In the sensory overload that is our modern, information-based society, creating an impactful and captivating design is vital. As we each consume increasing amounts of content, a truly captivating design requires intent, skill, and to act with agency.
While the phrase “content is king” rules in marketing communications, we believe that design, particularly innovative and effective design, is the vehicle that takes the “king” from point A to B.
Achieving effective design takes a multi-faceted approach, and requires fluency in a few different factors:
- Understanding the concept of design
- Grasping the message of the piece
- Learning the background and habits of the target audience
- Last but not least, a fair helping of common sense
The Concept of Design
Design can be broken down to the fundamentals of a particular piece, and all of the various elements or complexities behind it. This can include the meaning or purpose of forms, color principles, layering (or the intentional lack of layering elements), the impact of spacial relationships, and the delicate but calculated use of effects or emotional triggers.
What is Form?
Simply put, form is the primary element of any design. You can imagine the color red or blue but can’t attach much meaning or intent to that color without shape, or a point of reference. By introducing a form element into the design, intent can be made — a red traffic light can signify pause, alertness, or authority, or a blue sparrow can foster the sense of swiftness or movement.
Wikipedia states “form is the shape, visual appearance, constitution or configuration of an object”.
We believe that definition can have some application in further understanding how to approach design. For instance, shapes and visual elements can often be attached to specific emotions… emotions that you can intelligently speculate your target audience to share.
Here are some basic examples:
- Straight vertical lines can give a feeling of assertiveness, or confinement like the bars of a cell.
- Diagonal lines can offer the sense of speed, where their angle can adjust the level of perceived motion.
By choosing the right shapes and positioning them strategically, you can build the foundations of your captivating design.
Perception of form is based in our own psychology and the culture we were brought up in. By understanding the stories and science behind these factors, we can start to design with purpose; creating, something that both captivates the audience and builds a recognizable connection.
In the next installment we’ll explore the utility and playfulness of color principles.
