Design Principles: The Power of Repetition, Emphasis, and Scale

Design Principles:

The Power of Repetition, Emphasis, and Scale

Scale in Design

Refers to the size of an element in a design when compared to the size of another element in that design.


It helps create depth, hierarchy, and visual interest.

The Power of Scale

• Scale is a crucial design principle that involves the deliberate sizing of elements to create visual impact.

• It helps establish hierarchy and emphasis by making certain elements stand out.

• Use scale to create contrast, guide the viewer's attention, and convey importance.

The Power of Scale

Without the use of scale the soccer ball and baseball appear to be the same size.

The Power of Scale

This is a much better representation of what the 2 balls would look like next to each other thanks to the use of scale.

Emphasis in Design

Creating a focal point to make a certain element stand out.


It draws attention to specific elements in the design.

The Power of Emphasis

• Provides a focal point.

• It is created using different in sizes, colors, textures, shapes, etc.

• Use emphasis to indicate the key points of a design.

The Power of Emphasis

Without no emphasis the image below doesn't have a focal point. Your eye does not know what to look at first.

The Power of Emphasis

By adding color to part of the image it immediately changes how you view it. Your eye is now first drawn to the area with color.

Repetition in Design

Reusing elements like color, pattern, font, etc in a design.

It allows elements to work together to create a focal point.

The Power of Repetition

• Creates unity, consistency, and rhythm,

• Helps to create overall harmony with elements in a design.

The Power of Repetition

If a design includes too many different elements it can be distracting. In the sample below the text contains many different fonts causing it be hard to read.

​What is Lorem Ipsum?

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry.

Why do we use it?

It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout.

The Power of Repetition

If we choose to repeat a couple fonts it makes the text much more legible and can draw attention to the headings.

​What is Lorem Ipsum?

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry.

Why do we use it?

It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout.

Design Principles:

• Repetition: Repeating elements creates visual consistency and helps establish a hierarchy.
• Scale: Varying the size of elements adds interest and emphasizes important information.

Multiple Choice

Which design principle involves varying sizes of elements to create visual hierarchy and add interest?

• Repetition

• Emphasis

• Scale

• Contrast

Multiple Choice

Which principle uses different colors, textures or shapes to create a focal point?

• Emphasis

• Repetition

• Scale

• All of them

Multiple Choice

Which design principle has you use an element over and over?

• Repetition

• Emphasis

• Scale

• Repetition, Emphasis, and Scale