Canons

Proximity/Unity
Alignment
Repetition and Consistency
Fibonacci - 8:13
Canons - Principles of page layout design used to measure and describe proportions, margins and print area.
Van de Graaf - Famous, divides up page
Tschichold - Golden canon, Octavo

Rules of graphic design:

• Communication
• Kerning
• Readability/Legibility
• Hierarchy
• Layout
• Connotation
• Grids
• Target Audience
• Colour palette 
• Avoid Widows/Orphans 
• Print medium 
• Objective Design

I believe the main focus of graphic design is to communicate to an appropriate audience. It is important for designers to have rules to follow so that designs are consistent and legible, however I feel that some of these rules should be broken or changed in order to push design further and break boundaries. I personally like to follow the rules and then work back into the composition, breaking rules and changing the design. Although there are rules to design, at the end of the day a designer needs to trust their eye.