Elements and Principles of Design

The elements (the parts and how they work) and principles (ideas that incorporate the elements) of design apply to all artwork, whether it is two-dimensional or three-dimensional. They work together to create a unified whole and a visually exciting piece of artwork. Each work of art calls for a different design solution. There are no set formulas. Elements

Line - A line connects two points and may be 2-D as drawn on paper, 3-D as in a wire sculpture, or imply movement. Line describes contours (edges) or gestures, shows structure, or may be decorative. There are infinite varieties of line. They may be thick, thin, fast, slow, playful, or aggressive.

Shape – A shape encloses an area. There are two basic categories: geometric shapes are mathematical constructions such as squares, triangles and circles, and organic shapes which have an irregular outline.

The shape of an object is positive space and the shapes of the background or spaces in between shapes are negative space.

Value – Value is the range between lightness and darkness because of light reflected from a surface. Value gives volume and depth to shapes.

Color –Color is the most direct way we see all the other principles, is the most expressive and causes the most emotional response to an artworks. Colors are formed by reflections of different wavelengths of light and change according to their surroundings.

Texture – is a surface quality that describes how something feels. Texture can be actual as in a surface you can touch or implied as in a painting.

Principles

Unity – means that the elements in a composition look as though they belong together. There is a visual connection that is not created by chance. The whole is more important than the parts. You see the whole image first, then notice the parts.

Emphasis / Focal Point – A focal point draws your eye to something that is dominant and other principles to lead your eye around the page. This makes a work interesting and not confusing. It is sometimes called the center of interest. Balance – Balance is an equal arrangement of objects, colors or light/dark areas in a work of art. A lack of balance is disturbing, whether it is physical, such as something that looks like it will fall off the edge, or visual balance on a 2-D surface. Symmetrical or formal balance is a mirror image on each side. Asymmetrical balance is different on each side, but has the same visual weight. In radial balance, lines radiate from a central point as in the spokes of a wheel.

Scale / Proportion – Scale compares objects to each other in terms of size. It is often used in advertising to attract our attention or it can be purposely confusing or disorienting to make a point.

Pattern – Pattern is achieved by repetition of lines, shapes, or colors. Pattern can be used to decorate objects or to make things recognizable.

Rhythm – Rhythm is also based on repetition. It creates a flow and helps move the viewer’s eye around the page. For example; in a landscape with trees, your eye will quickly scan a close group of vertical lines and pause at a clearing before moving on.

Contrast – creates excitement and draws attention by creating tension between opposites. Contrast usually refers to light and dark, but can also be other opposites like big and small.

Medium / Media – the tool used by an artist such as paint, photography, clay etc.

Composition - is the pleasing arrangements of objects on the page.