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C.R.A.P.
Your Key to Design Success

Some tips from the world of graphic design can also apply to digital artmaking. You will often find that integrating different media elements, especially in forms of new media such as websites, games, CD ROMs, DVDs, etc., requires a blending of text, image, and functionality. You may end up with a wide variety of elements in your image or interface.

Remember this simple acronym, C.R.A.P., and you'll be on your way to creating successful designs.

C is for Composition

In this case, the word composition takes on a slightly different meaning than when we're talking about composition over here. (Wonder why? Click here.) Composition refers to the elements that will be in your piece. Text, image, sound, whatever -- all of these elements combine to make your piece.

R is for Repetition

Think of a popular song -- what part of it do you remember most? Odds are, it's the chorus. And one of the reasons you remember the chorus is that in a song the chorus is repeated. Repetition makes us remember things and creates a focus. Something that is repeated is seen as important, and because it is important we will think about it and try to remember it. Also, repetition is the literal way our brains create memory biologically. Typically memories build up potency because of repeated exposure to a stimulus; only rarely is a stimulus strong enough or traumatic enough for us to remember it with no repetition. This is the same principle that is at work in advertising:  Show us a message often enough and we will remember it; show it to us even more often and we might just begin to believe it.

A is for Arrangement

Arrangement and pattern is important to us. Visually, we are constantly organizing our world. Conceptually, we spend a lot of time dividing, combining, and categorizing various things. The brain will always work to arrange ideas, sounds, visual stimuli, etc. into recognizable, memorable patterns. Whenever you can work with this impulse to create pattern or meaningful arrangement, you make your piece more appealing.

P is for Proportion

Size does matter. Things that are large are typically viewed as important. We build big monuments to our heroes and leaders. We put headlines in bigger text. We boldface the important words in a lesson. So being aware of size can help you create meaning and organization in your design. Keep in mind that size is also proportional. In order for something to look big or small, it must be juxtaposed with something of a different size.

This is certainly not the final word on design, but paying attention to these four elements will help you make better design decisions. Remember that most programs give you tools like rulers and guides to help you fine tune arrangement and proportion. Also, think about how these concepts translate into a variety of media. We've seen illustrations of visual designs, but what about audio or motion design? Where can you see similarities and differences? How could each of these elements be conveyed in sound or movement?

So why is "composition" different in this little lesson?
Words have different meanings, and they're used different ways in various discourse communities. In the fine art world, "composition" is often used when referring to the design, layout, organization, and whatnot of an image. In this situation, "composition" refers to the big thing, and "design" is an element of composition.  However, in different realms, such as graphic design, publishing, and software development, the word "design" is used and composition is an element of the design. Both views are useful to us in creating digital art.

The acronym "C.R.A.P." and the ideas contained in this lesson are based on a lecture by Richard Cherry, in New Media I, Fall 2002.

Shawn Rider || Department of Media Study || University at Buffalo

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Last updated: Sunday August 24, 2003