Miss Scherger Visual Communication Design Horsham College DESIGN ELEMENTS AND PRINCIPALS Miss Scherger Visual Communication Design Horsham College

Design Elements and Design Principals The production of Visual Communication involves two principals parts… The Design Elements and Principles

Design elements are the building blocks that we use to construct composition. Design principles may direct how we use these building blocks to develop a composition, but the design elements are fundamental components of a composition.

COLOUR Colour is a very power element. It is one of the most dominate and influential of all the design elements. Colour evokes emotion. Colour attracts us, warns us, calms and sooths us. Cool Colours Warm Colours

FORM Form generally refers to objects that are three dimensional in nature. Form if often depicted visually through the application of other elements such as shape and line. Form can be rendered to enhance its three-dimensional qualities. The Buckley Group logo. Three-dimensional letterform creates a larger form and solid logo for this American healthcare organization.

LETTERFORM Letterform is used as a universal term that covers all aspects of working with type, including the use of text as a purely graphic image. Terms related to letterform include the following..

LETTERFORM Typography: is defined as the art of working with type Typeface or Font: Refers to a specific style or ‘family’ of type Times New Roman Helvetica Arial Lucina Handwriting How many different types of letterform are surrounding us now?

LINE Line is a versatile design element using only the dimensions of length and width. The purpose or intent of a visual communication can vary through differences of width or weight of a line.

LINE A fine line can suggest specific technical detail or, in the context of illustration a sense of lightness or minimalism. Bold or heavy lines might be used for emphasis or to represent a structure within a given space.

LINE Key Words: Line can be: broken, flowing, bold, fine, medium, repeated, directional, curved, straight, freehand. Line can be used to: establish structure, create a pattern, render, indicate, direct Line can create: Contrast, pattern, structure, formality, contour

POINT Represented as a dot or other small shape, point is one of the simplest design elements and is often used as an indicator o determine or define features on a map or document. Point has been used here to segregate the different countries. Has created emphasis

POINT Point can be used to: define, separate, act as an indicator, identify, emphasize, highlight. Point can create: a map location, a bulleted list dot points, texture, pattern.

SHAPE Shape describes representational or abstract shapes that can be 2D or 3D Simple geometric shapes with the dimensions of length and width include circles, squares, triangles, rectangles and triangles. These are limitless irregular or abstract shapes. These may appear as ‘organic shapes or irregular geometrically based images.

SHAPE Key Words Shape can create: Hierarchy, pattern, background, contrast. Shape can be: Two-dimensional, solid, outlined, irregular, organic, geometric, defined, cropped, symmetrical, free form.

TEXTURE Texture assists in visually in describing the detail of an object and helps us to understand what an object is made from. Texture can also help us recognize and understand what an object is made from. Texture can help us recognize an environment in which an object exists.

TEXTURE Key Words: Texture can be: smooth, glossy, matt, uneven metallic, coarse, tactile. Texture can be used to: Contrast, emphasize, create, pattern, enhance and describe form

TONE Tone, when applied effectively can enhance the appearance of an object, describe three-dimensional form and provide information about the surface textures of an object.

TONE Tone can be: dark, light, medium, subtle, defined, dramatic, muted Tone can be used to: render, highlight, emphasize, define, enhance, create form, describe texture, define structure Can you see the use of TONE within this image? Where about? Can you identify other elements visible in this image?

Next Weeks Lesson.. Investigating and discussing the 8 Design Principles - Balance - Contrast - Cropping - Hierarchy - Figure-ground - Pattern - Proportion - Scale

DESIGN PRINCIPLES If Design Elements are the construction materials, then the Design principles are the method of construction. The arrangement of Design Elements in a composition is defined and directed by the the application of the Design Principles.

BALANCE When Balance is applied effectively to a composition the result is much more successful. Visual Communication can be stable and even – or uneven and ‘thrilling’ Balance in Visual Communication establishes harmony in a composition, and harmony creates a visual appeal.

CONTRAST Contrast is created when two very different elements are used together for a visual effect. Contrast can create conflict between elements. Light vs Dark Bold vs Fine …which leads to a visually dramatic composition.

Notice how the appearance of this composition becomes more striking when contrasting elements are added. Light vs Dark

CROPPING Cropping is the exclusion of parts of a powerful element for greater visual effect. Creating emphasis, making it a powerful design principle. It is possible to create emphasis by placing and element ‘outside’ the perceived boundaries of a composition. Suddenly the appearance becomes more interesting and intruding.

HIERARCHY Hierarchy can be established in many ways. The use of scale is one method. Dominate colours, textures and shapes can draw the eye to important aspects and areas within the composition.

Figure-ground Figure-ground sometimes known as negative/positive space. “Figure” refers to the visual information that is most dominant when placed against the ground. “Ground” usually relates to the visual material placed in the background or, in some cases, the white space that surrounds the figure. May emphasize the figure itself. In most instances the figure is the most important visual element, the ground is used as support.

What other elements/principles can you see within this image? PATTERN Pattern refers to the repetition of elements within a composition. Pattern tends to be organized and it features elements that are repeated more than once. Patterns can vary from the most basic application of lines and shapes to complex patterns inspired by natural and irregular forms. What other elements/principles can you see within this image?

Proportion Proportion properly used, creates balance and in turn provides visual harmony – an essential in the creation of pleasing visual communications.

SCALE Scale concerns the size of elements within a composition. Scale exists because of the relationships between different elements in hierarchy. Scale which we can also refer to as size, assists the viewer to make sense of depth, distance, and proportions within compositions.