Layout and Composition

“Layout and Composition” is a foundation of a design. They make your work structure and make your work easier to navigate from the margins on the sides to the contents in between. Of course “It’s not just working with text” composition matters in others medium too like graphic design, web design and much more. Without a well composed layout, your work will basically fall apart.

The key to mastering layout and composition is to THINK LIKE A DESIGNER. Luckily, it’s easier than it sounds. There are five basic principle that can transform your work and sharpen your eye for design.

1. Proximity
2. White Space
3. Alignment
4. Contrast
5. Repetition

1. Proximity: It’s all about using visual space to show relationship in your content. In practice, it’s pretty simple. All you have to do is to make sure related items are grouped together. For example blocks of texts or elements of a graphics. Groups that are not related to each other should be separated. To visually emphasize their lack of relationship. All and all this makes your work easier to understand at a glance whether it is purely text or something visual.
2. White Space: It is a important part of every composition. Now, this doesn’t mean literal white space but just negative space like the spaces between your contents, between your lines and even the outer margins. There is no one way to use white space correctly. But it’s good to understand it’s purpose. White Space helps to define and separate each sections. It gives your content room to breathe. If your work feels more clutter, a more white space will work just fine.
3. Alignment: It’s just you deal with all the time even if you don’t realize it. Whenever you write a email or create a document, the text is aligned automatically. When aligning objects by yourself, for instance images or separate text-boxes, getting it right can be tricky. The important thing is to be consistent. It’s the attention in details, that make the composition easier to navigate. Without consistent alignment, your work will start to feel disorganized.
4. Contrast: It simply means one item is different from another. In layout and composition, contrast may help you do many things. For example catch the readers eye, show emphasis or call attention to something important. There are lots of strategy for creating contrast. You can use color, adjust the size, shape or visual weight of the object or use contrasting styles of text. Contrast is also closely linked to hierarchy — A Visual Technique. They can help the viewer navigate the work. In other words, it shows you where to begin and where to move next using different level of emphasis. Establishing hierarchy is simple. Just start with which element you want the user to notice first and then make them stand out.
5. Repetition: It is a reminder that every project should have a consistent look and feel. That means finding ways to re-enforce your design by repeating or echoing certain elements. For instance, if you have a specific color palette, look for ways to carry it through. If you chosen a specific header style, use it every time. It’s not just for aesthetic reasons but it will also make your work easier to read. When the viewers knew what to read, they can relax and focus on content.

In many ways “Layout and Composition” are unsung heroes of design. It’s easy to overlook their work but they are part of everything you do.