Graphic Design: Composition Theory and Layout

Name: Graphic Design: Composition Theory and Layout
Author: Joe Tury

Learn how the principles of composition are used to create effective design layouts

Preview the first lesson free — get full access to all 5 lessons.

Course: On-Demand

In this lesson, we will be covering the composition theory of proximity. As covered in Gestalt's theory, proximity involves the relationship of objects based upon their distance and the composition. For this lesson, we will be using Adobe InDesign. Create a new document letter size with two pages and make the margins a quarter inch all the way around. Let's create 12 circles using the shape tool. Hold Shift for perfect circles and using your selection tool, hold Alt and drag. Let's group them all together in the middle. Now let's separate them into two groups of six. Automatically without even thinking, your mind will associate one group with the other based upon how close they are to each other. Let's divide them again into four groups of three and what was once one large group has now become four separate groups based upon their proximity to one another. Let's apply this composition technique in a letterhead. On page two, go ahead and type out similar information that you see on my page. You can pause the video here until you are ready to continue. None of the information seems to go together so let's change that by grouping the correct information next to each other. The company name and tagline can go at the top. The officer's name and title could also go together and the address can go together in the footer. The composition principle of proximity dictates that we read the information that is related based upon the proximity of the grouped objects. Type the word meeting into a text box and place it near the top. Then type the word lunch in another text box and place it towards the middle. Notice how this doesn't quite make sense because the images are in not correct proximity to the text that represent them. Switch it around so that the images are with their proper titles. In order to avoid confusion of your message, you must group the appropriate type with each other and within proximity of the graphics they represent if applicable. In the next lesson, we will cover contrast.

Beginner Provider : Joe Tury 5 Lessons · 16m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese

Course Description

The early stages of creating a composition can be daunting, but once you start establishing which elements to include, the process can become cathartic. Layouts are similar to complex shapes in that they can be broken down into smaller sections but those sections must be carefully constructed in a visually pleasing way. Thankfully, there are several tried and true methods of layout that can make the process much easier, requiring less guess work and development time.

In these lessons, you will learn composition principles that you can use right away to create compelling and easy-to-understand visual communications. We’ll go over proximity, contrast, repetition, and alignment, with examples of their practical applications. You will also learn about grid systems and how you can use them for concise layout designs.

What You'll Learn

Apply composition theories to your layouts to create compelling, easy-to-understand visual communications
Use proximity, contrast, repetition, and alignment principles through practical examples
Understand how type and images work together in a composition
Repeat elements to maintain consistency across a layout
Develop grid techniques and grid systems to shorten layout setup times

Key Takeaways

Layouts can be broken down into smaller sections that must be carefully constructed in a visually pleasing way.
Several tried and true methods of layout reduce guesswork and development time.
Composition principles of proximity, contrast, repetition, and alignment can be applied right away with practical applications.
Grid systems support concise layout designs and faster layout setup.
Repeating elements helps maintain consistency in a composition.

Frequently Asked Questions

What composition principles does this course cover?

The course covers proximity, contrast, repetition, and alignment, with examples of their practical applications, plus grid systems for concise layout designs.

What will I be able to do after taking this course?

You will be able to apply composition theories to your layouts, understand how type and images work together, repeat elements to maintain consistency, and develop grid techniques to shorten layout setup times.

What lessons are included in this course?

The lessons are Composition Theory of Proximity, Composition Theory of Contrast, Composition Theory of Alignment, Composition Theory of Repetition, and Composition Theory of Grids.

What skills does this course help build?

It builds skills in Communication Design, Graphic Communication, Graphic Arts, Graphic Design, Visual Composition, and Visual Design.

How can grid systems help my work?

You will learn about grid systems and how to use them for concise layout designs, developing grid techniques to shorten layout setup times.