DPI WEEK 6 :

26/5/2025 -

Tan Tzu Yu / 0374460

Group 2

Digital Photography & Imaging (GCD61204)

Weekly Post : Week 6

---

Lectures: 

This week, we were introduced to the Principles of Design, which are essential tools to help us create posters that are not only visually appealing but also communicate messages effectively. There are seven key principles we focused on, each playing an important role in how a design comes together.

•  Emphasis : Emphasis is all about guiding the viewer’s attention to the most important part of the design. It helps create a clear focal point, so the message isn’t lost. For example, if there’s a headline or key image, emphasis makes sure that’s the first thing someone notices.

• Balance & Alignment : Balance ensures that everything in the design feels evenly distributed and visually stable. Alignment helps keep things neat and organised. When things are lined up properly, the whole layout feels cleaner and easier to follow.

• Contrast : Contrast is what makes a design stand out. It’s the difference between light and dark, big and small, bold and thin. It helps with readability, especially when it comes to text over backgrounds, and adds energy to a composition.

• Repetition : Repetition brings consistency. By repeating certain elements—like a font style, shape, or colour—you make the design feel more connected and intentional. It also helps create a recognisable style or visual identity.

• Proportion : Proportion refers to the size relationships between elements. It’s about visual hierarchy—what should look more important and what plays a supporting role. Designing in sections or zones can make complex layouts easier to manage and understand.

• Movement : Movement isn’t about animation—it’s about how a viewer’s eye travels through the design. It helps control what the audience sees first, second, and last. A good flow can turn a flat design into something engaging and memorable.

• White Space (Negative Space) : White space is the empty space around elements. It’s often underrated, but it makes everything feel less crowded and more elegant. Giving your design room to breathe can often be the difference between something feeling polished vs. messy.

---

Tutorial/Practical: 

During the tutorial, we were briefed on Project 2, which involves joining a poster design contest hosted by Honor. The contest themes were shared with us on the official website of Honor, and we were asked to begin  understanding the contest brief and starting some early ideation work based on the chosen theme.

---

Reflective Writing :

This week, we learned about the seven principles of design, and it really helped me see how much thought goes into making a poster work. Things like emphasis and movement stood out to me the most — they made me realise how design can guide people’s eyes and highlight what matters.

We also got briefed on Project 2, where we’ll design a poster for a contest by Honor. It feels a bit challenging, but exciting too. Starting with the first few slides gave me a clearer idea of the theme and what direction I might take. I’m already thinking about how to apply contrast, balance, and white space to make my design feel stronger.

Overall, I did feel more confident and I am inspired to try out these principles in my own way in my future projects or assignments.