How to control the audience eye by design

Basically, all of elements we are considering below are part of Visual Hierarchy, important and fulfilling for every design. This is a big and pervasive topic for a designer and we will clearly go back to it in our next articles. How would you draw attention to the parts you need?

Focal points

Any design requires the target of a view. Focal point is a great way to start your viewer's journey wherever you want to. Focal points are the vital thing, that can make your design appealing and emphasise important elements. By the way, you can create it with help of negative space.

Leading lines

Another great way to lead your viewer, but not just his sight. You can lead audience emotionally by using lines - horizontal ones can make user feel comfortable, relaxed and chill; vertical show dignity, formality or power. Diagonal can show excitement, curved - elegance, etc. Use lines to point on some object. It's not necessary should be a hand pointing towards it, or an arrow - would be enough to make the line imitating it or pointing indirectly. The human brain can maintain the attention longer, when lines create hierarchy.

Z pattern, F pattern

As you know, readers are starting they way through the page or design from top left side. To make their way easier, you can use natural and working pattern, to show exactly what they have to see. Add second valuable element on the top left and diagonally to the bottom left and then right. This method will work for designs with small amount of details, so your viewer's sight won't be overloaded. It's working for all types of design, from graphics to UI and to motion. Same, it works for F pattern - we are thought to scroll material horizontally from left to right (which is opposite for Arabic countries, and considered in their designs too). First lines of text on a page receive more gazes than subsequent lines of text on the same page. First few words on the left of each line of text receive more fixations than subsequent words on the same line.

Balance

You can also use balance to lead the viewer's eye. Symmetrical balance, where all elements of design are equal. Asymmetrical balance - where one side is dominant and the other is compliment. Radial balance - the central element is a key and others are complimentary. Mosaic balance - composition has many different elements, without the central one and look good with hierarchy. Asymmetrical balance is always a good idea, the complimentary part can has a CTA info or buttons.

CTA buttons or graphics

CTA buttons are also focal points, by the way.; they usually stand out by color, shape or location. Their job is to make audience carry out some actions, considered in the design. Just like in digital marketing, they shouldn't necessarily scream ¨Buy now!¨. We can invite audience to ¨Explore More¨, ¨Continue¨ or ¨Join us¨, to grow interest and emphasise the ability of person to belong to something (our brand). In design, you can do the same by using different colors, sizes or location of your CTA - just make sure it's the finishing point in your viewer's journey.

Brand your visuals

Draw attention to the brand's name - it will pay off. But don't overdo - the viewer should remember who the design belonged to, but not be distracted from the visual itself.

Don't forget that design should match the company agenda. In this article, we described how to design a brand mission and you can find a lot of useful things there too. Good luck with your designs and subscribe to our newsletter not to miss new tips!