Principles of Design

What is design?

• to create, fashion, execute, or construct according to plan: devise, contrive

Design is working with a plan.
The Principles of Design help artists organize shapes, lines, forms, and colors to communicate effectively.

• Balance
• emphasis
• rhythm and movement
• proportion

to create a sense of unity
unity + variety
you don't want to much unity
Variety is achieved by introducing some differences into the picture to increase visual interest.

Balance is when the visual "weight" of an artwork feels equally distributed.

4 types of balance:

• symmetry-left is same as the right if you draw a line down the middle

• approximately symmetrical-subtle differences

• asymmetry-not symmetrical

• radial-circular symmetry

Emphasis- when one element in an artwork appears to be more important or attract the most attention.

3 ways to create emphasis:

• Placement-where things are placed
• Contrast-light vs. dark, small vs. big, differences
• Grouping-putting things together to attract attention

Rhythm and Movement-referring to how the artist guides the viewer through a work of art

• Repetition

-same elements
-alternating elements
-progression

• Leading Lines
• Implied Movement
• Optical Movement
• Actual Movement

Proportion-the size relationship of the parts to one another or to the whole

• Colors
• Shapes
• Forms

-Color to create contrast (Emphasis)
-Shape to create contrast (Emphasis)
-Using Proportion to show distance
-Using Proportion to show emotion