CARP

CARP. Not the particular koi or the common fish species, but the acronym for four general principals to good graphic design: contrast, alignment, repetition, and proximity. I value these concepts when designing presentations, infographics, handouts, and web pages. Let me briefly explain why.

I use Contrast to create visual interest by adding elements of light and dark, large and small, rough and smooth, and opposing directional lines to add action and energy to the design. In this example, I want to emphasize the most important idea.

Alignment serves to organize different elements by building a definitive structure, creating balance. Whether incorporating edge, center, horizontal, or vertical alignment, or a combination (mixed alignment), when used wisely, it results in a professional-looking finished product. In this example, I aligned my text diagonally to create a sense of unease and to break up the monotony of having all slide text aligned horizontally.

Repetition creates a rhythm throughout the design. Repeating shapes, colors, lines, and patterns help to connect themes or topics, in the case of presentation slide decks. In this example, I repeat my use of different color fonts to emphasize important topics and grouping the words in white as actions of an accomplice.

I incorporate Proximity to create a sense of proportion, scale, or hierarchy. I can also use it to create symmetrical or asymmetrical balance. It creates a sense of belonging when you want to tie two or more things together in a group. In this case, I am connecting images of women to their brief bio.

I use a combination, or all, of the principals in design when I want to emphasize a point or an image. For instance, when I want to draw the viewers’ eyes to something specific on a presentation slide, to make a point, I can use color contrast, alignment, and proximity to create the illusion of depth or scale, where the word or image in the “foreground” stands out from the rest of the terms or images on the slide. In this example, I use proximity to group my privileges and my oppressions, I repeat my use of contrasting font colors to emphasize specific terms, and I left-align the descriptive words to create a clean aesthetic.

When I am building a presentation slide deck, I consider Repetition the most important element. It brings a sense of cohesion to my design, which has a calming effect on my viewers. Repetition creates a rhythm so the viewers’ focus can be on the important points I am making in the presentation, of which I am going to repeat to help make them stick.