Week #1 Blog-What I've Learned

After what I learned this week I decided I will never look at web pages, flyers, advertisements, magazines, newspapers or business cards the same way again. After learning about the four techniques of contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity I find myself critiquing according to what I’ve learned in class and through the course reading. We are surrounded by print and web on a daily basis. It is amazing how the use of these four techniques can make all the difference between good design and design that has room for improvement whether it be on the web or a printed article. Our lives are very much influenced by what we see in print and on our computer. We use design for fundraisers, projects, research, church functions, and just about everything we do in our day to day lives. One probably doesn’t stop and consider the impact that the designer has on the viewer of this vital information. Through the lessons learned an otherwise amateur can be more aware when creating their own information whether it is print or web related. It also allows the otherwise naïve viewer to have a better appreciation for the effect that a well designed piece of print or web material has on the eye of the beholder. Through reading the course material and reflecting on the in class lesson one can determine that the four techniques are the foundation of a good design whether it be print or web related.
First, it is important to use contrast that is strong with a vivid difference. For instance black and white or bolded information vs plain both offer a drastic change noticeable to the onlooker. Contrast makes an advertisement more interesting and captures the attention of the viewer. I learned that contrast can be used both in print and on the web. However, the web has more options as far as the color spectrum choices than perhaps print does. In print there is usually limited space to use this and the other techniques learned but with the web your space is virtually unlimited. I also learned that many web designers concern themselves with how their web creation will look if it is printed. This can sometimes be mind-boggling and frustrating for the creator. I gleaned from the reading that although you need to be concerned with this you shouldn’t let it stifle or cripple your project by letting it bog you down.
Secondly, repetition creates some uniformity and familiarity to the person viewing the ad. It is an important technique when used in conjunction with the other three techniques as it adds interest. Repetition provides a subconscious cement to get the idea that you are trying to stress across to the viewer. It is important to think about your layout and discover what is most important in your message. This is what should be repeated in order to reinforce your message. It wouldn’t have the same effect to repeat something trivial. The repetition should be what you want your viewer to walk away thinking about long after they are done viewing your ad or web page. I learned that web has advantage over print in that you can update your website with updated information keeping it fresher than perhaps something put to print. So if you repeat information in your ad keep in mind that with web you can always change this information more easily as items need to be updated or refreshed keeping your key points fresh. Print has the disadvantage in that information that becomes stale needs to be reprinted and redistributed accordingly.
Next, a good designer recognizes the importance of alignment in their product. Alignment should be considered carefully. I have learned through the in class lesson and through further observation that center alignment is highly overused. It is the safe method of formatting but not always the best choice. I have learned that right alignment or left alignment can often look cleaner and more organized. Alignment is an important technique and can improve a layout if the proper choices are made. For instance, a block method to the right can look much crisper and cleaner than a centered alignment. It is important that the designer consider how many times a persons eye will stop when viewing an ad, flyer, or webpage. The proper alignment can aid in this process. Alignment is important in web and print but one thing that web has over print is that with web you can also add things like sound and animation. Print relies solely on alignment and perhaps a picture but there is no movement or sound included with it. The web takes this creativity to a whole new level of stimulation.
Lastly, it is important to keep in mind that similar pieces of information should be categorized and located in close proximity with each other. For instance, if you are creating a business card the hours, location, and phone number do well when kept together in close proximity to each other. Keeping like parts in close proximity with each other help keep the viewer’s eyes from jumping from place to place and becoming frustrated. Keeping like thoughts or pieces of information in close proximity cause your work to be more organized and create a cleaner product which is more effective.
In conclusion it is important to keep in mind that any change to include one or two of these techniques is an improvement. However, in order to optimize your project completely and strive for perfection the goal would be to keep all of the four techniques in mind and follow the rules of each one thoughtfully. Using all four techniques of contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity makes for a more professional looking end product. Whether you choose print which can sometimes be more costly to design and publish or a web related project which may be more affordable to publish, these techniques are the foundation of your creation. While using these techniques, I learned through reading that web design is more technical and it is important to keep file size and graphics in mind more so than if you are using print. You wouldn’t want someone having to take an extreme amount of time opening your webpage. However, the four techniques still apply equally for both print and web. In web designing it is critically important to try to capture the reader’s attention so that they move beyond the first page. This is why it is so important visually to use the tips we learned regarding contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity. In print it is a little different because most everyone knows how to use a brochure or pamphlet to leaf through it before putting it down. The web has a few more complexities to keep the interest of the person navigating through it. The web also offers an easier way for readers to respond and so by using the four techniques you are inviting the web user to break through and offer a quick response more so than a static print piece of information. I am excited about putting the techniques I learned about into practice to create my own webpage in the weeks to come.