Principles of Design
The Principles of Design:
You’ve already been introduced to the elements of art. In case you don’t remember – they are line, color, shape, form, value, space and texture. Next you will be learning the principles of design. They are balance, contrast, dominance, emphasis, movement, repetition, rhythm, subordination, variation, and unity. Learning all of these new terms and differentiating the elements of art from the principles of design can get a little confusing. Try to remember, the elements of art are actual physical attributes that an art piece contains such as color and line and can be manipulated to create certain effects, whereas the principles of design involve ways of organizing the elements of art in order to create a certain sense, mood or feel. For example line is an element of art and balance is a principle of design. In analyzing a drawing, one might ask if the artist utilized line (an element of art) in such a manner to create the feeling or sense of movement (a principle of design).
Balance: To achieve balance on an art project, you can think of it as an old fashion scale. If you place an object on one side of the paper, but not the other, it appears to throw the drawing off balance. Notice how the drawing on the left appears to be off balance while the one on the right seems balanced.
Balance in a drawing can be achieved through different ways. Three common methods of achieving balance in art are through the use of symmetry, asymmetry, and contrast
Symmetry is using balance through the use of equal parts. If you divide your paper in half, the left side will be an exact, or almost exact mirror image to that of the right side. In the heart below the left side is an exact mirror image of the right side. In the cat-face drawing, both sides are similar, but not exactly alike. All three drawings below are balanced and are symmetrical.
Asymmetry is balance achieved through the use of unequal parts. If you were to divide the drawings below down the middle you would notice that their left side would be different than their right side. Yet, they are still balanced.
Contrast is using opposites such as light and dark or rough and smooth placed close together. The yin-yang is a good example of contrast using light and dark. Below are some more examples of contrast. The drawings on the left exemplify contrast through the use of light and dark - the ones on the right utilize texture (rough and smooth) as well as light and dark.
Dominance: The importance of the emphasis of one aspect in relation to all other aspects of a design. Did the artist arrange the elements of art so that areas stand out or dominate other areas or elements?
Emphasis: Special emphasis given to an element to make it stand out. Do you want a particular element such as color to stand out over other such as line or shape?
Movement: Deals with the creation of action – does your project suggest movement or stillness? Your gesture drawings are drawn in loosely and freely and therefore should utilize line (an element of art) in such a manner that it creates the sensation or feeling of movement (the principle of design)
Repetition: To what degree are certain elements, objects or themes being repeated
Rhythm: Intentional, regular repetition of lines of shapes to achieve a specific repetitious effect or pattern
Subordination: Making an element appear to hold a secondary or lesser importance within a design or work of art.
Variation: combining one or more elements of art in different ways to create interest.
Unity: Total visual effect in a composition achieved by the careful blending of the elements of art and principles of design.