Eye Flow

Key reading-pg 11 and 12:

http://www.sae.si/cmd07/design/GraphicDesign.pdf



Original Source:

Click image to enlarge


http://books.google.com/books?id=WVlWFpXP6pAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=the+design+manual#PPA123,M1


Also:

To create effective eye flow, line up photos across an invisible horizontal or vertical line. This helps the album-reader's eye move easily across your photos and stories. Some clean and simple designs include using a clustering technique or layout in a "C" or "Z" pattern.

Why does clustering or placing photos and journaling in a "C" or "Z" pattern work? If you think about what pages you like the best when looking at scrapbook albums or even magazines they likely feature layouts that are designed to keep your eye moving from one space to the next, our natural tendency is to travel in a "C" or "Z" pattern across the page. There are four major points to think about when considering how to create layouts that you are going to love looking at over and over.

• The first is that photos in many shapes and clusters scattered randomly make it tough for the eye to focus. This can be distracting rather than pleasing to the eye.
  
  
• The eye prefers to follow a "C" or "Z" pattern rather than aimlessly wandering across a page with photos that appear to float. Group your photos together, leaving a small space between them to create flow.
  
  
• Clustering allows for spaces to tell a story to your family and friends in concentrated areas on the page, rather than making a few comments here and there.
  
  
• Grouping your photos in a planned way puts a priority on your photos and stories. Paper colors and enhancements become secondary. If you pick out your page enhancements without considering your photos and space for journaling, the page may end up looking too busy for the eye.

http://www.mommyclub.ca/family-living/hobbies/scrapbooking:-seven-steps-to-success/

Interesting research contradicting the Z-line theory:
http://sdcc17.ucsd.edu/~mcirone/introduction.html

Other eye-flow theories:
http://nn.spirastudios.com/book/export/html/170

DTP Further reading:
http://www.kougarmedia.com/resources/DTP_Basics_indd.pdf