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Web Graphic Design 101

In This Chapter

Understanding page layout strategy

Creating comps

Establishing visual priority

Combining color, text, and graphics

Using a grid layout system

Developing design guidelines for text and graphics

The principles of a balanced layout and use of text and graphics apply to designing websites just as they do in other media such as print and video, but with a different set of constraints. Using interactive digital media, including websites and mobile applications, requires that you think “small-and-efficient,” that you focus on consistency and providing a “sense of place,” and that you work to progressively reveal information over a series of pages or screens. On top of all those things you need to worry about, you also have to deal with all sorts of technical constraints that can get in the way of your creativity.