Principles & Elements of Design

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Principles of Design

There are ten principles that encompass an interesting design.

• Balance

• Rhythm

• Emphasis

• Proportion

• Unity

• Repetition

• Opposition

• Subordination

• Transition

• Creativity

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Balance

• To bring into proportion, harmony.• To make or be equal in weight or force.

• Formal: symmetrical• Informal: not symmetrical, but balanced visually

Balanced

Not Balanced

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Rhythm

• A flow or movement having a regularly repeated pattern of lines, planes, or surface treatments.

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Emphasis• Force of expression or special attention

given to something

LOOK

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Proportion• Golden Rectangle: The comparative relationship

between things with respect to size.

3 x 5

4 x 7

5 x 8

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Unity

• Consistent use of line, color, and texture Oops

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Repetition

• The act of repeating lines, spaces, textures, ...

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Opposition • Long - Short

• Thick - Thin

• Black - White

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Channel 2

Stormy NiteMeteorologist

Subordination• Not all parts of the design have the same rank

or value. Some are more important than others. The less important are subordinate, but they still are necessary for an effective design.

Most Important

Subordinate

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Transition

• Change from one aspect of the design to another.

Shape

Color

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Creativity

• Being imaginative or inventive, stimulating inventive powers.

• Making a mountain out of a mole hill.

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Elements of Design

Six integral components in the creation of a design:

• Line

• Form

• Color

• Light & Sound

• Space

• Materials & Texture

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Line• Straight, curved, horizontal, vertical,

diagonal.• Produces a sense or movement.

Curved: graceful flowHorizontal: increases lengthVertical: increases heightDiagonal: shows a transition

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Form

• The shape, outline, or configuration of anything.

• Some examples of specific forms are: Squares, rectangles, circles, ellipses,

triangles, and ovals.

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Color• Provides definition, interest, variety,

change

• red: warm• yellow: attention • green: lessen tension• blue: cool, formal• violet: mystery

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Light and Shadow

• By using various combinations of light & shadow you can create a sense of depth.

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Space• By incorporating the use of space

in your design, you can enlarge or reduce the visual space.

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Materials: Texture & Color

• By the use of various patterns combined with appropriate colors you can simulate various materials.