Design principles and elements
The elements, or
principles, of visual
design, include Contrast, Balance, Emphasis, Movement, White Space, Proportion, Hierarchy, Repetition, Rhythm, Pattern, Unity, and Variety. These principles of
design work together to create something that is aesthetically pleasing and optimizes the user experience.
Visual
design elements and
principles describe fundamental ideas about the practice of visual
design. The best
designers sometimes disregard the principles of
design. When they do so, however, there is usually some compensating merit attained at the cost of the violation. Unless you are certain of doing as well, it is best to abide by the
principles.
Principles of design
Principles applied to the elements of
design that bring them together into one
design. How one applies these
principles determines how successful a
design may be. The
principles of
design are the rules a
designer must follow to create an effective and attractive composition. The fundamental
principles of
design are Emphasis, Balance and Alignment, Contrast, Repetition, Proportion, Movement, and White Space.
Design differs from art in that it has to have a purpose.
The 8 principles of design
Balance
Balance refers to the arrangement of the artwork in a way that does not allow anyone
element to overpower another. Large areas are not left blank without an equally full area to balance the piece. Work can be asymmetrical and still remain balanced.
Unity
Unity refers to how well one
element functions with the remaining elements. A
painting of a freshwater fish tank would appear divided were it to include
elements seen in a saltwater fish tank.
Contrast
Contrast refers to the use of conflicting
elements or colors while still remaining harmonious and unified when the artwork is viewed as a whole.
Variety
Variety pertains to the different types of
elements used in a piece–for example, small and large
elements, as well as black and white
elements.
Movement
The path the eye follows when viewing a piece of art, or the
elements in a work that create movement. An obvious example would be the lines that appear around Charlie Brown when he kicks at the football only to have Lucy pull it away.
Harmony
Harmony in design refers to the use of similar or consistent
elements, for example, the white font being used in conjunction with a photo of a humpback whale, which has splashes of white on its tail.
Proportion
Sometimes called “scale,” this principle refers to the size of
elements in a
design. In the film “Beauty and the Beast,” to highlight the ferocity of the Beast, he was drawn much taller and stockier than the other characters.
Rhythm
Rhythm is more readily noticed when it incorporates
patterns, but the general definition is the repetition of
elements or the use of lines to give the impression of energy or activity.
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