements represent the most basic building blocks of any composition (Masterclass) while the "seven" elements describe how the principles should be used.
When reviewing this long list of potential principles, it quickly became clear to me that different designers have different names for concepts, and varying opinions about which principles should be prioritized. This is why my list above includes some bullets with word combinations: " X / X" because to me, these words and concepts mean the same thing.
Let's pause for just a moment to answer the question that everyone is thinking... what the heck is "Gestalt"? According to the Google definition, it refers to "an organized whole that is perceived as more than the sum of its parts." A Dovetail blog describes it as "forming meaningful patterns out of seemingly meaningless complexity." For me, this basically implores us to consider the bigger picture, rather than trying to compartmentalize meaning out of individual portions when it comes to design. In the communications world, this could mean careful absorption and consideration of all the words in an article, seeing as a story only makes sense when you do so.
But back to the principles. Because the fields of art and design are by definition creative and therefore infallible spaces to exist in, I can't really claim to believe that there are only seven tried and true, correct principles of design. I think there is a never-ending collection of concepts and points of view to consider when creating. I think the only mistake one can make is to forget the gestalt, big-picture view, and let some number of principles or elements dictate or stifle creativity and imagination.
If however, I had to pick a handful of essential principles to consider or suggest to a beginning designer or communicator, I would go with the following:
Balance
Contrast
Gestalt
Negative / White Space
For me, balance sums up the principles of alignment, hierarchy, proportion/scale, proximity, rhythm, and unity/harmony into one careful, formatting consideration.
Color almost made this list, but then I realized this idea is more easily summed up through contrast. Not all designs need color, but all color (or black and white designs) need contrast considerations. This means not placing a light colored paragraph of text over a light colored background if the goal is for the text to be legible, and to be aware of the contrast that exists between all your interacting colors.
Gestalt made this list simply by being so mindful. While not all art needs to have a clear point that is well thought out in advance, gestalt can be a great reminder to pause occasionally and check in on the cohesiveness of your design, especially if a strong, understandable brand identity is your goal.
Finally, negative/white space can be a great way to provide your design with a place of rest for the consumers' eye. This "empty" space can be used to separate ideas, convey a pause in thought, and demonstrate awareness for the chaos that may exist elsewhere in a design.
Adobe Express. (2020, October 17). 8 basic design principles to help you make Awesome Graphics. https://www.adobe.com/express/learn/blog/8-basic-design-principles-to- help-you-create-better-graphics
Chapman, C. (2018, December 13). The principles of design and their importance: Toptal®. Toptal Design Blog. https://www.toptal.com/designers/ui/principles-of-design
Principles of design: Invision. invisionapp, inc. (n.d.) https://www.invisionapp.com/defined/principles-of-design
Vistaprint. (n.d.). The 7 principles of design and how to use them: Vistaprint US. Vistaprint Ideas and Advice US. https://www.vistaprint.com/hub/principles-of-design
Paperform. (2023, December 21). The basic principles of design-and how to apply them. Paperform Blog. https://paperform.co/blog/principles-of-design/
Chapman, C. (2019, September 24). Breaking down the principles of design (with infographic): Toptal®. Toptal Design Blog. https://www.toptal.com/designers/gui/principles-of-design-infographic
Interaction Design Foundation. (2024, January 1). What are the principles of design? - updated 2024. The Interaction Design Foundation. https://www.interaction- design.org/literature/topics/design-principles
Keister, E. (2023, January 4). The 7 principles of design. Zizzo Group https://zizzogroup.com/blog/7-principles-of-design/
MasterClass. (2021, June 7). Elements of design: Understanding the 7 elements of design - 2024. https://www.masterclass.com/articles/elements-of-design-explained?campaignid=20647728921&adgroupid=161385380344&adid=676956386841&utm_term=&utm_campaign=%5BMC%5D%2B%7C%2BSearch%2B%7C%2BNonBrand%2B%7C%2BCategory_DSA%2BConsolidated%2B%7C%2BALL%2B%7C%2BEN%2B%7C%2BtCPA%2B%7C%2BEG&utm_source=google&utm_medium=search&utm_content=676956386841&hsa_acc=9801000675&hsa_cam=17057064710&hsa_grp=161385380344&hsa_ad=676956386841&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=dsa-1456167871416&hsa_kw=&hsa_mt=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwq86wBhDiARIsAJhuphl1DpUBVL2hf9f2cJgGKawDW0-BJGDqGToCNRKN621gUMrsFv5YO6QaAt08EALw_wcB
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