Welcome to Week 4 in our Design Principles Readers Challenge. Each week we’ll be posting information about a different design concept, together with sketches from Becky Fleck at Pagemaps, and our design team, that work to demonstrate the concept. We’d love you to join in by creating your own layouts, either using any one of Becky’s sketches OR creating your own design that showcases that week’s design principle. This week we are looking at the principles of contrast and visual hierarchy in design.
Please EMAIL your pages or cards to us by next Tuesday 12 June to appear on our blog. Please try and use products supplied by Aussie Scrap Source brands (you’re quite spoiled for choice there!). Our favourite layout each week (as voted for by our design team) will win a prize pack of Aussie Scrap Source goodies!
WEEK 4: Contrast / Visual Hierarchy
Moving on from the principles of scale and proportion discussed last week, another tool which can succeed in drawing the eye to a focal point is that of contrast. If most of the elements on a page are grouped closely together, a single object by itself will stand out as a focal point. If all your elements are dark, a splash of light will catch the eye. If all of your elements are round, a square will stand out. These (and many more) are ways of using contrast to establish a visual hierarchy so that the viewers eye is first drawn to your intended focal point.
Jilly has used a combination of stunning Prima Ledger Papers, the Martha Stewart Classic Butterfly punch and the Graphic 45 Old Curiosity Shoppe - Cling Stamps to demonstrate how contrast doesn't have to extreme to make it work.
By repeating the classic vintage feel of the Prima papers and the Butterfly punch, Jill has subtly highlighted her "feature" area contrasting her subject (from classic to comical), the shape (from square to round) and the texture (from 3D to flat).
The graphic elements that stand out in this layout are the three odd elements – those that aren’t squares. The two birds balance each other though, and the title in its circle draws the eye because of its unique shape.
There are a few ways that you can add contrast to your pages. And the most obvious one to Leeann is using shapes. Leeann cut out circles in the background and embellished with a mixed of papers and stickers from crate paper. Then she used a square photo. You can visual see that the focal point is the photo. Another way of adding contrast is using colour. Dark against light, notice how the background just pops. And lastly in type, by using different fonts and colour. Leeann also used the sketch provided so that you can visual see how she used contrast to make this page pleasing on the eye!
