⚖️ Fundamental Principles of Design

6.1Composition (संयोजन)

Composition is the overall arrangement of elements in a design — the big-picture "where does everything sit?" decision. Every other principle is a tool inside composition.

• Decides the visual story: what's first, second, background.
• Uses grids, focal points, and the Rule of Thirds.
• Good composition feels inevitable — you can't imagine it any other way.

6.2Proportion (अनुपात)

Proportion is the relative size of elements compared to each other and to the whole. Good proportion feels natural; bad proportion feels off even if you can't explain why.

• The Golden Ratio (1 : 1.618) is the mathematical sweet spot found in nature.
• The Rule of Thirds is a simpler sibling of the same idea.
• Headlines vs body text: ~3–5× bigger is a comfortable ratio.
• Images vs captions: image dominates; caption supports.

6.3Harmony (ऐक्यता)

Harmony is when all the elements in a design feel like they belong together — as if they were designed by one person with one idea.

• Consistent colour palette.
• Consistent typography — 2–3 fonts max.
• Shapes and icons from the same "family."
• Similar treatments for similar content.

6.4Balance (सन्तुलन)

Balance is the distribution of visual "weight" so the design doesn't tip to one side. Big/dark/colourful elements carry more weight than small/pale/neutral ones.

Types

• Symmetrical balance — mirror image around a centre line. Formal, stable.
• Asymmetrical balance — different elements balance by weight, not mirror (one big thing on left, several small on right).
• Radial balance — elements arranged around a centre (mandala, clock face, Dashain tika plate).
• Crystallographic balance — weight distributed evenly across the whole (a grid of same-size photos).

6.5Repetition (आवृत्ति)

Repetition is repeating the same visual element (colour, shape, type style, icon) throughout a design to create unity and rhythm.

• All section headings look the same — reader knows what to expect.
• Consistent logo placement across pages.
• Repeated pattern as a background.
• Builds a brand — the reader sees the repetition and recognises you.

6.6Variation (विविधता)

Variation is the opposite of repetition — introducing change to keep things interesting and avoid monotony.

• Break a grid occasionally for emphasis.
• Vary font weight, size, or colour to guide the eye.
• Use variety, but tie it back to the overall system.

6.7Proximity (समिपता)

Proximity says: things that belong together should sit together. Your eye groups nearby items automatically.

• A photo with its caption right below, not floating at the other end of the page.
• A contact block: name, phone, email — grouped tightly.
• White space between groups, tight spacing within groups.
• This one principle alone fixes half of all amateur designs.

6.8Emphasis (विशिष्टता)

Emphasis is making one element the clear star of the design — the place where the viewer's eye lands first.

Ways to create emphasis

• Size — make it the biggest.
• Colour — make it the only red thing on a blue page.
• Contrast in tone (light thing on dark background).
• Isolation — surround it with white space.
• Placement — top-left or optical centre gets attention.
• Style — a different typeface or a hand-drawn touch in a geometric layout.

6.9Contrast (अन्तरभेद)

Contrast is the difference between two elements — light vs dark, big vs small, thick vs thin, warm vs cool, serif vs sans-serif.

• Tonal contrast — dark text on light background = readable.
• Size contrast — huge headline + small body = hierarchy.
• Colour contrast — complementary colours (blue + orange).
• Shape contrast — round element in a grid of squares.
• Type contrast — serif headline + sans-serif body.
• Accessibility: WCAG requires 4.5:1 contrast ratio for body text.

6.10Gradation (क्रमिकता)

Gradation is a gradual, step-by-step change — in colour, size, tone, or shape. It creates a sense of movement and depth.

• A colour gradient from light blue to deep navy.
• Text that grows from small body to a giant headline.
• A row of circles each slightly larger than the last.
• Creates rhythm and depth without jarring change.

6.11Unity (समानता/एकता)

Unity is the feeling that the whole design is one thing, not a collage of separate parts.

• Comes from applying all other principles together.
• Uses repetition, proximity, consistent colour & type to tie elements.
• Every element contributes to the message; nothing random is left in.
• Unity + variety together is the holy grail of design.

6.12Alignment (पंक्तिवद्धता)

Alignment is placing elements along invisible lines so the layout feels ordered and intentional. It is the easiest principle to apply — and the most commonly ignored by beginners.

• Left, right, centre, justified — text alignment options.
• Grid alignment — columns and rows.
• Edge alignment — elements share an edge line.
• Optical alignment — visually aligned even if the math isn't exact (punctuation often needs optical adjustment).