1. Balance
Balance in a 3D object is easy to understand - if balance isn't achieved, the object tips over. To understand balance in a 2D composition, we use our imaginations to carry this 3D concept forward to the flat surface.

2. Rhythm
Rhythm can create a sense of movement, and can establish pattern and texture. The presence of rhythm creates predictability and order in a composition. The parallels between rhythm in music is very exact to the idea of rhythm in a visual composition. The difference is that the timed "beat" is sensed by the eyes rather than the ears.

3. Proportion
Proportion refers to the relative size and scale of the elements in a design. The issue is the relationship between objects as part of a whole. Differing proportions within a composition can relate to balance or symmetry, and can help establish visual weight and depth.

4. Emphasis
Emphasis marks the area in a website, which most strongly draw the viewer’s attention.  The emphasis is usually an interruption in the movement of the viewers eye through the composition. We use emphasis to call attention to something, or to vary the composition in order to hold the viewers interest by controlling where the eye goes first when looking at a design.

5. Unity
Unity describes the relationship between the individual parts and the whole of a design. It investigates the parts of a design that are necessary to tie the composition together, to give it a sense of wholeness.

These 5 principles are the guiding truths of graphic design and affect the arrangement of structural elements within your site. The successful use of these 5 concepts insures a solid foundation upon which your website can thrive.