FOUR BASIC DESIGN PRINCIPLES can make any handout, brochure, or web page more professional-looking, unified, easy to follow, and inviting to your readers. The Non-Designer's Design Book describes these four principles--Proximity, Alignment, Repetition, and Contrast. While they are interrelated, by learning them one at a time you will quickly be able to see how easy it is to intermix them. Your documents will become both effective and interesting! 

Repetition, or consistency, means that you should repeat some aspect of the design throughout the entire document.

Repetition acts as a visual key that ties your piece together--in other words, it unifies it. Repetition controls the reader's eye and helps you keep their attention on the piece as long as possible.

Repeat elements such as a graphic, font style or size. To get started, repeat elements that you're already using.

Contrast is one of the best ways to add visual interest to your document.

Contrast draws in your reader's attention and creates a visual hierarchy.

Create contrast by using type, textures, and elements like lines, boxes, or graphics, that are very different from one another.

To get started, determine what you want the focus to be. Use contrast to create that focus. Remember, do as R.Williams says- "Don't be a wimp!"

For more information on this topic, see the EET article on Proximity and Alignment or buy the Robin Williams' book .

son McMorris