Elements and Principles of Design

Design

The process of composing the things you can see (design elements) into a purposeful arrangement, according to whatever principles you want to use.

Elements(noun)

basic “ingredients” you can make things with

Principles(taking action)

“how” you can make a million different things using those basic elements

6 Elements of Design

Elements are the basic building blocks of visual art;

they are things you can SEE and use in creating artwork.

Think of the elements as raw ingredients.They are basic things you can choose to use, or choose to leave out.

6 Elements of Design:

Line, Value, Color, Texture, Shape, Space

“Lovely Velvet Cupcakes Taste So Sweet”

Line

Nate Mulroy

Value

Kayleigh Palmer

Color

Eric Son

Texture

Laura Widerhofer

Shape

Makena Cecil

Space

Konnor Hummrich

LineColor Space

Texture Shape Value

Student Examples: Allyson S.

Line Space

Student Examples: Allyson S.

Line

Color

Space

Texture Shape

ValueLine

Space

7 Principles of Design(a quick introduction)

Visual guidelines you can use to ARRANGE the elements of design into a composition.

Principles are guidelines, not really “rules.”Think of principles as a recipe you can follow, bend, and adjust to your taste.

Choose which elements you want to use— color and line? okay!— and then make something.Want it chewy? Bake 10 minutes. For crispy, bake 14 minutes. If __, then __.

Predicting, knowing, and breaking the rules are all part of using the principles of design.

7 Principles of Design: Emphasis, Balance, Contrast, Depth, Repetition/Variety, Unity/Harmony, Movement

“Every Bad Child Doesn’t Really Understand Math”

Emphasis

Mia McKinney

In this digital photograph Mia uses the elements of COLOR and SPACE to create the principle of emphasis, drawing attention to the one lemon drop. This photo also uses the elements of SHAPE and TEXTURE, but SPACE is a huge consideration in this piece, and she uses it effectively to draw your eye where she wants it to go for emphasis.

Balance

Alex Pollock

Alex uses the elements of SPACE and SHAPE to create the principle of balance. This photo also has elements of subdued COLOR and TEXTURE, thin yet downplayed horizontal LINES across the roof, and implied LINES made from the shrubs arching toward the center of the photo; all these elements carefully add to the principle of balance.

Contrast

Konnor Hummrich

In this photograph Konnor uses the elements of COLOR (turquoise, green, and red-orange) and also VALUE (dark lashes against light skin and eye) to create the principle of contrast. This photo also uses the elements of LINE with the lashes leaning in the direction of her gaze, and the LINE of the nose curving around the eye. It also uses the principle of repetition in how the nose and the hair/cheekbone carry the same shape in the photo.

Depth

Chase Bindner

In this digital photograph Chase uses the elements of converging LINES, negative SPACE, and darkening VALUE to use the principle of depth, This photo also contains beauiful elements of COLOR of the inside of the piano. SHAPE and TEXTURE are present, but they play supporting roles in this photo. We could also have used this photo to demonstrate the principle of repetition/variation.

Repetition and Variation

Laura Widerhofer

Laura uses the elements of VALUE and gradual shifts of COLOR to convey the principle of repetition and variation in this scene. Her photo also uses elements of TEXTURE and lots of implied LINES.

Unity and Harmony

Laura Widerhofer

In this photograph Laura uses elements of COLOR and SHAPE to create the principle of unity and harmony. There are also lots of LINES in this photograph.

Movement

Noah Jessee

In this digital photograph Noah uses the element of LINES to create the principle of movement, drawing the eye to the upper parts of the buildings along strong, converging diagonals.