Graphic Design Theory - Balance

Have you ever had the feeling that while every element you use in your design looks great, overall the composition still feels off. Uneasy on the eye. Or that the message you wanted to convey just doesn't come through to anyone.

Some elements just overpower the rest. It is - as a whole - out of balance. These are the challenges we will solve in this part of my Design Theory Series: Mastering Visual Balance.

Throughout our lives, on every level we instinctively aim to create and maintain balance. Within and around us. Likewise, our eye is drawn to symmetry.

It calms us, conveys stability, trust, worthiness, order. Every element in a composition has a certain amount of visual weight and you need to learn how to keep them in balance to achieve a pleasing composition. This is why visual balance is so important in graphic design.