Art

DESIGN ELEMENTS & PRINCIPLES

design elements: the building blocks used by artists to create designs; artists apply design elements to produce the design principles

design principles: describe the ways artists use design elements to achieve desired visual effects

Design Elements:

Point

Line

Shape

Forms

Space

Color

Value

Texture

Design Principles:

Pattern

Balance

Emphasis

Movement

Repetition Unity

Proportion

Scale

Rhythm

Variety

DESIGN PROCESS

design process: the process through which an artist seeks visual solutions to a design problem

• There’s no right answer to a design problem, although some solutions are more or less successful.

• There are multiple, possible solutions. Your job as a designer is try to find the strongest solution.

• Design process is iterative. This means that it is repetitive - you try one thing and then circle back to evaluate, revise, and refine.

Source: The Chicago Architecture Center | The Design Process

• Thumbnail sketches are small, quick, rough sketches for testing compositions.

• Allow you to place major elements to see if the composition is pleasing and balanced.

• Can complete several in a short amount of time and pick the composition that works best.

Source: Hannah Assebe | Brainstorming Sketches | Pen on Paper | 2014

Source: explore-drawing-and-painting.com

Source: Thomas Kegler | Thumbnails | Pencil on Paper | Date Unknown

Source: Thomas Kegler | Thunderstorm in Catskills, Psalm 9:9-10” | Oil on Linen | Date Unknown

RULE OF THIRDS

• Think about the page as a whole.

• Imagine a series of grid lines running across your paper that divides the page into thirds both horizontally and vertically.

• For balanced and dynamic compositions, place major elements along these lines or at their points of intersection.

Source: DesignMantic | Rule of Thirds

Uses Rule of Thirds Does Not Use Rule of Thirds

LINE

“A line is a point set in motion.” - Paul Klee

Source: Gjon Mili | Pablo Picasso’s Light Drawings | Photography | 1949

Lines convey mood, feeling, and information. We can describe them as nervous, angry,

happy, graceful, or quiet.

Source: Saul Steinberg | Untitled | Pencil on Paper | 1959

Source: Jasper Johns | Flag | Pencil & Graphite Wash on Paper | 1958

Sometimes a hand drawn line may better express the values or feel of a brand.

Source: LOVE Creative UK | Johnnie Walker 1910 Commemorative Special Edition Bottles | 2012

• Variation in line weights creates depth and visual interest.

• Consider including a range of line weights in your design.

• Thick lines advance towards the viewer. Thin lines recede.

Source: Rico Lebrun | Detail of Seated Clown | Ink & Wash on Paper | 1941

Source: Judy Pfaff | Half a Dozen of the Other-Che (Del) Cosa e Acqua | Color drypoint with spit bite and sugar lift aquatints and etching | 1992

Types of Line:

actual line: any drawn line or contour

implied line: a line created by positioning a series of points so that the eye tends to automatically connect them

psychic line: a mental connection between two points or elements; there is no real line, not even intermittent points, yet we feel a line

Source: Francis Ching | Iris Contour Drawing | Pen on Paper | Date Unknown

Source: Facing Web Design | Implied Line | Photograph | Date Unknown

Source: Georges de La Tour | The Fortune Teller | Oil on Canvas | 1630s

Source: Georges de La Tour | The Fortune Teller | Oil on Canvas | 1630s