Color, Lines, Form, Texture
●Work together to evoke a singular meaning in a theme
Definitions/Terms to Know:
Unity
●State of singularity or being one
●Compositional arrangement of parts to evoke a singular meaning
●The visual assessment that elements in a landscape belong together
●Provides coherence to a landscape
●Makes it understandable
Balance
●Equality of visual weight of elements in a composition about some central axis which
sometimes serves as a focal point
●Symmetrical vs. Asymmetrical
Transition
●The gradual change in landscape appearance across the space that is achieved by the
manipulation of the basic design elements of color, line, form, and texture
●Movement of the eye across the landscape should be gradual
●Abrupt transitional changes in landscape causes the eye to come to a resting point or stop
(points of accent or interest)
Proportion
●The relative dimensions of an element(s) in a landscape to the landscape composition as a
whole which the eye sees
●The viewscape in which the eye sees
●Example: Lack of proportion in the Saguaro cactus (too large in the front yard)
Rhythm
●The metered repetition of elements throughout a design brings unity to the composition
●Tool that is oftentimes used by designers to bring in unity as a whole composition
●Promotes movement of the eye throughout the landscape
Focalization
●The wandering eye is stopped
●Achieved by the use of a dominant landscape feature (resting point for the eye)
●Destination point
Repetition
●The replication of an elements throughout a landscape
●Most efficient means establishing landscape unity
●Establishes a theme
Module 2 - Notes 4 -
Southwest Home Gardening
Simplicity
●The visual economy of means
●Communication of the maximum information and meaning with minimum number of
elements in the landscape
●Find elements that are most contributing
●Those that do not contribute to the landscape should be eliminated
