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Ways of the World: A Global History3rd EditionRobert W. Strayer 232 solutions Tonal Harmony, Workbook8th EditionByron Almen, Dorothy Payne, Stefan Kostka 1,387 solutions Illustration by Tridib Das Great design doesn’t just happen by chance. A great designer strategically chooses things like color, shapes, and typography—all of which have an impact on how a viewer or user perceives and engages with a piece of work. Certain principles of design can also make a design more functional, especially when it comes to digital product design; with the right pieces in place, you can create meaningful experiences that effectively solve your user’s pain points. So, what are these basic elements? Keep reading as we dive into each element one by one. 1. LinesThe first and most basic element of design is the line. In design, a line is any two connected points. These lines can be straight or curved, and may be smooth, rough, continuous, broken, thick, or thin. A line creates division and hierarchy within your design, helping direct the user’s eye toward specific information or a specific focal point.
Lines can also create subliminal languages in your design. A diagonal line, for example, suggests movement; a straight line is more orderly and clean. A great example of lines showing movement is the image below, from the Virgin Hyperloop website. The Virgin Hyperloop is a high-speed transportation system set to reinvent how we travel, allowing passengers to travel from Dallas, Texas to Fort Worth, Texas in under two minutes. Take a look at the mockup below and you’ll notice that the lines that make up the shape of the tube offer a sense of motion, reinforcing the idea of speed in this new form of travel. It’s also important to know that you can create a line in one of two ways:
When you fully understand the power of the line, you are one step closer to maximizing this basic element of design. 2. ShapesThe second element of design is shape, when a two-dimensional line encloses an area. A shape can be geometric (like a circle, triangle, or square), or it can be organic (such as leaves, flowers, and animals). Boundaries—including lines and color—ultimately define shapes and can also help emphasize an area of the page.
3. ColorsColor is another powerful element of design. It can stand alone, act as a background, or highlight other elements in your design. Color is also a fantastic tool for creating and establishing a mood for your brand. For example, red typically signifies love, strength, power, and desire; green typically signifies tranquility, good luck, and health. As you create your color palette, it’s important to understand the three properties at play. This will help you maximize the power of this principle of design. These three properties are:
These three properties—hue, color, and value—empower a designer to use a range of colors, which all help evoke the mood and message behind a brand. For a few examples, we can look at the financial industry. Many brands, including Bank of America and Chase, use blue in their logos. It’s probably not a fluke, either; the color blue symbolizes order, trust, loyalty, and security.
In the image below, you can see some other examples of color psychology in marketing.
4. TypographyTypography is arguably the single most important part of graphic, web, and user interface design. Your text and how it looks isn’t just about conveying a message; it can also convey a mood. Are you a serious online newspaper or a playful blog? Typography can set the tone. For example, a Serif font like Times New Roman (below on the right) tends to evoke a more traditional and serious feeling, while a Sans Serif font like Open Sans (below on the left) reads as more modern.
In addition to evoking a mood and feeling, typography can create visual hierarchy in your design. It can show people where to look and what things on the screen are most important, giving users a sense of how to read the material from beginning to end. Larger font sizes, for example, catch the user’s eye first and signify a focal point on your page. When a smaller font is beneath it, the reader instinctually knows that it’s a subsection that will support the heading and perhaps provide more context or information. These smaller details of your font—including weight, height, and size—are all important as you consider typography in your UI design. 5. TextureTexture refers to the way a surface feels—or in this case of a digital design, a perception of how it could feel. Texture can create a more dynamic, visually appealing experience while also adding depth to your design. For example, a luxury linen brand that wants to imply comfort and coziness might consider a cotton textile background, like in the example below.
On the contrary, if you are selling building supplies, you might consider a cement, stone, or brick background with grittier, textured typography to accompany it.
6. SpaceSpace refers to the area above, below, around, or behind an object. It can be positive or negative. Positive space refers to the subject or areas of interest, such as a person’s face or furniture in a room. Negative (or “white”) space, on the other hand, refers to the background area that surrounds the subject or areas of interest. When used correctly, negative space plays a pivotal role in the success of your design. It has the ability to:
Applying the 6 elementsNow that we have learned the six elements of design, it is up to you as the designer to apply them correctly and effectively. Most brands establish a design system—or a collection of reusable functional elements, components, and colors—to make this process easier. With a brand book or style guide to reference, you can easily replicate a consistent experience for your users. Let’s recap what we have learned:
Now that you have the knowledge, I hope you feel empowered to create meaningful, impactful, and successful designs! Words by Justin Morales is a Senior UX designer currently working at Signify Health, a B2B Healthtech company, based in Los Angeles. He grew up in Texas, matured in Colorado, and spent his late 20s living in Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. His favorite medium is photography and he is a lover of UX because it means constantly helping people. Where do you click to lock the movement of the layers in this group?On the Home tab, in the Editing group, click Layers, and then click Layer Properties. In the Layer Properties dialog box, do one of the following: To lock a layer, select the check box in the Lock column in the row for the layer that you want to lock.
How do you save the selected group as a PNG?Go to the the Layers panel. Select the layers, layer groups, or artboards you want to save as image assets. Right-click your selection and select Quick Export As PNG from the context menu. Choose a destination folder and export the image.
How do you duplicate the layer styles from one layer to another quizlet?How do you duplicate the layer styles from one layer to another? Select stylized layer, right click on the layer and select Copy Layer Styles.
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