I’ve written about the principle of emphasis before, in Stand Out from the Crowd, where I gave practical ways to emphasize different parts of your design. You will see that much of emphasis is achieved through strategic use of the principle of contrast.

The principle of emphasis is used to support direction. Think of emphasis as the stepping stones on the path of direction; emphasis tells the viewer what is important and where to look next.

Emphasis supports balance, too. If your focal point is smack in the center of the layout, that’s rather boring, but use the rule of thirds to place your eye-catching element and you instantly improve the layout.
What is Emphasis?

Emphasis is about hierarchy. Although many other principles contribute to hierarchy, emphasis is what they all ultimately lead to.