Launching the Imagination5th Edition

Chapter Three: Principles of Two-Dimensional Design

1

Chapter Three: Principles of Two-Dimensional Design

Composition or Design: Combination of multiple parts into a harmonious whole using Elements & Principles of Design.

Cornerstones of visual communication: Unity and Variety

UNITY: Oneness, or wholeness, in a design that occurs when all parts work together to create a cohesive whole.

VARIETY: Sense of differences. 2

Unity: GestaltUnity Involves Gestalt methods: Grouping Containment Repetition Proximity Continuity Closure: Combining Gestalt Principles

3

Suggested visual: Figure 3.7.

Patterns and Grids

Pattern: visual elements systematically repeated over an extended area.

Grid: a series of intersecting lines.

4

Suggested visual: Figure 3.18.

Balance

Balance: a sense of equilibrium among compositional units.

Weight and Gravity: the inclination of shapes to float or sink; the relative importance of an element.

5

Suggested visual: Figure 3.22.

1. Symmetrical: mirrored imagery on either side of a central axis.

2. Approximate: similar imagery on either side of a central axis.

6

Balance

Suggested visual: Figure 3.25.

Balance

3. Radial: images are mirrored both vertically and horizontally.

4. Asymmetrical: imagery is not mirrored.

7

Suggested visual: Figure 3.32.

Scale and Proportion

Scale: size relationship between two separate objects (often our own human size).

Proportion: comparative, or relative, relationship between the parts to a whole within one image.

8

Suggested visuals: Figures 3.36, 3.38, & 3.39.

Rhythm

Rhythm: sense of movement created by repetition of multiple units in a deliberate pattern.

9

Suggested visuals: Figures 3.40, 3.41.

Emphasis

Emphasis: special attention given to some aspect of a composition (focal point).• Isolation (anomaly)• Placement• Contrast

10

Suggested visual: Figure 3.51.