Artistic Design

Ms. Smith

Display Design & Preparation In a retail environment, a display has about 4-6

seconds to attract a customer’s attention. Therefore all display design and selection

involves the following 5 steps:

Steps 1-3:1. Selecting merchandise for display:

• Must be appropriate for season and location.

2. Selecting the display:• One-item, similar products, related-merchandise, &

cross-mix merchandise displays.

3. Choosing a setting:• Realistic, semirealistic, & abstract setting.

Step 4: Manipulating Artistic Elements

Line Color Created to direct the

viewer’s attention. Straight lines suggest

stiffness & control. Curvy lines suggest

freedom & movement. Diagonal lines give

impression of action. Vertical lines offer height

& dignity. Horizontal lines convey

confidence.

Critical step in developing display; contrasting. Complementary colors

are found opposite each other on the color wheel.

Adjacent colors are located next to each other in the color wheel.

Triadic colors involve 3 colors equally spaced on the color wheel.

Color Wheel

Artistic Elements: (cont.)

Shape Direction Determined by props,

fixtures, and merchandise used in display. Squares Cubes Circles Triangles

Mass displays have little or no distinct shape.

A good display directs the viewer’s eye to the merchandise, moving a viewer’s attention from 1 part of the display to another. Created using color,

repetition, and lighting patterns.

Focal point is an area in the display that attracts attention first; triangle.

Artistic Elements: (cont.) Texture is the look of the surfaces in a display,

creating visual interest. Proportion refers to the relationship between

and among objects in a display. Balance:

Formal balance- placing large items with large items & small items with small items.

Informal balance- placing several small items with one large one.

Motion can be achieved using motorized fixtures, mannequins, and props.

Lighting should be 2-5x stronger than store’s lighting.

Step 5: Evaluating Completed Displays Do the displays enhance the store’s image? Was a theme creatively applied? Was the color appropriate? Was the result pleasing?