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Contrast

good contrast

Contrast is the brain food of graphic design. Contrast gives visual variety for the eye and keeps the viewer interested. Design without contrast is like food without salt...yin without yang...Sonny without Cher...you get the idea.

Contrast gives the oomph to designs and grabs the eye. Designs without contrast won't hold the reader's attention.

The basic idea is to go for it. it's pretty hard to work in too much contrast. Don't be a wimp.

Contrast usually works from one of the following:

bad contrast

size

weight

structure.

direction

Repetition

.OK repetition

.
better repetition

Repeat visual elements of the design throughout the piece. You can repeat color, shape, texture, spatial relationships, line thickness, sizes, etc. This helps develop organization and strengthens the unity of the piece.

Alignment

color

Alignment is (duh) how things line up on the page. Most software that manages text (including word processing and spreadsheet software) has options for alignment.

Most designers consider alignment as flush left, flush right or centered. One rule of thumb for text blocks (used throughout this page) is flush left...jagged right. This gives a clean look on the left margin but doesn't force weird spacing of the letters to make the right aligned as well.

If you require even alignment on both sides of a column, the column is said to be double justified. Cheesy design often employs a one-click-wonder to double justify text but then the designers ignore the spaced-out words:

I, er, is a real good designer and i really like duble justifkashun cuz i think it makes my werk look cool.

good alignment

bad alignment

crap

CRAP

The CRAP rules are a means both to evaluate others' graphic designs and to greatly improve your own.

First, recall what good graphic design does...
...looks good
...communicates information

The CRAP rules promote both these aspects of graphic design. Good use of contrast, for example, catches the eye and also sets information apart so that it communicates better.

C R A P

RULES

.............

RULES

Proximity

Items relating to each other should be grouped close together.

When several items are in close proximity to each other, they become a visual unit rather than several separate units. This helps organize information and reduces clutter.

If you fail to use proximity and leave equal spacing between each line, the result is a scattered, unfocused design with little visual impact.

bad

good

this ad employs poor use of proximity and little or no contrast