Back to: Graphic Design Essentials
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Every great design rests on a few core principles: how colour affects mood and readability, how typography guides the eye and sets tone, and how layout (alignment, hierarchy, whitespace) organises information. Watch the linked video, then critique three logos or posters you like using these three lenses. FDA Notes: we’ll build a simple mood board together to practise applying colour and type choices.
WatchBeginning Graphic Design: Layout & CompositionLearnFree · free video on YouTube
Contrast first
Dark text on a light background, or the reverse, is the easiest to read.
Show what matters most
Make the most important element the biggest, boldest or brightest. That is visual hierarchy.
White space is not wasted
Space around elements helps the eye rest and focus on your message.
Try it: design detective
- Pick three logos or posters you like.
- Critique each one using colour, typography and layout.
- Build a small mood board with the colours and fonts you would like to use.
Key takeaways
- Colour sets the mood and must keep text readable, so check the contrast.
- Typography guides the eye: one or two fonts are usually enough.
- Layout uses alignment, hierarchy and white space to organise information.
