Principles of Design

The Principles of Design are a set of guidelines artist’s use for two main reasons… To help them create artwork that is both pleasing to the eye and that communicate what the artist wants. To help the artist create more variation on a theme, additional ways to change the composition of the design.

balance Balance is the principle or concept that keeps your design units evenly distributed through-out the picture plane. You do not want all your images crowded into one area and other areas empty looking. Design units are your subject matter, the images that make up your design. The picture plane is the design area, the piece of paper or the computer screen or whatever else you are working on. The edges of this work surface define the size and shape of picture plane.

There are three main types of balance... Asymmetrical Symmetrical –radial symmetry –reflective symmetry

There are three main types of balance... Reflective Symmetry Symmetrical balance is an image that is exactly the same on each side. It has the same elements. Symmetrical balance is visually more rigid and formal.

Think of balance as a scale… if you have five on one side you need five on the other side. Symmetrical balance is exactly the same on each side.

balance ?

Reflective symmetry

There are three main types of balance... Rotational symmetry Rotational symmetry is balance that is symmetrical, but instead of being “reflective” (or the same from side to side) the image is rotated around a central point. Radial symmetry is a bit more interesting.

balance ?

rotational symmetry

There are three main types of balance... Asymmetrical Asymmetrical balance is an image that is equally weighted on each side, but with different elements. Asymmetrical balance is more active visually.

Think of balance as a scale… if you have five on one side you need five on the other side. Asymmetrical still needs five on each side, but it no longer has to identical.

Asymmetrical design can have different design units as long as they have the same visual weight (or impact).

asymmetrical balance

balance ?

asymmetrical

balanced ? To much “stuff” on the right hand side, creating an uncomfortable feel. Could this image become balanced?

asymmetrical

symmetry vertical reflective and horizontal reflective

symmetrical radial

Principles of Design

focal point Focal Point (also called the center of attention) is the area of the design that the viewer sees first (or should see first). The focal point holds the viewers attention (allowing the artist to direct the viewer where they want) and is usually the most important part of the design. Directing the viewers eye is called “movement” or “direction”.

Focal point is created by contrast...

or by direction. Direction is the term used to describe how an artist sets the elements up to move the viewers eye around the artwork in the desired manner.

focal point ?

focal point by contrast and direction

focal point movement/direction

Principles of Design

positive/negative space Negative Space is the name given to the leftover space in your design, the part that is not taken up by subject matter. This is also sometimes called the “ground”. Negative space should always be designed. If you look at your design as a silhouette, the space left over should be well balanced and interesting in shape.

positive/negative space Negative space should always be designed. If you look at your design as a silhouette, the space left over should be well balanced and interesting in shape.

positive/negative space Negative space should always be designed. If you look at your design as a silhouette, the space left over should be well balanced and interesting in shape.

Negative Space can also become part of the design. In the following examples, instead of simply being altered to create an interesting form, it has become an additional design element or shape.

Principles of Design

pattern and rhythm Pattern is ? Rhythm

HOW DO YOU CREATE A PATTERN? A pattern, whether in nature or art, relies upon three characteristics: a unit, repetition, and a system of organization. One design unit does not make a pattern, it lacks repetition and a system of organization.

WHAT IF YOU ADD REPETITION? Even multiple repetition of the same design unit does not necessarily make a pattern. It creates a simple random scattering of design units lacking a system of organization.

pattern and rhythm Pattern is the ordered or regular repetition of a design unit. Pattern is used by artists for several reasons… –it creates unity in a design –it creates interest and holds a viewers attention –it can move a viewers eye through the artwork Rhythm

ALL THREE ELEMENTS TOGETHER. Once you add a system of organization you have a pattern. Organization means that there is a predictable repetition of the design unit, if you had to predict what comes next in the sequence below you could.

pattern and rhythm Pattern is the ordered or regular repetition of a design unit. Pattern is used by artists for several reasons… –it creates unity in a design –it creates interest and holds a viewers attention –it can move a viewers eye through the artwork Rhythm is the breaking up or interrupting of a pattern in a regular or predictable manner. An artist adds rhythm to keep the pattern from becoming boring.

WHY RHYTHM? WHY DO YOU ADD RHYTHM? –Pattern, when it is to regular, can be boring. –Unless static and boring is what you want (which is possible), you need to add something to the pattern to create more visual interest. HOW DO YOU CREATE RHYTHM? –Rhythm is similar to a pattern laid on top of the pattern. It adds a change to the pattern (breaks it up) but it breaks it up in a regular and predictable manner (or it would result in chaos).

Even something as simple as staggering the hands can create a more interesting look to the pattern. Even with a single change however, the resulting rhythmic pattern can become boring (if its to predictable).

More radical change can make for a more rhythmically interesting pattern.

By adding rhythmic changes spaced further apart, and by creating more than one change (more than one pattern within the pattern), the overall pattern is made more visually interesting and yet remains predictable enough to keep the pattern from becoming confusing. How many rhythmic changes have been made to the basic hand pattern below?

Texture based on pattern.

SIZE - SCALE If the design unit being used to create the pattern is to large, it runs the risk of being seen as separate objects instead of as a pattern.

If the shape used is to small however, or its placement to random, it can be seen as a texture instead of a pattern.

Printmaking - process PRINTMAKING: Printmaking is the act of creating an image from a secondary platform. For example, ink is placed on the finger and the finger is pressed on a different surface leaving an image of the fingerprint behind. It is also defines as the act of creating multiple images from one positive (making many fingerprints that are all identical). PROCESS: There are many processes by which an artist can create a print.

Two types of prints positive and negative

Two types of prints intaglio and relief

Why a hand print (and why stamping)? Hand prints are among the first type of marks (or drawing) that early man made. –Some ones hand got dirty and when they touched a cave wall, they left a mark - – eureka! The first “print”! A hand print is a “stamp” print and stamping is one of the most basic printmaking techniques. Since you are starting (an early artist), you will work with your hands.

Pattern used to create interest in what might be an otherwise boring image ( the same face repeated over and over ). Note that scale is also used to create the illusion of depth ( smaller heads look further away ).

Principles of Design

proximity

Principles of Design

scale and proportion