One of the first lessons that fine art students are taught, is how to use size to create a center of interest in a painting. By making the key element in a painting larger than all other elements, a hierarchy is established in the composition. The largest element becomes the most important. It is the first thing the eye is drawn to in the painting. This technique creates a greater sense of contrast, drama and life in a painting.

This tool of composition can also be used in web design to add visual interest to your web pages. In this web page design (shown above) I wanted the eye to be drawn to the warm smiling face first. It is the most visually inviting feature of the page, and sets the emotional tone for the design To give it prominence, I made it the largest element on the page. I enlarged it and cropped it to add focus on the most important features of the face. The viewers' eye sees the warm, inviting face first, the car second, and the three abstract graphics at the bottom of the page last. In effect, you take the viewer on a visual tour, giving a sense of movement to the page.

Try this technique yourself. When selecting photos or art for your web page design, ask yourself which graphic conveys the strongest emotional impact. What is the most interesting or colorful graphic? Make it the most prominent visual element on the page. Enlarge it until it stands out. Crop it so that the most visually interesting elements are featured. Make it the centerpiece of your design. Using size to create a center of interest will give you a much more interesting web page design. When all the elements are too similar in size, nothing stands out, and the overall design seems lifeless. Bring your web design to life by using size to create a center of interest.