basic design Elements

BASIC DESIGN ELEMENTSNothing can exist without these ingredients?What are they?

Basic Design Elements Dot (point) Line Shape Tone Color Texture Scale Dimension Direction Gravity

ConceptualElement

Visual Elements

RelationalElements

Plane Volume

Basic Design Elements

ConceptualElements

DotLine

PlaneVolume

Basic Design Elements

ConceptualElements

DotLine

PlaneVolume

Conceptual Element are not visible.

If they are really there, they are no longer conceptual.

Basic Design Elements

Dot (Point)

• The dot is the minimum unit of visual communication.

• Dot doesn’t have length or breadth.• Dot has a strong visual power to attract.

• It is a position in space that holds the primary attention of the viewer.

• It signals the start, an end or an area of primary focus for the eye.

Primary focused area

Basic Design Elements

Line

• Real Line (Visual Element): Create objects

• Imaginary Line (Conceptual Element): Show directions, movement and emphasis in a design

• A line is not thought of as a shape, but a shape can appear linear.

• Lines articulate shapes• It can be seen because it differs in value,

color or texture from its background.• With the proper tone or perspective, a

line can create depth.

Basic Design Elements

Line

• Real Line (Visual Element): o Contour Line

A line depicting the outer edge of a shape or group of shapes.

o Symbolic LineA line or combination of lines that stands for, or reminds us of, something our realm of knowledge.

• Imaginary Line (Conceptual Element)o Directional Line

A line or lines which direct our visual attention in specific direction.

o Boundary LineA line that confines our visual attention. It may be serve to separate areas.

o Implied LineA perceived continuation of images or symbols that imply a line.

o Line as Valueo Line as Texture

Basic Design Elements

Shape• Shape are made by connecting lines. • Line creates two dimensional or flat shapes.• When shapes are three dimensional, we

call them forms.

Basic Design Elements

Shape• Natural Shape

Shapes found in nature; sometimes called organic shape.

• Abstract ShapeA recognized image that has been distorted or simplified.

• Geometric ShapeUsually man-made shapes that are precise, exact. Triangles, squares, circles, rectangles, etc.

• Nonobjective Shape• Positive Shape

An active shape or line placed in a negative or empty space, not determined by the darkness or the lightness of the color.

• Negative ShapeThe implied shape produced after two or more positive shapes are placed on a negative (non-active) space.

Basic Design Elements

Color

• Hue refer to the name of the color we know.• Value (tone) tells the lightness or darkness of a hue.• Intensity refers to the brightness or dullness of a hue

Color is described with the words hue, value and intensity.

A shape is distinguished

from its surroundings

because of color

Basic Design Elements

ToneTone (value) is the intensity of darkness or lightness of anything we see. Variations in tone allow us to see complicated visual information.

The range of light values

Basic Design Elements

Texture• Visual texture can be used to stand-in for the

sense of touch.• Texture can also be used to communicate mood.

Any surface structure can be “felt” visually.Texture can be another way to give dimension to space.

surface quality

Basic Design Elements

ScaleScale is the relative size of an element in relation to another.Size is relative if we describe it in terms of bigness and smallness.

The relative size of an

element in relation to

another

Basic Design Elements

DimensionDimension can be

• Felt by touch and feel• Seen by two-eyed stereopticon sight

Representation of dimension in two-dimensional space depends on illusion

• Perspective• Tone

Basic Design Elements

Direction Direction of an element is relative to the position of observer or other elements. It can be felt by touch and feel, and seen by two-eyed stereopticon sight.

Four basic directions are…• Horizontal LinesSuggest calmness and usually makes people feel relaxed.• Vertical LinesSuggest strength and stability. • Diagonal Lines Suggest tension• Curved Lines Suggest flowing movement

Basic Design Elements

Gravity• It is not visual but psychological.• As we are pulled by the gravity of the earth,

we tend to attribute heaviness or lightness, stability or instability to individual shapes.

BASIC DESIGN ELEMENTS

SPACE

Basic Design Elements

SpaceCanvas of a

designer

It’s the area of message, the boundaries of the viewers’ perception of the message.

• Positive, Figure: If it is dominant, in the foreground or in the center of attention

• Negative, Ground: If it is in the background of the design

• Crowded: If the space seems uncomfortably occupied

• Open:If the space seems free and unrestricted