The Pocket Universal Principles of Design

098 Orientation Sensitivity

Certain line orientations are more quickly and easily processed and discriminated than others.

• People can accurately judge vertical and horizontal lines, but have problems judging diagonal lines.

• Lines differing in orientation by more than 30 degrees from a background of lines are easy to detect, and differing by less than 30 degrees difficult to detect.

• Compositions where the primary elements have vertical or horizontal orientations are considered more aesthetic than diagonal orientations.

• Consider orientation sensitivity in compositions requiring discrimination between lines. Facilitate discrimination between lines by making their orientation differ by more than 30 degrees. Use horizontal and vertical lines ...