Principles of Layout

Focal Point

This is the location to which your eye is drawn.

Could be the center of your design or an element in your design stand out or where things in your design meet.

The well known principle of focal point is the rule of thirds. Like when an image is better when the main subject is 2/3 of the photograph instead of just focusing on the main subject is just fitted and zoomed to the center of the photograph.

White Space

This is the quite areas of visual rest that allow your design to breathe and easier to navigate.

Hierarchy

This helps us emphasize the most important elements of the design.

Grouping

This refers to gathering together things that belong together instead of spacing out things evenly.

This helps to read and make sense of the information on the design.

Scale

This refers to applying different sizes of elements on your design to add drama or emphasis on some objects.

Like having a huge photo, heading or a full bleed image with a small text or caption to add emphasis on your design.

Sequence

This refers to how you bring in the next shot or the next thing a viewer is supposed to see, like when scrolling through a page.

This helps your design be the same as telling a story, making it more captivating and interesting to look at.

Alignment

This refers to arranging items on a vertical and horizontal axis.

Balance

This refers to distributing the visual weight and is often achieved using symmetry.

Grids

This is the tool that helps us visualize our design in terms of rows, columns and gutters so we're able to structure and create order in our designs.