Harmony means agreement

VISUAL harmony means agreement between elements, both aesthetically and thematically.

1. Repetition of elements (variation)

2. Echos of theme (color/style)

NOTE: Used to enhance themes like beauty, tranquility, and accord.

Repetition not only helps VISUAL HARMONY…

It is also a great attractor of ATTENTION. What is it about repetition that catches the eye?

•Rarely occurs on its own…appearance of repetitive elements suggests that something fanciful might be at play behind the scenes.

•Allows the viewer to take a mental breather… once the brain realizes that it has identified a single element of a pattern, it can comprehend the whole.•Can be used in our designs to gain… NOTICE and PROMPT the viewer to investigate!

Repetition as a focal image.

The same flower is being repeated six times.

•Keep with the card’s theme.

•Surreal/playful feel.

Repetition as BACKDROP.

The background of this design features a floral element.

•Visually connected to headline.

•Thematically connected to headline.

Repetition as DECORATIVE WHIMSY.

A miniature version of the piece’s main image is casually distributed throughout.

•When time is short, such a solution might prove both

• PRACTICAL

•and

•EFFECTIVE.

Repetition as BORDER.

A series of colorized floral images is repeated just inside the postcard’s edge.

•Simple

•Lush effect

VISUAL ECHO establishes an eye-pleasing sense of unity between elements of a layout.

•Colors

•Styles

•Content

•Typographic Elements

ECHO through color

•Be sure image is well-suited

•Keep hues in mind

Echo through STYLE.

Company’s logo provides both stylistic and color cues.

•If a client is happy with their logo, why not explore a solution that complements it?

Echo through CONTENT.

A visual and thematic “bridge” is formed when elements of the floral background are echoed inside the large capital letter at the beginning of the text.

•Helps to establish a connection between the headline of the postcard

•Helps to establish a connection with the content area below.

Echo through TYPOGRAPHY.

Echo is subtle but meaningful.

•The headline typeset is from the same family as the rest of the text.

•The “fleurons” (featured in the background and within the orange band) are from the same family as the rest of the text.

•TEXT FONT: HTF Requiem

Effective harmony can be further ensured by establishing connections between themes that are present in a design or design campaign.

1. The theme is simply SIX: A SIX-day event promoted through SIX-letter headline that is surrounded by SIX illustrations.

2. Other connections tie everything in with:

• Similar typefaces

• Similar illustrations

• Agreeable color hues

HARMONY and THEMATIC echo can be achieved under the tightest of budgets. (Project designed to use a copy machine.)

•ORGANIC and growth aspects of the springtime theme are echoed through natural-looking yellow paper

•Informal, playfully rendered typeface.

A look of ELEGANCE is established through thematic unity between a:

•decorative background,

•a luxurious flower image,

•a vellum-like text area,

•an ornate double-line border,

•a rich color scheme,

•a script typeface.

•To further convey the theme, this piece would be printed on a stock of superior quality.

Contrasting with the sample before, but still maintaining a thematic harmony of its own, this layout’s informal appeal is conveyed by consistently adhering to a casual, SKETCHBOOK theme:

•The image

•Typography

•Border

•All three elements seem to be hand-drawn.

EMPHASIS is like coals in a campfire – when the embers are collected into a pile, their concentrated heat can ignite a log in seconds. Spread thin, their energy can barely warm a pair of cold hands.

•Often, you as a designer may be asked to make each and every element in their brochure or ad “STAND OUT.”

•If everyone shouts, how will any one voice be heard?

•As a designer:

•Decide which elements of a layout are to dominate

•Strive to create a visual hierarchy that will first attract the viewer’s attention, and help guide them through the design.

Hierarchy, a system of graded ranks.

You must be DECISIVE.Avoid a fainthearted approach when making

decisions as to which elements will dominate and how.

IMPACT is relative. The bowling pin icons in each layout are the same size.LEFT: Pin feels dwarfed by bold typographic elements…function ornamental.RIGHT: Pin dominates through position and comparative sizing.

Either solution could be considered “correct.” You as a designer should DECIDE which will be more EFFECTIVE in reaching the target AUDIENCE.

IMENSIONAL elements…elements that appear to have dimension,

attract attention because they echo reality in a way that

visually flat images do not.

Graphic elements contain a virtual lift with a drop shadow effect.

Subtle presentation of an embossed pinwheel holds well against a visually active background.

A feeling of dimension can be achieved through simple layering of

elements.

This image teases the eye by appearing to both rise above and

disappear beneath the page’s surface.

Consider:

* Drop shadows

* Virtual embossing

* Layered elements

* Pseudo 3-D effects (embossing, beveled edges, volume, etc.)

* Dimensional optical illusions.

Original.

High contrast image.

Tone down value of color of an element. Good technique for large headlines, when visual impact needs to be lessened.

Adjust the value of color of the background to

reduce contrast.

A warm hue in the background keeps the energy of the composition high, while still keeping the overall contrast in check.

An expanded border around the element

can be used to soften the transition

between element and intermediary “visual

step.”

Subtle and halo-like, this border treatment provides an even softer transition.

Contrast is ideal for the conveyance of a message. Normal form or toned down.