DESIGNele

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A manual by Jesus De la Rosa

Texas A&M Kingsville

DESIGN PROCESS

Design means to plan and organize it is the opposite of chance.

When we say, “it happen by design” we mean something was planned.

Design is inherent in the full range of art disciplines. People in all occupations

plan, but the artist or designer plans the arrangements of elements to form a visual pattern. The arts are called creative fields because the arts don’t have predetermined correct answers to problems. This is not the case in the field of graphic design because graphic designers are given a problem with specific options and defined limitations. The creative aspect of art also includes the often-heard phrase “there are no rules in art” Sure,

this is true, there are no absolutes. However no rules doesn’t imply that all designs are equally valid and visually successful. Artistic practices and criteria have been developed from successful works of which and artist or designer should be aware. Thus guidelines not rules will assist in the creation of designs, but doesn’t mean that the artist is limited to any specific solution. The elements and prin-ciples of design are the foundation used to create a work of art or design.

It didn’t occur by accident.

DESIGN PROCESS

Elements of Design rudiments the fundamental elements that make up the fabric of a piece of artwork or design.

The FabricLine

ShapeForm

Space/Volume Value

TextureColor

What is the difference between the

elements & principles DESIGN?of

Principals of Design are the rules, fundamental law, doctrine or a code of conduct for elements of design.

The LAWUnity

Repetition Emphasis and Focal Point

Scale/Proportion Balance Rhythm

DESIGN PROCESS Elements of Design

Line is a path made by a tool that moves across an area.

Lines define shape, contours, and outlines, they can suggest mass and volume. It may be a continuous mark made on a surface with a pointed tool or implied by the edges of shapes and forms.

Lines can have many characteristics:

Continuous - never ending line Width- thick, thin, tapering, unevenLength - long, short, continuous, brokenDirection- horizontal, vertical, diagonal, curving, perpendicular, oblique, parallel, radial, zigzagFocus- sharp, blurry, fuzzy, choppyFeeling- sharp, jagged, graceful, smoothOutlines- Lines made by the edge of an object or its silhouette.Contour Lines- describe the shape of an object and the interior detail.Gesture Lines- are energetic and catches the movement and gestures of an active figure.Sketch Lines- capture the appearance of an object or impression of a place.Implied Line- Lines that are not actually drawn but created by a group of objects seen from a distance.

Exercise: Draw a single line to describe the following:

1. an emotional state2. a musical phrase3. a place4. a person5. an environment6. a verb.

DESIGN PROCESS

Shape a is created by lines crossing or intersecting with other lines to enclose a space.

Shapes Can Be:

Geometric Shapes-Circles, Squares, rectangles and triangles. Organic Shapes-Leaf, seashells, flowers. Positive Shapes-are the solid forms in a design.Negative Shapes-In a drawing it is the space around the positive shape Static Shape-Shapes that appears stable and resting.Dynamic Shape-Shapes that appears moving and active.

Exercise: Create a Shape

1. Create a Geometrical Shape: shade the positive space2. Create an Organic Shape: shade the negative space

Elements of Design

DESIGN PROCESS

Form is the three-dimensionality of an object. Shape is only two-dimensional; form is three-dimensional. You can hold a form; walk around a form and in some cases walk inside a form. In drawing or painting using value can imply form. Shading a circle in a certain manner can turn it into a sphere.

Elements of Design

DESIGN PROCESS Elements of Design

Space/Volume is created by line, shape and form. In two dimensional art the arrangement of these elements can create the illusion of space through perspective . In three dimensional the viewer can walk into a tangible space.

DESIGN PROCESS

Value the range of light and dark. “Shading” Value can be created by lines, dots (halftones) and the arrangement of the distance between lines or dots. In the adobe software you will use tint percentages to create value.

Value Scale in ten percent increase tints

Value Scale in halftones

Elements of Design

DESIGN PROCESS

Texture is rough, smooth, soft or hard. In two dimensional art texture is implied, with line, value, form and shape.

Elements of Design

DESIGN PROCESS

Color Light is the source of color. Wavelengths coming from the sun vibrate at dif-ferent speeds, the human mind responds to these wavelengths and the sensation of color is produced.

Elements of Design

Gradient made in InDesign

DESIGN PROCESS

UNITY

Unity an agreement ex-isting between the ele-

ments of design looking as though they belong togeth-er. Designers use unity to make elements in a compo-sition appear to belong to-gether. When each element has a clear visual relation-ship to one or more of the other elements, the compo-sition is unified. Harmony is another term for the idea of unity

Ways to achieve unityProximity, The simplest method of making objects appear to belong together is to group them closely to-gether. This allows us to see a pattern.

Edgar Degas Dancers in Blue, c.1895

Principals of Design

What element is being used to group the dancers together?

DESIGN PROCESS

Repetition of color, shape, texture or object can be used to tie a work together.

Louise Nevelson Sky Cathedral

Principals of Design

REPETITION

DESIGN PROCESS

Repetition can be achieved through continuation of line, edge or direction from one area to another. Can you find the continuous line in the photograph?

Jan Grover, 1987 Gelatin-Silver Print

Principals of Design

REPETITION

DESIGN PROCESS

EMPHASIS & FOCAL POINT

To identify emphasis, look at a design and see if you can easily answer these questions:

What is the first thing I see?What is the second thing I see?What is the third thing I see?

These questions lead you to recognize the visual hierarchy within a design. Visual hierarchy consists of a clear focal point, the most emphasized element, and accents, elements of lesser importance than the focal point. Designers use emphasis to help readers identify the relative importance of each element in a composition.

George Stubbs, Zebra, 1763

Ways to achieve Emphasis by ContrastA focal point results when one element differs from the others.

Principals of Design

DESIGN PROCESS

Emphasis by IsolationA single element can be isolated among similar elements by having a contrast of placement not form.

Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci

Emphasis by PlacementThe placement of elements of design my function in another way. If many elements point to one item our attention is directed there.

Jim Hodges, Oh Great Terrain, 2002

EMPHASIS & FOCAL POINT

Principals of Design

DESIGN PROCESS

Emphasis by One ElementA specific theme calls for the use of one dominant element or a visually overwhelming focal point.

Damien Hirst, The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living 1991

EMPHASIS & FOCAL POINT

Principals of Design

DESIGN PROCESS

Emphasis by Focal Point being absent: The emphasis is on the whole.

Jackson Pollock, White Light, 1954

EMPHASIS & FOCAL POINT

Principals of Design

DESIGN PROCESS

Scale/Proportion

Donald Judd, Stack, 1667

Scale refers to size proportion refers to relative size or size measured

against other elements or standard. Life size, larger than life size, smaller than life size.

Principals of Design

DESIGN PROCESS

Scale ConfusionIn this case the side-by-side scale changes causing the viewer to stop and reconsider how we view things.

Charles Ray, Family Romance, 1993

Scale/Proportion

Principals of Design

DESIGN PROCESS

BALANCE

Equal distribution of visual weight with in

a composition .The two main types of balance are symmetrical and asym-metrical:

SymmetricalIn symmetrical balance shapes are repeated in the same position on either side of a vertical axis. This type of symmetry is also called bilateral sym-metry. One side mirrors the other.

Joseph Albers

Principals of Design

DESIGN PROCESS

Ham Steinbach, Supermely black, 1985

AsymmetricalIn Asymmetrical balance is achieved with similar objects that have equal visual weight.

BALANCE

Principals of Design

DESIGN PROCESS

RHYTHM

Designers use rhythm to create movement in a composition by position-ing elements so that the eye is led to move from one to another. Re-

peating elements can create a smooth, controlled rhythm.

Bridget Riley, Arrest, 1965

Principals of Design