All successful design employs good conceptual ideas, the result of a thorough brief. It's in the application of these ideas that the design really takes shape. During this time the designer has a set of guidelines in their toolkit which they consciously use to build their design.

THE 5 DESIGN PRINCIPLES:
Alignment creates a sharper, more unified design.
Repetition unifies and strengthens a design by tying together otherwise separate parts.
Contrast is the most effective way to emphasise and generate impact with a design.
Hierarchy creates organisation and direction.
Balance provides stability and structure to a design.

A good designer can tell you which principles they use in their design. Shillington College teaches design principles from the introduction stage through to complex, multi-layered Photoshop documents using photographic images, graphics and type.

Good design uses type in a constructive and visually effective way. It creates hierarchy and balance to deliver a clear message. Visual communication has existed for hundreds of thousands of years. Whether it be an ancient inscription on a column in Rome, an Art Nouveau sign for the Metro in Paris or a coffee table book on gardening, typography plays a significant role in getting the message across.

To design something with type that is clear, simple and visually arresting requires good typography skills. Shillington College teaches the basics of technical typography, the correlation of art movements and type, the role of design principles and type, through to its usage with the applications InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop. Every lesson is another step in understanding that good design is about good typography.

Visually, the sensation of colour affects us more than anything else. It has the remarkable ability to alter our moods and, when used in graphic design, can evoke a range of emotional responses. Colour psychology and colour forecasting are two areas in which a graphic designer is well-versed.

What colour would you apply to a poster advertising an exhibition for Van Gogh? For a sign that signifies danger? An annual report for a major corporation? Or even the menu for a seafood restaurant? Designers are given the responsibility to apply a colour scheme as a major part of answering the brief.

At Shillington College, all students are taught the analysis and application of colour. Whether it's a simple press ad, a flyer for an art gallery or a calendar depicting the seasons, most briefs in the curriculum require the assessment of colour.