Elements & Principles of Design

Elements of Design

• Designers use the following Elements (parts) of Design

•Colour•Value•Line•Shape•Form•Texture•Space

Colour

• There are:• 3 Primary colors• 3 Secondary colors

placed evenly around the basic color wheel.

Value

• Is the lightness and darkness of a colour.

Line

• Is a continuous mark. • It has five characteristics:

• length• width• curvature • depth • texture

Shape• Is an enclosed line.• It has height and width and is

usually considered flat…2-dimensional.

Form• It has height, width, and depth.• It is considered 3-dimensional.

Texture

• The feel of a surface. • There are two kinds:• Actual or real• Implied or fake

Space

• It has two characteristics: • positive…the object • negative… the voided area

surrounding the object.

Principles of Design(The arrangement of elements)

• Balance• Repetition• Contrast• Movement• Emphasis• Unity

Balance• Equilibrium

• Elements are placed in the design in a way so they have equal weight.

• There are two kinds– Symmetrical or formal balance

which is objects centered – Asymmetrical or informal

balance which is more objects on one side or off centered.

Balance

Contrast

• The opposite or varied elements that make an art work interesting.

• Such as colour, thick or thin lines, large or small shapes, rough or smooth texture,etc.

Contrast

Movement

• The path our eyes follow in a design.

• Usually it brings the viewer in, around, and through the piece.

Movement

Emphasis

• Drawing attention to the main object.

• All elements; like line, color, and shapes, direct your eye to the main point.

Emphasis

Unity

• Oneness … makes all the elements and principles work together Also called Harmony

Unity