Area of Study 2: Design elements and design principles

This area of study focuses on design elements and design principles. Students experiment with these elements and principles, using manual and digital drawing and methods such as photography, digital photography, printmaking and collage to visualise ideas and concepts. Students undertake the design process stages of generation of ideas and development of concepts for a stated purpose and develop knowledge of how design elements and principles are used together. 

Students investigate the purposes behind creating particular visual communications, and consider how the relationship between design elements and design principles contributes to achieving these stated purposes. Students develop knowledge of their legal obligations regarding ownership of images and apply this knowledge when visually communicating ideas and concepts.

Outcome 2:

On completion of this unit the student should be able to select and apply design elements and design principles to create visual communications that satisfy stated purposes.

To achieve this outcome the student will draw on key knowledge and key skills outlined in Area of Study 2.

Key knowledge:

• key features and functions of design elements such as point, line, shape, form, tone, texture, colour and type

• key features and functions of design principles such as figure-ground, balance, contrast, cropping, hierarchy, scale, proportion and pattern (repetition and alternation)

• aesthetic and functional factors that influence the selection and application of design elements and design principles

• purposes of visual communications such as to advertise, promote, depict, teach, inform, identify and guide

• design elements and design principles and their use in the generation of ideas and development of concepts

• in the design process

• drawing methods to visualise ideas and concepts

• different manual and digital drawing methods, media and materials for exploring and applying design elements

• and design principles

• presentation drawing methods for the purpose of refining conceptual designs using drawing methods, including

• manual and digital methods

• techniques for generating and reflecting on ideas

• copyright obligations when using the work of others in visual communications.

Key skills:

• apply techniques to generate alternative design possibilities

• use appropriate drawing methods to generate visible ideas and develop concepts

• select and apply different design elements and design principles when generating and developing alternative design options

• use selected manual and digital drawing methods, media and materials appropriate to visual communication purposes

• refine and present visual communications to meet their stated purposes

• apply practices that fulfil legal obligations in visual communications when using images belonging to others.