Good design begins with a clear understanding of the basics. The six principles of design are guidelines for putting together elements in a way to create effective communication, through graphic design. The way in which these principles are applied affects the expressive content and the message of the work. It’s quite rare to see only one principle being used at a time, however, you do not necessarily need to use all six principles on one page – even the use of one helps in creating good design.

Here are some of the principles of good design, starting with:

1. KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid
The KISS system is used in a lot of different platforms, but it especially shines in design. The rule is that most systems work best the simpler it is. The more complicated you make it out to be, the more difficult your job will be. This is the same principle that applies for design. Simplicity should be the key goal for any design, rather than complicating it. 

2. Hick’s Law
A lot of designers, and sometimes even clients do not really follow Hick’s Law, but they should. Hick’s Law basically predicts that the time and efforts needed to make a decision significantly increases with the number of options presented. So, instead of coming up with multiple options which will make choosing the best option more difficult, you can instead opt to go ahead with 2-3 options that you think are the best, and go at it from there. 

3. As Little As Possible
Less is more, as the saying goes. This is great for design because you are able to concentrate on the essential aspects of your design, while not being burdened with the non-essentials. This goes hand in hand with the KISS principle, as you want to make your design as simple as possible without much complications.

4. White Space Theory
White space, or negative space is simply known as the unmarked space used in your design. White space helps to bring out the content in your design, making it easily scannable and significantly improves legibility. It helps if you are looking to highlight a certain part of your design, which is where white space excels. 

5. Proportions
Understanding how to use proper proportions in your design is vital in highlighting the key parts of your design and content. Proportion signals what’s important in your design, and what isn’t. For example, larger elements are more important, as they are highlighted much more, while smaller elements are less so. Understanding how to use this in your design will definitely help with scaling your designs. 

6. Evergreen Effect
Good design avoids being fashionable, and therefore never appears to be antiquated. If your design is based on the current trends of today, it might not be able to stand the test of time throughout the years. Instead, go for an evergreen design that is able to last for many years, especially within today’s throwaway society. 

What constitutes the “basic” principles of design is certainly up for debate. But understanding and implementing the principles covered above is vital to the success of any design project. Designers should aim to understand how each of these design principles actually impact their work. Studying how other designers have implemented these ideas to structure their own designs is also an incredibly valuable tool in learning to create better designs.

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