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Design Basics · Lesson 2 of 13

Placing Elements

There are principles of design, and the first of them is balance.

1 Learn the concept

There are principles of design, and the first of them is balance. Elements on the page should be balanced evenly with each other so the design feels stable. Balance can be symmetrical, where both sides mirror each other, or asymmetrical, where different elements balance by weight. This lesson explains how to place elements for balance and clear emphasis.

A checklist of rules for placing design elementsPLACEMENT RULESAlign elements to a common edgePut related items close togetherGive the main item the most space or contrastKeep consistent marginsLeave breathing room around edges
Group related items and keep alignment consistent.

2 See it in action

  • Symmetrical balance feels formal and stable.
  • Asymmetrical balance feels dynamic and modern.
  • Group related items together and keep space between groups.
  • Align elements so the page feels organized.

Worked example

Fixing a misaligned poster

Problem: text is centered, logo is left, date is right.

Fix: align everything to the left edge.

Group: put date, time and place together.

Result to look for: an orderly layout where the eye moves from the top to the bottom.

3 Study an example

Example scenario

A poster has a heavy image on the left and a small block of text on the right, and it feels lopsided. Making the text block larger and adding a bold line restores balance.

4 Apply it and download

  1. Sketch two layouts for the same content.
  2. Compare their balance.
  3. Choose one and refine it.

Worksheet Brand style guide templateOpen, print or save as PDF

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