The 7 Elements of Graphic Design

Line: This is the simplest and most basic element of design. It is

quite literally, what you imagine it to be — a line. Lines can be
placed in any direction or orientation (horizontal or vertical) and
can be straight, crooked, broken or curved. They can also be thin
or thick and any width or length. They connect any “point A” to
“point B.”

Shape: A shape is a defined area or dimension that stands out

from what is around it. For example, think about a poster that has
a big, bright circle placed off to the side, with text placed over the
top of it that reads “Special Discount!” The circle is meant to serve
as a little, extra “pop” on the page that stands on its own, to
display a unique and separate message from the rest of the text
in the design. In fact, all objects are actually made up of other
shapes. Shapes can be specifically geometric (like a square,
circle or triangle) or abstract (like a starburst or organic shape that
is made up of uneven lines and multiple sides.) You can use
shapes to help different pieces of your design stand out — just
like the circle on the poster referenced above.
Space: Similar to shape, space is also a defined area around the
other elements in a design. You can use it to separate or bring
together pieces of information and other details. You can use it to
control what your audience sees or reads first and to illustrate
bigger or more important information, or smaller details that can
be consumed later.
Color: Color might just be my most favorite element of design.
I love the simplicity and contrast of a black and white design or
photo, too, but you just can’t beat a color palette that is visually-
pleasing and engaging to a viewer. Color can generate emotion,
designate an area of the design and either separate or bring
together other elements on the page.

Scale: quite simply, the size that you apply to an area in your
design will determine how important it is. If you create a headline
to read in large, bold print across the top of the page or you place
a photo that is dominant and it takes up a large portion of the
design, those larger size pieces of your design are going to be
seen first and as the most prominent.
Contrast: Contrast refers to the juxtaposition of elements that
strongly differ (big vs. small, light vs. dark, etc.) to create visual
interest or draw attention to particular elements.
Without contrast, our designs aren't just lackluster and boring to
look at, they're also difficult to understand. A lack of contrast is
often what separates mediocre design work from designs that
look professional, polished, and clear.

Alignment: every design element placed in your graphic should

be visually aligned to something else on the page. Whether that’s
the side of the page, the edge of an image, the text that’s above
it, etc. alignment most frequently comes up in design discussions
about text and typography, but it's equally important to consider
the alignment of non-text elements when building a balanced,
orderly composition.
 Reference
1- Humeniuk.a.(2015).7 Elements of graphic design. Web site:
https://www.logoworks.com/blog/getting-acquainted-7-elements-graphic-
design/#respond
2- Jessie.m.(2018).7 elements of design to always keep in
mind. Web site: https://www.untethereddesign.com/blog/7-design-elements
3- Cook.k.(2017).graphic design. Web site:
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/elements-of-graphic-design