Layoutwhat is a layout? Layout refers to the way in which we arrange the elements on a page which makes up the content of a design. The aim of the layout is both to convey the message correctly and to present information in a logical, coherent way making the important elements stand out.There are a few ways that designers achieve this through composition, focal point, visual flow and arrangement, hierarchy, and visual appeal.
Composition and Focal PointsWhere do you want to draw the attention of the reader? First, capturing the attention of the reader requires creating an area of focus. This can be done through use of a dominant element that is stronger than other parts of the page, and by placing it in an area we are naturally inclined to look. The dominant element can be a graphic, a photo, even a type graphic. Size, placement, use of color and subject matter all affect its attention-grabbing ability. There are more focal points as the reader is led along the path to action, and the hierarchy of these is established through composition, eye path, size, shape and color.
Composition has many aspects. Symmetry, asymmetry, pattern, texture proportion, shape, line, balance, movement, rhythm, focus, contrast, to name a few. Often your composition will be affected by the proportion and size of your ad, banner, website design theme, photo content, or aspect ratio. There are popular compositional guidelines we humans have created, based on our observations of nature: Eye Path or Visual HierarchyOnce you’ve captured their attention, where do you want them to go, and what do you want them to do? Lead them through your message to the call–to-action by placing their goal on a natural eye path. For cultures that read left to right, and classic eye path for them runs upper left to lower right. Items not on this path can be missed by the reader, unless another attention-grabbing technique is used, perhaps a bright color, compelling photograph, or exciting video.
But eye path is more than upper left to lower right. It’s about where your customer’s eye goes first, then where it goes after that. And you can control that with design. If the research shows images are an important part of your customer decision making, increasing image size may change eye path and increase sales. Also, people respond to people. Studies show an increase in response to a photo when it features someone’s face. And when the face is looking somewhere, we tend to follow their gaze. Voila! We have directed someone’s eye path. Bauhaus graphics and layoutsBauhaus was an influential art and design movement that began in 1919 in Weimar, Germany. The Bauhaus school, founded by Walter Gropius, launched a new way of thinking. The Bauhaus grammar — a triangle, a square, and a circle — evoked this back-to-the-basics mentality.
They combined arts and crafts, classical and avant-garde styles, form and function. Bauhaus design incorporated minimalism, geometric shapes, and simple typography. To this day, Bauhaus remains one of the most influential design movements of all time, having married functional design with aesthetic pleasure to create a modern art form that could bring beauty to everyday objects and beyond. It was a revolutionary time for graphic design. Typography, layouts, and use of shape and color were being reimagined in a way that has had a significant impact on graphic design well into the 21st century. Here are some key visual hallmarks of the school, which designers still use today, including:
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Assignmentusing a geometric shaped layout in the style of the bauhaus create a Magazine/ collage spread of a Theme. Students will have to use both Photoshop and Indesign to complete this assignment. The work must demonstrate composition, focal point, visual hierarchy and visual attraction.
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