The Elements and Principles of Design By Chelsea Flattery

What Are They? Elements of design are the parts. They structure and carry the work. Principles of design are concepts. They affect content and message.

Line Lines are made by moving dots. Lines can be used to convey emotion, horizontal lines are peaceful or restful. The Architect Frank Lloyd Wright uses horizontal elements to stress the relationship between the structure and the land. Vertical lines are used to create a feeling of dominance and spirituality. Many religious structures use towering vertical lines to express a sense of power. Diagonal lines are used to create a feeling of movement and tension. Because they are neither vertical or horizontal, they give the feeling that they are about to fall. In two dimensions, diagonal lines are used to illustrate perspective and create space. When horizontal and vertical lines are used together, they convey stability. Softly curved lines express comfort, familiarity, and relaxation. They are reminiscent of the human body and are therefore aesthetically pleasing. Angled curves however, suggest confusion and frenzy. Lines – strokes that show motion and connect two points. May be vertical, horizontal or diagonal, curved, straight, zigzag, or show emotion.

Value The lightness or darkness of an object or color.

Color Color is the part of light reflected by the object we see. Color is used in many ways in compositions since different colors have different meanings. Red is associated with feelings of passion, energy, anger, or violence. Orange suggests approachability and informality. Yellow is optimistic and upbeat, but it can become overwhelming if used to too great a concentration. Green can suggest life, restfulness, and stability but it can also represent decay, toxicity, and artificiality. Blue suggests coolness, spirituality, and elegance. Blue can also imply sadness or depression. Violet is the color of fantasy and playfulness, but it can also represent nightmares or madness. Color is the part of light reflected by the object we see.

Texture There are many types of visual texture, rough, hard, smooth, soft, and sometimes even wet and dry. Texture can be either real, like in the photo above, or imaginary like in a painting of a soft looking fabric. Texture is the feel of an object or its surface. It can be real or implied.

Space What is between objects, also known as negative space.

Shape and Form Form is a shape, and in order to be a shape, it must be contained in space. In the image above, the puzzle piece depression is creating negative space, meaning that it creates the shape of the puzzle piece, but it is empty. Shape is an area enclosed when both sides of a line meet. Forms are shapes that are three dimensional.

Size Size is simply the relationship of the area occupied by one shape to that of another.

Emphasis Proportion is the relationship between the size and scale of the elements in a design. This relationship can be between the objects, parts, or the whole. When one area in a work of art stands out more than another. The part that catches your attention first.

Rhythm Rhythm is a path your eye follows through a composition. In the image, your eye follows the steps around the staircase by making a measured jump from step to step. The repetition of lines, shapes, or colors to create a feeling of movement.

Movement Movement can be both literal or figurative. In the photograph, the movement is literal since the photo was taken as the train passed by. Before photography, movement was shown usually by using diagonal lines and in how they positioned the images in their composition. The visual motion created in a work of art. Often uses the principle of rhythm to achieve this.

Contrast Repetition is an element that is repeated in an image. Repetition that has variation is more interesting than repetition without variation. A difference created when elements are placed next to each other in a work of art.

Unity Unity and variety are used together in compositions to create a feeling on completeness. Unity is only achieved by having elements that are similar, but variety keeps the composition from getting boring by allowing for different elements that are related, but not the same. In the image, all the parts are related to cameras, they are unified in their subject, but there is variety because they aren’t all the same part. Occurs when all of the elements of a piece combine to make a balanced, harmonious, complete whole.

Balance Balance relates to our physical sense of balance. Balance creates visual stability. In three dimensional objects, if balance isn’t achieved, the object falls over. In two dimensional objects there are different types of balance. Symmetrical balance, also called formal balance, is equal weight on both sides of the picture plane. Approximate symmetry is similar to formal balance, but the objects in balance aren’t the same. Asymmetrical balance, also called informal balance, is placing objects in a way that one portion of the picture plane looks heavier than the other, but balance remains. The image shows asymmetrical balance, the buildings and space needle are heavier on the left, but the smaller buildings and river help to balance the composition. Balance relates to our physical sense of balance.

Your Turn! Unity and variety are used together in compositions to create a feeling on completeness. Unity is only achieved by having elements that are similar, but variety keeps the composition from getting boring by allowing for different elements that are related, but not the same. In the image, all the parts are related to cameras, they are unified in their subject, but there is variety because they aren’t all the same part. What elements and principles do you see being used in this image?