Principles of Design

Principles of Design are the ways the Elements of Art are used in your work.

Principles of Design

Emphasis Balance Harmony Variety

Movement Rhythm Proportion & Scale Unity Contrast

Balance Symmetrical

Balance - An image in which each 1/2 is about the same visually.

Asymmetrical Balance - One side has more visual weight than the other

Radial Balance

Radial Balance is demonstrated when parts of the work revolve around a central point.

Emphasis

Make your subject more important by emphasizing it by color, placement, light, lines leading to it, subject contrast or any other method to make it more noticeable.

Emphasis & Subordination

One part of the image is emphasized and the other parts are subordinate (less important).

Repetition & Pattern Any repeated shape becomes a pattern

Proportion & Scale

Proportion is the relationship of parts of the same object, or the relationship between different objects in the same group

Scale refers to the relative size of an object in relation to other objects.

Rhythm & Movement Definition of Rhythm: a

movement in which some elements recurs regularly. Like a dance it will have a flow of objects that will seem to be like the beat of music.

Definition of Movement: is the path the viewer’s eye takes through the artwork, often to a focal area. It can be directed along lines, edges, shapes and color. Movement is closely tied to rhythm.

With movement, give it space in the image for the movement.

Unity & Unity with Harmony Definition of Unity: occurs when all of the elements of a piece combine to

make a balanced, harmonious, complete whole. Unity is another of those hard-to-describe art terms but, when it's present, your eye and brain are pleased to see it.

Unity with Harmony: Brings together a composition with similar units. If your composition was using wavy lines and organic shapes you would stay with those types of lines and not put in just one geometric shape. (Notice how similar Harmony is to Unity)

Unity with Variety A piece can have unity while

still having great variety. Some elements may repeat

throughout the piece but a great deal of variety still exists.

Contrast Contrasting differing elements

such as color, value, size, light/dark etc.