Evidence of the use of Design Principles in ancient manuscripts

“Bible from Ethiopia, Commissioned by Emperor Iyasu in around 1700.

By examining the ancient works of authors in the 1700, one can see that they recognized and followed many of the same principles of design that we observe today in modern digital graphics.  The manuscript used to demonstrate these similarities is,  “Bible from Ethiopia, Commissioned by Emperor Iyasu in around 1700.

By viewing pages 2 and 3, one will notice the use of an illustration on the left page and some writing on the right page.  The writing is in Hebrew, however, some of the text is in red ink and some is in black.  If we compare to our modern day bible, we can assume the red text is important and is set out from the majority of the other words.  This demonstrates the use of the first design principle, Contrast.

As we look at these pages and following pages, you will see that Repetition is demonstrated in the use of images to illustrate acts, and the use of graphics to surround the text on the following pages.  These graphics are different, but share repeated designs using columns, leaves, trees, birds and arches.

Alignment is shown by keeping the text evenly spread between the “cells” of the graphics containing text.  No indention or spacing is used in the text.

Proximity can be assumed (unless one could read Hebrew).  The drawings of people on the one page relate to the text that is in reference to the action of the men. On following pages, the description of the page, further supports Proximity by describing what is found on both pages, “The left page contains the rest of Eusebius' Letter to Carpianus followed on the right by his first canon table, which sets out the parallels and variations in the Synoptic Gospels.”