Design Basics

The Golden Ratio in Design
How to apply the Golden Ratio in Design The quickest way to apply the golden ratio in design is using the rule of thirds, dividing an area into equal thirds both vertically and horizontally, the intersection of the lines will provide a natural focal point for the shape. Photographers are

What is and how to apply readability in your Design
What is readability? Reading any text shouldn’t require any extra effort from the reader beyond being able to actually read; words and sentences should be immediately comprehensible. Readability then is the ease with which a reader can understand a written text. The total sum of elements within a given piece of

Understanding and using Negative Space in Design
The negative space is the area around the object that defines it. In an image composed of negative space, the different visual elements do not make up a single object, but the image is divided into sections. Is the space around and between the subject(s) of an image. The most

The importance of sketching
When I studied the graphic design career in the year 1990, sketching was basic. Computer use was almost nil and depended on our ability to turn those sketches and drawings in a dummy for our customer using more traditional means such as paste up, drawing and so on. Actually the process

The Design Process
How can we establish whether a design meets its purpose? Usually we have a pretty good idea of this matter, but we always need to base our judgments, and the best way to achieve this is through an analysis; The Design Process. For example we want to design a logo. First

Rhythm and Proportion
The rhythm and proportion are perfectly familiar ideas, however difficult to define, particularly in its relationship with design. The Webster’s Collegiate defines the proportion as the relation in magnitude, quantity or degree between each other, reason and rhythm as a movement characterized by regular recurrence, periodicity. Proportion is the relation between

The Contrast: support of the form, figure ground tension and relationship
The ability to create and evaluate effective figure ground tension is an essential skill for graphic designers. Also known as positive and negative space is at work in all facets of graphic design. First we have to understand how we perceive the form. Three-dimensional or two-dimensional objects posses a shape