ELEMENTS OF DESIGN
COLOUR Is light reflected off objects.
Value : dark or light
Intensity: bright or dull
cool: blue, green, grey - relaxed, calm
warm: red, yellow- happy, excited
complimentary: (opposite on the colour wheel): work really well together. Eg. Red -
green, blue – orange, yellow - purple.
harmonious: similar colours work well together (blue, turquoise, purple).
nature expressive contrasting dramatic
dominant harmonious bold warm
pastel symbolic cool monochromatic
DIRECTION 3 main vertical, horizontal, diagonal, also spiralling and radiating
Leads the eye to focal point or area of interest. Indicates movement or mood.
LINE A mark that is longer than it is wide
Divides space and defines shape moving in any direction – horizontal, diagonal, vertical
Create pattern, tone and texture
Indicates mood e.g. Jagged and bold =anger / flowing and curved = happy, gentle.
contour crisp straight jagged undulating
delicate sensitive swirling flowing narrow
expressive broken broad aggressive soft
TONE Light/ shade on an object
Used for the illusion of volume, depth and distance
dramatic gradual harsh soft contrasting
TEXTURE How the surface feels
polished thick bumpy smooth rough
tactile: makes you want to touch it
imitated texture: drawn to look rough
visual texture: looks rough but the paper is smooth
PATTERN An element repeated in design
Random- leaves, structured – wrapping paper
SPACE The area between and around objects
Creates a feeling of depth
positive: the area that the subject matter, shape or form takes up a design.
negative: the remaining area surrounding the subject matter.
deep shallow sparse restricted open
+ve -ve
SHAPE/ 3 Dimensional shapes – Have length, width, depth
geometric, regular - circle, square, rectangle
FORM organic, irregular - rounded, curved, relaxed, natural
symmetrical - equal on both sides
naturalistic - realistic in appearance
stylised- simplified to their essential, basic characters, without details.
SIZE / contrast - large/ small
harmony- similar size
SCALE graduation - small to large.
PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN
CONTRAST Contract of elements used together (line, colour, size, tone)
HARMONY Closely related elements used together, harmonious (colour, position)
UNITY / The way the elements work as a whole
PROPRTION Achieved by repetition of elements through composition, harmony, overlap
Parts compensate each other, results in equilibrium
BALANCE
Can be achieve by objects, colour, space etc.
Divided in two, arrangement if elements on each side are very similar.
SYMMETRICAL You can use different combination and arrangement of elements to create1 large = 2
small
REPETITION Elements are repeated several times
VARIETY Is the use of several elements
RHYTHM /
Visual pattern that moves attention around the composition of the design.
movement
EMPHASIS This is the part that captures the viewer’s attention and stands out.
The area can be different in size colour texture etc.
Can be called a focal point.
