​Along with proportion, dominance also plays a big part in how your design principles effect the message you are trying to communicate as a designer.  Dominance can make or break your piece.  Dominance overall “gives us a sense of what’s important and what’s not.” ("A Graphic Design Primer, Part II: The Principles of Design.")

Dominance usually has three characteristics of elements that can help achieve good patterns of dominance.  They include primary, secondary, and tertiary elements.  Our primary elements are considered to be the most important.  They generally are items like headlines or ‘click here’ buttons on websites.  These create the user interaction.  The secondary elements are items that the design could live without, but are helpful in conveying the message.  Many of these include graphics for visual enhancement or supporting facts to showcase your credibility.  The tertiary elements are the ‘blenders’ or the items that are fillers in your design.  Your design does not need them, but they serve a purpose visually. ("A Graphic Design Primer, Part II: The Principles of Design.")

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