Elements of Design

Elements of design are the basic units of a visual image,

they include space, line, balance, color, and shape. The
elements also compliment each other.

form can be either organic

or gemoetric dimentions.
showing illusions
Space can be described as having
positive of negative (the space
around or inside the contour lines)

Color can have three properties, a hue, value or intensity.

Shape can have two types; Geometric and organic.

texture can be represented

as visual or tactile

The balance in a design can have either symmetrical,

asymmetrical or radial.

Lines can be vertical, horizontal, zigzag, diagonal or

curved.
 Line
Line is the basic element that refers to the continous
movement of a point along a surface.
Every line has length and thickness and direction.

Lines can help focus pic-

Lines can be straight or curved.
tures. They also help
A line has length, thickness,
show direction.
and direction.
A line is an element of design.

A line is used for edges of shapes, to create outlines,

and to show length, thickness and directon.
Lines can also be used to devide a
You can use a line when making things you want to space, as seen above.
have a focus point, or when making things like boxes
or things with direction.

Lines are used everywhere. Such as artwork, designs

and in everyday use. Almost everywhere you look
you can find a line.

A line is an element of design.

 Shape Element of Design
the quality of a distinct object or body in having an external
surface or outline of specific form or figure.
A defined flat enclosed area that is two-dimensional. A shape can
be either geometric, which is drawn with a ruler, or organic free-
hand shapes.
Attract the eye to a focus point
Distinguish certain things from others
Shapes make up everything that there is

shapes are used to contrast the picture

Shape being used
Can be used whenever you need to make something
Can be used in all types of art

Examples
 Value: Element
Defintion: The lightness or darkness of color
In graphic design value is used to create shading
and show the movement of light as it hits an object.
It is key to creating the illusion of light.

•It is used to show shape and movement in art

pieces.

•Use when trying to show emphasis on specific

parts of the work.

•Use it anywhere you want to create the

illusion of light in a work of art.
 COLOR
Color is a design element used to draw attention. The basic three
colors are red, yellow, and blue. Color has three qualities; hue, contrast,
and saturation.

Each color has a complement

Use color to tie items together

You can use color to make something stand out

Ex: Advertisments, Road Signs, Magazines, and Poisonous animals are usually
brightly colored

Color is used in the Skittles advertisment

to draw attention to their product.
An actual three dimensional object
or the word used to refer to an illu-
sion of three dimensions on a two
dimesional surface

Geometric Organic
-Construction -Free forming objects
-Organization -Light and inviting
-Durable and Heavy -Fragile

Organic Form

Geometric Form
The Element of Texture
There are two types of texture, Visual
and Tactile. Visual is an illusion of a three
demensional sufrace and tactile is what
we can actually feel.
Texture can be: Texture is used by Texture is used
-rough or smooth layering a line, when you want to
-matte or shiny text, or image to emphisize some-
-Visual or Tactile show depth thing

Texture is used
where you have
to show how an
object feels
Where texture is used
 Space
Element of design
Space is the area or depth in a work of art.
Space can be negative or positive. Space
can have two dimensions or three
dimesnsions.
Includes background, foreground and middle ground
There are two types, positive and negaitive
Refers to the distance or area around, between or within
components.

Positive space can Negative space is the

be two or three empty spaces between
dimensional shapes shapres of forms.
or forms. Positive Negative space
spaces are solid. drawns attention to the
shapes.
 Design Principles
Rhythm- repeated elements
Balance- equalizing
visual forces

Movement- the way Unity- combination of

your eye moves elements

Contrast- pulls Emphasis- to stress one area

attention towards
vocal point

Pattern- repeating
elements

Justin Underwood
Tre Wittman
Ben Yahr
 Balance
Balance is concept of Visual equilibrium, And relates to
our physical sense of balance. Without balance, objects
and pieces can look chaotic .

In this Asymmetrical picture on the

left balance is used as the form of the
tree. To divide the picture in half to
have to sides to look at with two differ-
ent landscapes.

Symmetrical Balance - having the same amount of objects on both sides

of a peice.

Asymmetrical Balance- having balance, but one side has more visual
sense than the other side.
Balance is used to equal out the picture, and intend to give the viewer a sense of harmony

Balance is used throughout in most pieces of art

Balance should be considered always when making a peice of art

In the painting above balence is used with the trees in the foreground
and the mountains in the back round.

Balances is a principle of art.

 Principles of Design
Unity
Unity creates an integrated
image in which all the elements
Unity in design allows the viewer
are working together to support
to see a combination of elements, princi-
the design as a whole. A unified
ples, and media as a continuation of one
design is greater than the sum of
with the other to create a total effect.
its parts; the design is seen as a
whole first, before the individual
elements are noticed .

Contrast
and
Balance

Rhythm and
Pattern

Pattern and Harmony

It’s used when things in a picture seem

disjointed and multiple different principles can
principles used together work together.

varying combinations It’s used to bring seperate principles

together.
anything can be grouped together
It’s used where things are too
different and need to be grouped together.
 Emphasis Principle of design
Defintion: stresses one area in a work of art to attract the viewer’s attention

Emphasis is the focal point in works of art and where the eye is initially drawn.
By putting emphasis on something, you make it “pop.”
How to use it: make something bold, or stand out
When and Where to use it: when you want the eye to be drawn to something
For advertisements, makes customer want to stop and look at the ad
Can be created by contrast
Any object can be emphasised by looking different

emphasis= eye is drawn

to the skull

emphasis= circle is larger in size

and intense, complementary colors
 Contrast
Principle
Contrast is the variation in color, and texture. It can be
used to make differences throughout the piece. It can
also relate things together such as color or shape.

~The use of complementary colors can show contrast

~Use it when you want to show emphasis
~Use it to attract attention to a certain area to create movement
~dark vs. light
~rough vs. smooth
~large vs. small shapes
 Design Principle
Movement causes the viewers
eye to look at the work of art in
a certain manner or to produce
the look of action.

Lines
L make your eyes move to a certain area of the piece of art

Creates a flow in the art work

Movement allows the veiwer to make it easier to visualize the
 Pattern
•Pattern: uses the art elements in
planned or random repetitions to en-
hance surfaces of paintings or sculp-
tures.
•Patterns often occur in nature
-Ex: To advertise a zoo you can use
animal print patterns or it can be used in
fashion.

•Pattern increases visual excite-

ment by enriching surface interest
-Ex: This technique was used in pop art
and is often used in abstract paintings and
designs to create drama.

http://gdbasics.com/index.php?s=pattern
http://www.nhsdesigns.com/graphic/principles/pattern.php
 Rhythm
Principle of design
Jerad Dokey
Grant Dunatchik

Rthym-placement of repeted elements in a work of art to

create a visual tempo. Rhythm is a principle of design.
Visual rhythm is created by positive shapes seperated by
negative spaces.

Regular

-occurs when the intervals between

the elements
- elements are often similar in size
and length

Progressive
-Flowing rhythm gives sense
of movement.
-often more organic
Flowing

-progressive rhythm shows

sequence of forms through
a progression of steps.