Five Rules of Design Composition

In order to be a successful UX/UI designer, there are guidelines you must follow in combination with your creative design. As a UI designer, composition is key in creating a successful design. Composition is how you place the elements of your design so they come together to form a cohesive piece.

The first rule of design composition is to create a focal point. A focal point helps the viewer settle the eyes on the important peice first. It is designed to draw the eye there first before taking in the rest of the image or design.

The second rule is to create contrast. Contrast helps an element stand out and ensure that the viewer can see the desired element as clearly as possible. Understanding color contrast is important when creating designs.

The third rule of design is to build hierarchy. Hierarchy helps to identify the order of importance of design elements by manipulating these characteristics: size — users notice larger elements more easily, and color — bright colors typically attract more attention than muted ones. The visual weight defines the importance of an element in a design hierarchy, communicating to a viewer’s eyes what to focus on and in what order.

The last two rules of design are to create balance and repetition. Creating balance in a design helps to set an effective symmetrical or asymmetrical equilibrium to the elements. Repetition helps create consistency and flow for designs with more than one page.

In conclusion, following these five rules of design will help enhance your design product and create the ultimate design experience for viewers.