PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

A principle of design is a law of relationship or a plan of organization that determines the way in which the elements must be combined to accomplish a particular effect.

HARMONY: It is a combination of units, which are similar in one or more respects. Units are harmonious when one or more of their elements or qualities, such as shape, size, or color are alike. Harmony in visual design means all parts of the visual image relate to and complement each other. Harmony pulls the pieces of a visual image together. Harmony can be made where the eye is used to seeing objects together, so they form a group eg. Flower pot and plants. Harmony can create feelings; similar elements can seem calm and pleasing eg. Blues and greens, rectangles and squares or groups of organic shapes, while contrasting elements create energy, vitality, tension or anger eg. Triangles with circles and squares

Harmony in shape.

Harmony using stones

BALANCE
Balance in design is the distribution of elements across the design. Balance is a visual interpretation of gravity in the design. Large, dense elements appear to be heavier while smaller elements appear to be lighter. You can balance designs in three ways: o symmetrical balance o asymmetrical balance o Radial balance Symmetrical Balance: Symmetrical balance is achieved by placing elements in a very even fashion in the design. If you have a large, heavy element on the right side, you'll have a matching heavy element on the left. Centering is the easiest way to get a symmetrically balanced design. Asymmetrical Balance: Asymmetrically balanced pages can be more challenging to design - as they don't have elements matched across the centerline of the design. For example, you might have a large element placed very close to the centerline of the design. To balance it asymmetrically, the design might have a small element farther away from the centerline. A lighter element can balance a heavier one by being further away from the center of gravity. Color or texture can also be used to balance an asymmetrical design. Radial balance A kind of balance where the elements branch or radiate out from a central point.

Symmetrical balance

Asymmetrical balance

RHYTHM: Rhythm refers to a way of utilizing the art elements to produce the look and feel of rhythmic movement with a visual tempo or beat A type of visual or actual movement in an artwork. Rhythm is a principle of design. It is created by repeating visual elements (lines, shapes, forms, etc) in a regular beat or order. Rhythms can be described as regular, alternating, flowing, progressive, or jazzy. A regular rhythm is a one-beat repetition such as one the same shape being repeated over and over again. An alternating rhythm repeats a set of visual elements, for example, a circle, a triangle, a circle, a triangle, and so on. A flowing rhythm is a graceful path of repeated movements. A progressive rhythm has a repeated element with regular changes, such as, a series of squares that get slightly bigger each time they are repeated. Visual rhythm can be created in a number of ways. Linear rhythm refers to the characteristic flow of the individual line. Accomplished artists have a recognizable manner of putting down the lines of their drawings that is a direct result of the characteristic gesture used to make those lines, which, if observed, can be seen to have a rhythm of its own. Linear rhythm is not as dependent on pattern, but is more dependent on timed movement of the viewer's eye.

Unity Unity is the relationship among the elements of a visual that helps all the elements function together. Unity gives a sense of oneness to a visual image. In other words, the words and the images work together to create meaning. Unity helps organize a visual image, facilitating interpretation and understanding. This visual is confusing. It is hard to see the relationships between the various parts.

With better unity, the visual is now organized and easier to understand.

Unity can be achieved through the use of similar shapes.

Unity can be achieved through the use of a common pattern.

Unity can be achieved through the use of space.

Unity can be achieved through the use of a common background.

Dominance Dominance relates to varying degrees of emphasis in design. It determines the visual weight of a composition, establishes space and perspective, and often resolves where the eye goes first when looking at a design. There are three stages of dominance, each relating to the weight of a particular object within a composition. Dominant: The object given the most visual weight, the element of primary emphasis that advances to the foreground in the composition. Sub-dominant: The element of secondary emphasis, the elements in the middle ground of the composition. Subordinate: The object given the least visual weight, the element of tertiary emphasis that recedes to the background of the composition. In the below example, the trees act as the dominant element, the house and hills as the secondary element, and the mountains as the tertiary element. Dominance is about the focus given to a part of a work of art. Dominance helps to create UNITY as the eye is attracted to a key point then led around the image by pictorial elements. Dominance can be created by contrasting pictorial elements such as line, shape, tone, texture, direction, size or colour.

Dominance and BALANCE work together to bring out unity.

Dominance creates order.

Value
Value is: Relative lightness or darkness Dependent on context Related to color

Value contrast refers to the degree of variation between light and dark. The highest value contrast is obtained using just black and white. The narrower the range of values, the lower the value contrast. When the range is limited to light values it is referred to as high key; a limited range of dark values is called low key. Value is often used to add volume to a shape; gradual shading on a circle will make it look like a sphere. Value is also used to create the illusion of space (atmospheric perspective); areas with high value contrast come forward while those with low value contrast recede into the distance. Value can add emphasis; areas of high contrast will stand out in areas of low contrast. Value can evoke feelings or moods. Low value contrast creates a subtle, restrained effect that feels calm and quiet. High value contrast evokes drama and conflict. The light values of high key images convey the sense of happiness and lightness, midrange values evoke sadness and depression, and the dark values of low key images create feelings of fear and mystery. In terms of visual weight, darker values feel heavier than lighter values.