I propose starting with these fundamentals:

Visual hierarchy means directing attention. Where should the viewer look first? In a game interface, the information a player needs right now should be easy to find. Every element competes for attention, so its size, position, and contrast need a purpose.
Composition shapes the experience. In video or animation, a sequence of medium shots quickly becomes monotonous, and in my work with generative tools, that is a default I often have to push against. Extreme close-ups, wide shots, overhead views, and shots over a character's shoulder create different possibilities. The choice should serve the emotional impact and visual storytelling.
Style discipline matters when creators can have almost any style they want. Commit early to a mood board, a visual direction, and a curated color palette. Then hold the work to those decisions. An attractive image can still be wrong for the project if it belongs to a different visual universe.
Typography brings its own associations. A typeface can suggest a historical period, a genre, or a mood before the viewer reads a word. Students must understand what their font choices communicate and whether those choices fit the experience they are building.

Being picky matters

My current game design assignment brings these decisions together in a previsualization package for an original game. I walk students through the creative pipeline, starting with the core concept and the experience they want the player to have. They define the rules and history of the world, consider competing games, and explore visual directions before committing to a look.

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How to teach design literacy in the age of generative AI

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