Page 80 - Graphic Design and Print Production Fundamentals

68 Chapter 3. Design Elements, Design Principles, and Compositional Organization
focus on the embedded content. The photographic example in Figure 3.25 is composed symmetrically
and allows the viewer to concentrate on the figure in the centre. Achieving symmetry in a composition
also gives the composition balance and a feeling of harmony.

Figure 3.25 Example of symmetry
and order

Rhythm

Rhythm is integral to the pacing of a design composition and is also necessary for creating a pattern, as
used in the example in Figure 3.26. The pacing of a repeating motif or element at regular or irregular
intervals within a design determines the energetic quality of a composition; it also creates a consistent
and unifying backdrop for the introduction of new elements.

Rhythm is the effect produced in a magazine or book by varying the placement of elements within the
grid structure. The changes in the density of elements and visual tones of the spreads translate into a
rhythmic visual energy as the energy of each page grows or shrinks. Rhythm is the glue that connects
one page to the next; it reveals recurrent themes and creates movement, tension, and emotional value
in the content. When viewers understand the rhythm of a book, a magazine, or a website, they will also
appreciate the variations that break with or punctuate the rhythm and create interest, change, or tension.