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Elements of Design: Composition and Layout

Good composition and layout are vital to a successful presentation. It doesn’t matter if you have a simple image and a single line of text or a complex layout involving several photos and a lot of information; the key to getting the message across is the right arrangement.

Sometimes your design needs to be composed like a photograph—a strong center image with good detail around the edges, but nothing too distracting from the center. With text above and/or below, the eye is drawn to the middle first, and then to the information on the periphery. If the text is simple—dates and times for a concert, for example, this is an excellent approach.

If you have a more complicated presentation, when you are considering the composition and layout, you may wish to draw the viewer’s eye to the most important detail first. If that detail is a line or block of text, it should be placed in a prominent position (not necessarily the center) and made to stand out from the background in an obvious way. The use of drop-shadow, bright colors and the appropriate font is especially important here. By placing emphasis on the text and downplaying the images, there’s an expectation that the viewer has time to take in detailed information. In this respect, context plays an important part in composition and layout. A poster for a live music program should convey all the vital information at a glance, but a brochure for a veterinary clinic should offer more details.

In terms of composition and layout, an example of the opposite approach may be found on the softcover edition of “The Real Frank Zappa Book” by Frank Zappa and Peter Ochiogrosso. The cover layout includes a prominent photo of Zappa, but placed in the right hand third of the layout. A large typeface for the words “The Real Frank Zappa Book” fills up what remains in the center and left-hand third of the layout. Both the text and the image have an equal emphasis. The subject matter is identical in both photo and text—one reinforces the other. This is a principle to keep in mind when using this type of approach. By insuring that both text and image are directly complimentary you avoid confusion and keep a coherent presentation.

For the beginner, the elements of design require a lot of trial and error. In the same way that a photographer spends a great deal of time on visual composition, the designer devotes time to developing a particular style appropriate for the task at hand. Yet, through time and experience, a designer can develop their own unique style while mastering the elements of design!

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