Gah, computer graphic design lectures are boring. It mostly makes sense, but the ‘rules’ for good design can really all be written down as a list of bullet points. These are from the second lecture - composition, the first lecture was on shape. What could be on a hand out and covered in 10 minutes takes the full 50.
- Balance
- you need it
- horizontal looks better a bit higher in the page
- is good, but tension makes great design
- tension needs to be purposeful, either done or not
- doesn’t need to be boring, good design can be completely balanced
- Contrast
- balance creates harmony, contrast challenges harmony
- represents choices
- contrast can be created using
- tone
- scale
- shape
- colour
- type
- texture
- (everything from the first lecture)
- easiest way is inversion
- go against the norm, if something is supposed to be small, make it big
- Positive and Negative
- positive is anything that dominates
- negative is anything that is passive to the eyes
- not necessarily light and dark
- Unity
- automatic human characteristic
- design should assist unity (few elements is good)
- close juxtaposition is good