Design principles

designprinciples

•Balance•Proportion•Repetition•Dominance•Contrast

•Harmony•Variety•Symbolic meaning•Composition•Direction

By Naomi Smart (211067113)

Design principles are the breakdown of the aspects in a

design structure. When critiquing a design, its

important to be aware of all these principles to give a full and thorough explanation of

the pro’s and con’s.

balance•Weight•Proportion

This painting by Suzanne Gardiner has a gentle

balance to it in that both halves being symmetrical are balanced by using the

same amount of colour and patternation on each

side. The use off the primary and secondary

also strangely gives a nice sense of Balance.

This ring uses an odd number of bars as the

main design element in this ring. One being silver and the two surrounding

it being gold balance each other out as there the same on each side. For

something to be balanced it doesn’t always mean it

has to be an even number!

The simple use of reflection in this image of a rainbow brings forward the element of balance.

With the reflection it completes the circle, somehow a circle is more aesthetically pleasing

than a half circle.

Both, this bracelet and beaded earring are well balanced. The bracelet being because even though the beads are all different , but equally sized, no bead taking too much attention from the bead next to it. The earring is balanced because of its clear use of line through colour and the fact that

its symmetrical.

proportion

We always relate the size of an object against the human body. But when we don’t have the ability to do so, its amazing how the mind can interpret two of the same things with regards to size depending on what surrounds it! Just by the differing size circles on the outside, we interpret them as different, but they’re actually the same,

This house was built with a prism as inspiration. Somehow the strange proportions and slants of the roof and windows

make it work.

The trick in this photograph is a play on proportion. In reality the hand is closer to the camera than the figure. But when first looking at it you have to figure

out whether the person is really small or the hand is really big!! :D

Through a simple line through an image a whole sense of size almost becomes lost, and sometimes confusing. This image with three elephants (all identical in

size, but differing in colour) all look different sizes only because of the lines bringing the eye through the image.

•Black/White•Colour Contrast•Light/Dark•Soft/Hard•Big/Small•Bright/Dull

This painting has a wonderfully subtle

use of light and dark. The gentle light

coming through the window against her

dark clothes and dingy room is done very

well.

Through this image is similar, the light is more centralised and with the room being much

darker, the contrast between the two is much more prominent.

The use of the colour Green (Secondary) against the Red (Primary) is a contrast in itself. Both ways in which these images are displayed shows how a certain item

can jump off the page when use correctly.

These two signs show how if using contrast in design must and mustn't be used. The top sign he colours are too similar, too close to each other on the colour wheel

and so out eyes struggle to focus.

The sign below using Back and against a light colour (gold in this instance) works as the eyes distinguish each colour making the writing easier to read.

This being a image of the most common image of contrast; Black & White. Using opposite colours or tones and shades can make all the difference when trying to

make something stand forward or to highlight something.

focal points •Dominance

•Emphasis

•This paintings focal point or main emphasis is the building situated just off centre in the composition. The house also stands out because of the surrounding shapes, being very organic, and the house being very linier.

• Even though there are three prominent colours and white in this image, the focal point is on the red, this is because the red is

the brightest pure colour.

• The same with this image can be said, even though the focal point in this image is the grayscale image. The eye follows the

direction of the woman's legs, but stops at the grey image. Your eye has the tendency to focus on the differing object.

I love the way this image,

taking a play on a broken mirror or glass is using the bright blue sky against the subtle tones of the skin. The focal is then

made the with the bright red

lips.

The focal points in both these images are emphasized by the by the tunneling illusion as well as the change in shape during a pattern.

The right hand image’s focal point is inside the circle, the item being held by the hand separates the image in the circle from the rest of the picture.

The triangles all being slightly slanted and reduced in size as well as a change in colour pulls the eyes in, and the change of shape into the circle makes it the focus point.

Symbolic Meaning

Symbolic meaning:

These ten symbols are the most recognised and commonly used symbols in the world.

•Heart•Ankh•Smiley Face (emotion on the internet)•Radioactive Symbol•Biohazard•Skull and Cross Bones•Swastika •Zen•Peace Sign•All seeing eye

In Japan, symbolism plays a huge part in society. Is Japanese culture the Koi fish has the symbolic meaning of good luck and being protected

against evil. This is now a common tattoo because of this very symbolism.

These tattoo’s have symbolic

meaning for the individual. Each

tattoo is done for the specific

person, giving a personal

meaning, making each one unique to that person.

DirectionDirectionDirectionDirectionDirection& Movement

These rings are a brilliant example in how lines in design and in this instance Jewellery, can give a sense of movement even if

the object is static.

In this print, the sense of movement is seen in two ways. Both elements separated would still give a sense of movement. The points and the line in the red are like

arrows bringing your eyes across the image, and the black triangles, gradually being reduced in size give the illusion of them receding into the background.

The woman in this image looks like she is moving because

of the layered images of her

movement. The colours seem

almost transparent give the feeling of

movement, like watching something

in slow motion.

This ring (all though being very literal in movement) uses a compass as its directional component.

The use of the arrow/triangle in this composition already moves

the eye through, but its further complimented by the images contained in

them, which are all slightly different.

Repetition

• Rhythm• Patterns

Repetition

Andy Warhol was the master of Pop Art, and often used repeating

images in his works. This work of Marilyn Monroe is a pattern repeated but

changed with altering colours, making the eye

follow around the image, not making any particular

face the prominent feature/

This repeating pattern of triangles and hexagons in this Spanish building is a beautiful example of what can be

accomplished with a few shapes. It reminds me of a kaleidoscope!

Without even knowing it, repetition plays a huge part in the things we do everyday, like these signs!!! Things that are

bright and repeated are more often noticed than something that’s singular !!!

As much as patterns and repetitions can make something stand out, it can also flatten something. This photo with everyone wearing the same face

removes any individuality.

There's even patterns in things like speaker covers….

Through patterns you can also create depth, by reducing the size and angle in which things are laid.

Composition

The composition in this image is well laid out, the main subject is

central to the image and the colours and lines in that object still

give a sense of movement.

The break between the bright blue and the dark blue and green are

separated by the injection of yellow. Subtle lines made by these

colours are what make the composition appealing.

The simple line, still matching in with the composition brings the eye to the centre of the

image and the composition brings the eye round in a spiral enabling an appreciation for

the whole work.

Harmony

• Unity• Integrigation

When trying to describe Harmony as a principle in design, I think Colour has a major role. More muted colours are much more calming and this image using these colour against a white background in no

way have a busy appearance.

Using similar colours and saturations of those colours, this image of a turbulent ocean in a storm is still calming.

Calming colours create the sense of harmony and

unity.

variety

Variety can be shown in many ways. In this necklace, it uses a variety of shapes (circles

and cubes) two dimensional and three dimensional.

Variety can also be shown and displayed in differing colours of the same objects,

multiple colours, textures etc.