Elements & Principles

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

The Elements and Principles of Design. The Elements of Design are the things graphic designers use to design a page. The Principles of Design are how designers use the elements. The elements are line, shape, size, space, texture, value, and color. The principles are balance, rhythm, emphasis, and unity (and variety). Here, we also have a few of the Gestalt principles, like proximity, closure, symmetry, similarity, and figure and ground. Some words give a little hint as to their function or purpose. A few typesetting terms and a Berthold Akzidenz Grotesk alphabet sample rounds out the grungy, industrial theme. After all, what is graphic design without type? Companion to Type Lexicon.