A FIELD GUIDE FOR YOUR EYES
Good design.
Learn the basics.
Small principles. Big difference. Learn to see what works — and make it work yourself.
Same elements. A little more order.
BUILD YOUR DESIGN INSTINCT
The fundamentals
40 rules found
Visual hierarchy
Make importance visible.
Focal point
Give the composition a clear entry point.
Visual weight
Notice what feels heavy, not only what measures large.
Balance
Distribute attention deliberately across the frame.
Symmetry & asymmetry
Choose a structure that matches the tone.
Negative space
Treat empty space as part of the composition.
Rhythm
Repeat a pattern, then vary it with purpose.
Rule of thirds
Use thirds as a starting point for off-center placement.
Proximity
Put related things closer together.
Similarity
Give things with the same role a shared appearance.
Common region
Use a boundary to show a meaningful group.
Connectedness
Connect elements only when there is a real relationship.
Continuation
Use a clear path to guide the eye.
Figure & ground
Make the subject distinguishable from its background.
Alignment
Give elements a shared edge or axis.
Column grid
Use columns to coordinate widths and positions.
Margins & gutters
Separate the page edge from the gaps inside it.
Spacing system
Choose gaps from a small reusable scale.
Inner & outer spacing
Make the gaps express the nesting.
Optical alignment
Check perceived edges as well as measured edges.
Choosing a typeface
Choose for the text and its context.
Font pairing
Give each typeface a distinct job.
Type scale
Use a few distinct sizes for distinct roles.
Font weight
Use weight to emphasize selectively.
Line length
Keep paragraphs comfortably narrow.
Line height
Give lines enough separation to read as lines.
Letter spacing & kerning
Separate overall spacing from individual letter-pair spacing.
Text alignment
Give continuous text a predictable starting edge.
Color relationships
Explore how hues relate, then test their roles.
Limited palette
Use fewer colors with clearer jobs.
Accent color
Spend the strongest color on the strongest priority.
Lightness & saturation
Change more than hue when building contrast.
Text contrast
Measure text contrast against its actual background.
Meaning beyond color
Do not make color the only carrier of information.
Cropping
Keep the part of the image that tells the story.
Aspect ratio
Resize without stretching the subject.
Image & icon consistency
Make related visuals feel like a family.
Text over images
Give overlaid text a reliable reading surface.
Responsive composition
Recompose for the space instead of shrinking everything.
Reading order
Keep the meaningful sequence intact across presentations.