OUGD404 - Study Task 5 - Canons

Lecture Notes
12 / 11 / 15

Balance - Visual balance comes from arranging elements on the page so that no one section is heavier than the other. Or, in other instances, a designer may intentionally throw elements out of balance to create tension or a certain mood.

Proximity / Unity - In design, proximity or closeness creates a bond between elements on a page. How close together or far apart elements are placed suggests a relationship (or lack of) between what are otherwise disparate parts. Unity is also achieved by using a third element to connect distant parts. 

AlignmentAlignment brings order to chaos. How you align type and graphics on a page and in relation to each other can make your layout easier or more difficult to read, foster familiarity, and/or bring excitement to a stale design.

Repetition / ConsistencyRepeating design elements and consistent use of type and graphics styles within a document shows a reader where to go and helps them navigate your designs and layouts safely. Ensure that your document utilises the principles of repetition, consistency, and unity in page design.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Canons are principles of page layout design used to measure and describe proportions, margins and print areas. Preferred canons to use include the Van de Graaf, Tschichold's Golden Canon and Tschichold's Octavo.

One definition states that a canon is 'a fundamental principle or general rule: the canons of good behaviour'. Following a canon can yield some great results; however, it does not always have to be followed. The Golden Section rule, for example, has been allegedly used in a variety of art and design pieces for hundreds of years. I personally don't see the use of the ratio. Many designers don't use it, and if they do, they vastly discount its importance; various articles state that the Golden Section is a myth and a 150-year-old scam.Other canons, such as the Van de Graaf Canon and Tschichold's Golden Canon seem much clearer and more useful in design. In the Van de Graaf Canon (seen on the right), two red rectangles are made to place text within. Across a double page spread it gives a combined central margin equal to the outer margins, which creates a pleasing and balanced layout. The margins are size 1/9 and 2/9 of the overall page size. The canon is also known as the 'secret canon', used in many medieval manuscripts and incunabula. 
I personally believe that canons and grids can be very useful when creating page layouts, as they provide a template for designers to position their work in a way that aesthetically works. Although, I do believe that these rules can be challenged and broken; a piece of design that does not follow these canons can in fact be successful and work aesthetically. Therefore, I think that it is down to the designer's individual opinion when considering such ideas.