Principles of Design

The Rules

of Art

Principles of Design

The principles of design describe the way artists organize or arrange the work of art.

Often called compositionThe Principles are: balance, emphasis,

contrast, movement, pattern and unity

Balance:

Symmetrical: (mirror image)Asymmetrical: (not symmetrical)Radial: (a focus on the center, like a bicycle wheel)

Symmetrical balance:Mirror imageequal on each side

Asymmetrical balance

James McNeill Whistler Arrangement in Grey and Black: The Artist's Mother, 1871, oil-on-canvas

Radial design in a Mandela: The Love union of Goddess and God, by Jack Haas

Emphasis:What is the main

area of focus? To make your design

stand out use bright

color or use more

detail to show emphasis.

What has Mary Cassatt

done to create emphasis?

Contrast:Artists try to create visual interest to make their

work as exciting as possible.

Contrast tone: Black shape on white background

Contrast colours(complementary)

Contrast texturesVan Gogh used

strong contrastingcolours and

textures

Movement: Create the illusion of movement. Repeat and

overlap the shape.How have artists conveyed a sense of

movement in their art? How might you create a sense of movement in

your design? Your design might be falling, jumping or emerging…

MM MMovement

Peter Paul Rubens: Lion Hunt,1616, oil on panel Look at the spiral movement in Ruben’s painting

Pattern: Artists repeat a motif (shape or image)to

show pattern.

Antiqued Celtic Maze

Wedding Band

Unity: Unity means all parts work together.Unified shapes are circles, figure eight,

spirals ETC. Have a shape repeat to form a circle or a

spiral.

Vincent van Gogh “The Starry Night” June 1889. Oil on canvasUnity of colour and brushstrokes