Intro to Multimedia

Typography Design-excerpts from The Non-Designer’s Design Book

Basic Principles Proximity

groups things together Alignment

connects visually to everything else Repetition

provides consistency to the product Contrast

adds visual interest

Proximity - Illustrated

Bugs Booklouse Box Elder Bugs Carpenter ants Carpet Beetles Clothes Moths Clover Mites Cockroaches Orchard Bees Pharaoh Ants Phorid Flies Pill Bugs

Bugs Booklouse Box Elder Bugs  Carpenter ants Carpet Beetles Clothes Moths Clover Mites Cockroaches

Orchard Bees Pharaoh Ants Phorid Flies Pill Bugs

Carpenter AntsReproductive winged femaleReproductive winged maleMinor workersMajor workers Carpet BeetlesVaried carpet beetlesBlack carpet beetlesPhorid FliesHumpback fliesDrain flies

Carpenter AntsReproductive winged femaleReproductive winged maleMinor workersMajor workers

Carpet BeetlesVaried carpet beetlesBlack carpet beetles

Phorid FliesHumpback fliesDrain flies

VS:

The principle of proximity says that related items should be grouped together. Move related items close to each other and add separation between items that are not similar. This ensures that a group is formed rather than a selection of unrelated elements. The proximity of items communicates relationship.

From: Thinkgeek.com

Proximity Errors What to avoid:

Placing too many separate elements on a pageSticking element in the corners and in the middle of

the pagesLeaving equal amounts of white space between

elements (unless each group is part of a subset)Allowing confusion between related materialCreating relationships with elements that don’t belong

together

AlignmentEvery element should be visually linked, or aligned, with something else. This presents a cohesive look.

Be conscious of items placed on the page–align it with something else, regardless of the distance.

Avoid: Avoid using more than one text

alignment Reduce the use of centered

alignment (especially online)

RepetitionUnify and add visual interest by repeating some aspect of the design.

Repeat anything that someone will recognize visually. This can include type styles, spatial relationships, etc.

Avoid: Too much repetition - it may annoy

or overwhelm the viewer Excessive contrast of type styles

ContrastUse contrast to design something that is strongly visual and provides organizational hierarchy.Apply this when you want the elements to be very different. Use size, weight, color, direction, form and structure

Avoid: Everything having the same weight

and strength Weak contrast – make it strong

Typography RulesAvoid using all capitals with Script fonts

Limit the number of serif fontsAlign text as much as possibleGroup text together, aligning left, center or

right

DON’T USE SCRIPTS IN ALL CAPSDon’t use scripts in all caps

DON’T USE SCRIPTS IN ALL CAPSDon’t use scripts in all caps

Go- Create Effective Communication!