The Principles of Design

The Principles of The Principles of DesignDesign

What are The Principles of What are The Principles of Design?Design?

The Principles of Design areThe Principles of Design are

the ways that artists the ways that artists useuse the the

Elements of Art to create good Elements of Art to create good

Compositions (artwork)Compositions (artwork)

There are 11 Principles of There are 11 Principles of DesignDesign

Balance Balance ContrastContrast

EmphasisEmphasis Variety Variety

Unity/HarmonyUnity/Harmony ProportionProportion

RhythmRhythm MovementMovement

PatternPattern RepetitionRepetition

Balance:Balance:

This principle of design refers This principle of design refers to the visual equalization of to the visual equalization of

the elements in a work of art. the elements in a work of art.

There are three major forms There are three major forms of balanceof balance

The three major forms of The three major forms of balance:balance:

Asymmetrical balance:Asymmetrical balance: where where equilibrium is achieved by the balance equilibrium is achieved by the balance differences in the art elements within a differences in the art elements within a composition.composition.

Symmetrical balance:Symmetrical balance: where the art where the art elements in a composition are balanced in elements in a composition are balanced in a mirror-like fashion (it does not have to a mirror-like fashion (it does not have to be exact but close).be exact but close).

Radial balance:Radial balance: a kind of balance where a kind of balance where the elements branch or radiate out from a the elements branch or radiate out from a central point.central point.

What kind of What kind of balancebalance is illustrated in this is illustrated in this painting painting Oriental PoppiesOriental Poppies, , by Georgia by Georgia O’Keefe?O’Keefe?

If you said If you said symmetrical balancesymmetrical balance, you are correct! , you are correct!

If you could visually divide the paper in half. There would If you could visually divide the paper in half. There would be a poppy on both sides. No one side dominates the be a poppy on both sides. No one side dominates the pictures. pictures. Neither poppy appears to be more important than the Neither poppy appears to be more important than the other. other.

What type of What type of balancebalance is shown in this painting, is shown in this painting, Arrangement in Grey and Black: Portrait of the Arrangement in Grey and Black: Portrait of the Painter's Mother (commonly known as Whistler’s Painter's Mother (commonly known as Whistler’s Mother)Mother), by James Whistler?, by James Whistler?

If you said, If you said, asymmetrical balanceasymmetrical balance, you were , you were right! The large form of the woman is "visually right! The large form of the woman is "visually equal" to the black curtain and white painting on equal" to the black curtain and white painting on the wall. This makes the painting appear the wall. This makes the painting appear balanced.balanced.

What type of What type of balancebalance is shown in this is shown in this stained glass artwork, stained glass artwork, Rose WindowRose Window??

Radial BalanceRadial Balance! Look at the spiral or spinning ! Look at the spiral or spinning effect of the pattern. The axis is the center point effect of the pattern. The axis is the center point and the design or pattern appears to "radiate" and the design or pattern appears to "radiate" from that point.from that point.

What type of What type of balancebalance is shown here? is shown here?

Here the larger figures to the right are balanced by the many smaller figures to the left. Also, Seurat added additional "light" to the left. How does this add balance to the painting?

George Seurat, (French) 1859-1891, Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grand Jatte

What type of What type of balancebalance is shown here? is shown here?

The monkey and the the cat balance each other out on either side of the woman.

Freda Khalo, Autorretarto con Collre de Espinas y Colibri,

ContrastContrastA design principle that emphasizes differences between the art elements.

For example, a painting may have bright colors that contrast with dull colors or angular shapes that contrast with rounded shapes.

Sharp contrast draws attention and can direct a viewer to a focal point within a work of art.

In In Spiral of EmotionSpiral of Emotion by Joseph Perkins we by Joseph Perkins we see a sharp see a sharp contrast contrast between darks and between darks and lights which he has balanced out with lights which he has balanced out with some middle tones.some middle tones.

In this work we see sharp lines and In this work we see sharp lines and shapes against softer lines and shapes. shapes against softer lines and shapes. We also see sharp We also see sharp contrastcontrast between between colors.colors.

Marlene Healey, Sections of my Destiny

EmphasisEmphasis

The principle of design that is concerned with dominance; the development of a main idea or center of interest (also called focal point)

Where is the Where is the focal pointfocal point in Wassily in Wassily Kandinsky’s, Kandinsky’s, Composition VII Composition VII ??

Kandinsky emphasized the large black Kandinsky emphasized the large black circle in the upper left corner of his work. circle in the upper left corner of his work. The object is different from everything The object is different from everything else in the painting and therefore it else in the painting and therefore it "stands out". "stands out".

In Francisco Goya’s, In Francisco Goya’s, The Shootings of May The Shootings of May Third 1801Third 1801, where is the area of , where is the area of emphasisemphasis??

Goya "lights" up the painting in much the same way a Goya "lights" up the painting in much the same way a

spotlight lights up the actors on a stage. Goya creates a spotlight lights up the actors on a stage. Goya creates a very light value around the area he wants you to see. The very light value around the area he wants you to see. The man in the white shirt is the man in the white shirt is the focal pointfocal point of the painting. of the painting. He uses value contrast to emphasize this area.He uses value contrast to emphasize this area.

VarietyVariety

Variety is achieved when the art elements are combined in various ways to increase visual interest.

For instance, an assortment of shapes that are of a variety of sizes attracts more attention than an assortment of shapes all the same size.

Let’s look at Kandinsky’s painting again. Let’s look at Kandinsky’s painting again. How is the artist showing How is the artist showing varietyvariety in this in this work?work?

Kandinsky used a Kandinsky used a varietyvariety of lines, shapes and of lines, shapes and colors to give this painting interest. He also colors to give this painting interest. He also overlapped some of those elements. overlapped some of those elements.

Unity/HarmonyUnity/Harmony

This principle refers to the visual quality of wholeness or oneness that is achieved through

effective use of the elements of art and principles of design

What do you think Cezanne used to keep this What do you think Cezanne used to keep this painting, painting, Mt. VictoriaMt. Victoria,, unified or working together? unified or working together?

Cezanne used blues, yellows and greens. Cezanne used blues, yellows and greens. By using related colors (remember blue By using related colors (remember blue and yellow make green), the piece and yellow make green), the piece appears to work as a whole.appears to work as a whole.

ProportionProportion

The relationship in size of one component (part) of a work of art to

another

How is this artist, John Zacchea, showing How is this artist, John Zacchea, showing correct correct proportionproportion in in Wine Bottle and Wine Bottle and Cheese?Cheese?

When comparing the size of the objects in the composition, you see that the objects are not too large or too small for each other. They are of a realistic size.

Sometimes artists chose to distort or Sometimes artists chose to distort or exaggerate the exaggerate the proportionsproportions of the of the subjects involved. subjects involved.

Fernando Botero, A Family

In this case the artist chose to use these "puffed up forms" to exaggerate the size of the people. By showing the figures larger than life size, he is attempting to celebrate the life within, and perhaps to mock their role in the world.

RhythmRhythm

Rhythm refers to a way of utilizing the art elements to produce the look and feel of rhythmic

movement with a visual tempo or beat

Here is an example of a cut paper Here is an example of a cut paper tessellation design. What is used to create tessellation design. What is used to create

the appearance of the appearance of rhythmrhythm in this work? in this work?

Possible answers could be:Possible answers could be:The fish design is repeated over and over.The fish design is repeated over and over.The colors white and orange appear as a pattern.The colors white and orange appear as a pattern.The lines that form the scales of the fish. The lines that form the scales of the fish. The black triangles that decorate the backbone of the fish.The black triangles that decorate the backbone of the fish.

MovementMovement

Movement is the design principle that uses some of the elements of art to produce the look of action or

to cause the viewer’s eye to sweep over the art work in a certain manner.

In In Starry NightStarry Night, famed artist Vincent Van Gogh , famed artist Vincent Van Gogh creates creates movementmovement in his sky. How does he in his sky. How does he show us this?show us this?

The swirling motion of the colors in the sky showing the The swirling motion of the colors in the sky showing the artist's interpretation of wind.artist's interpretation of wind.The repetition of the brushstrokes and paint dabs. The repetition of the brushstrokes and paint dabs. The stars are all yellow and round, vary in size and The stars are all yellow and round, vary in size and placement, and have "halos" of light encircling them.placement, and have "halos" of light encircling them.

Look at the painting and concentrate on how your eyes Look at the painting and concentrate on how your eyes bounce from one star to another. This is an example of bounce from one star to another. This is an example of how an artist can create how an artist can create movementmovement in a work of art. in a work of art.

PatternPattern

Repetition of an element of art (i.e., shapes, lines, or colors) to achieve

decoration or ornamentation.

What elements has the artist used in this What elements has the artist used in this mask to create mask to create patternpattern??

This decorative wall plaque is a great example of how an artist uses lines and shapes to create patterns.

Artist Unknown,Indonesian, Wall Plaque,

How has the artists use of How has the artists use of patternpattern enhanced this enhanced this piece?piece?

Would this piece be as interesting if the artist had used a solid background rather than this patterned one?

Riffs by Florene

RepetitionRepetition

A way of combining art elements so that the same elements are used over and over to achieve balance and harmony.

Ben Shahn has shown Ben Shahn has shown repetitionrepetition in his work, in his work, SupermarkeSupermarkettby repeating the same subject over and over to by repeating the same subject over and over to create an interesting composition. He used the create an interesting composition. He used the same type and thickness of line and the same same type and thickness of line and the same shapesshapes

This beautiful This beautiful Scorpion MolaScorpion Mola, by an , by an unknown artist , from the Panama Canal unknown artist , from the Panama Canal Kuna Indians shows Kuna Indians shows repetitionrepetition of what of what

elements of art?elements of art?

Shapes, colors, lines, and forms are Shapes, colors, lines, and forms are repeated.repeated.

The Principles of Design in The Principles of Design in ReviewReview

The Principles of Design are the ways that artists The Principles of Design are the ways that artists useuse the Elements of Art to create good Compositions the Elements of Art to create good Compositions (artwork) (artwork)

Balance Balance ContrastContrast

EmphasisEmphasis Variety Variety

Unity/HarmonyUnity/Harmony ProportionProportion

RhythmRhythm MovementMovement

PatternPattern RepetitionRepetition