THE ELEMENTS OF DESIGN AND PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN
The Elements of Designare the things that artists and designers work with to createa design, or composition. The Elements are: line, shape, space,value, color and texture.
Line The Graphic Unifier,Curved, Straight. Directional Thrust: Horizontal, Vertical, andDiagonal.
Shape Naturalistic, Geometric.(The Golden Mean)
Space / Size Large, Medium,Small. Proportion or Scale. (The Golden Mean)(Perspective)
Value Light, Dark. (Value Patterns)(Arial Perspective)
Color Hue, Chroma, andValue. (The Color Wheel)
Texture Rough, Smooth,Soft, Hard.
The Principles ofDesign are achieved through the use of the Elementsof Design. Each principle applies to each element and to the compositionas a whole. The Principles are: unity, harmony, balance, rhythm,contrast, dominance, and gradation.
Unity Echoes of all elementsrelating.
Harmony Within each elementand as a whole.
Balance With the "weights"of the segments of each element.
Rhythm Variety and Repetition.
Contrast Alternation.
Dominance Within eachelement. (Center of Interest, Focal Point)
Gradation Modeling, (3-Deffect), Transitions.
A COMPOSITION is an arrangement of all the elements, whichachieves a unified whole. But alas, it is merely a tool tocreate form and content. Content relates to human emotion andthe intellect and is the end result of the reasons for painting.Design is a means to that end.
See: Types of Compositions and A SimpleApproach to Good Design.
ATTRIBUTES are defined as the qualities that the artor design conveys to the observer.
Emotional
Active, Passive
Esthetic
Realistic,Impressionistic, Abstract, Decorative
Spatial
Depth, Flat
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