Design Elements and Principles

Dot comprises a small spot or speck that is usually circular in shape. It often denotes the starting position of a design from which other elements such as line, shape and plane are brought into motion. Dots are often used in multitudes or in combinations to form patterns, rhythm and movement.

Line defines the position and direction of a design, image or form. Types of line include vertical, horizontal, diagonal, contour or a combination of these. They may be curved, straight, thick, thin, smooth, long, short and so forth. Lines are used to create shape, pattern, texture, space, movement and optical illusion in design.

Shape is a two-dimensional area enclosed by lines - it is the silhouette representation of form, being flat without depth or thickness. Shape is divided into two categories - organic (freeform/naturalistic) and geometric. Light and shading techniques applied to shape can create an illusion of three dimensional form.

Form is a three dimensional object embodying volume and thickness. Length, depth and height measurements present form as a visible mass which can be viewed from many angles.

Colour adds impact and visual interest to a design. It encompasses three properties - hue, value and intensity.

Hue refers to a specific colour such as 'red'.

Value is the lightness or darkness of a colour. Tints (where white is added to a colour) are very high in value (very light). Shades (where black is added to a colour) are medium to low in value (medium to dark).

Intensity refers to the brightness or dullness of a colour (the degree to which grey has been added to a colour).

The colour wheel is a way of representing the chromatic scale in a circle using all the colours made with the primary tria - red, yellow and blue.

Secondary colours are mixed from two primaries next to each other on the colour wheel. They are green (yellow and blue combined), purple (red and blue combined) and orange (red and yellow combined).

Colours have a psychological quality. 'Warm' colours contain yellow and appear to come forward. 'Cool' colours contain blue and appear to recede.

Complementary colours contrast one another and are opposite on the colour wheel (such as purple and orange). They are vibrant and not harmonious as their name may imply.

Tone refers to the degree of lightness or darkness of a surface.

It may be flat or graduated.

Tone describes the relationships between colours within a design.

It also refers to any colour that has been 'greyed' by either the addition of its complement or by the use of black or white.

Texture is the character of a surface and is both tactile and visual.

It can be real or implied by the employment of different media.

Texture as a tactile feature may present as rough, smooth, soft, hard, glossy etc.

As a visual feature, texture is the result from light being absorbed or reflected unevenly by the surface of objects.

Size determines how much an object occupies.

It embodies the dimensions or magnitude of an object, whether it is small, medium or large.

It is the relationship of the area occupied by one shape or object to that of another.

Volume is the mass of an object encompassing the height, width and depth.

Plane in two-dimension is seen as a flat surface or area.

Plane in three-dimension is shown by top and bottom areas, front and back areas and left and right side areas (think of a box).

Space extends in all directions. It is that dimension in which all material objects reside.

It is the blank area between or within things.

Balance is the delivery of the visual weight of design elements and is grouped into these three categories:

Symmetry - where both sides, divided by a line or point, have identical visual weight. The result is often formal, absolute, conventional, ordered, prestigious and powerful.

A-symmetry - where different objects achieve equal eye attraction or equal visual weight. The result is often informal, different, unceremonious, open, uninhibited and inviting. The'Rule of Thirds' is effective in establishing A-symmetrical balance (e.g. 1/3rd of an object is low in value and 2/3rds is high in value).

Radial - where all visual elements are focused around a central point and spread outwards.

Proportion demonstrates size relationships or the visual ratio between the elements within a whole image, design or form. Examples include colour to colour, shape to shape and line to line - the creation of which may or may not be aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Contrast is the juxtaposition of opposing elements such as complementary colours, rough and smooth textures, small and large sizes; and horizontal and vertical directions.

Contrast is the variety, difference or alteration between elements which effectively creates emphasis in design.

Repetition is the employment of securing elements such as shapes, lines, dots, colours and textures.

Repetition with variation is interesting and lively. Repetition without variation can be boring, monotonous and mechanical.

Without repetition, unrelated elements grouped together often create a chaotic outcome.

Pattern is produced when siimilar parts including lines, shapes, forms, textures, tones or colours are used repreatedly, creating a logical, coherant and visual structure.

Rhythm is a movement in which some elements occur regularly.

Like a dance to music, rhythm has a flow of objects to a 'visual beat'.

Rhythm can be created through repetition, radiation and gradation.

Three ways rhythm can be employed are:
Static - the repetition of similar or identical elements;
Progressive - repeated elements increasing or decreasing in size;
Continuous - elements in flowing movement (e.g. a wave washing into shore).

Movement is the visual flow through a design.

The eye follows visual clues which have been established through the conscious placement and positioning of objects.

This generated illusion of movement can be created in a painting, form or design.

Directional movement can be achieved through value with the placement of dark and light areas so that your attention moves through the format.

Direction is the specific alignment of elements in a design. Often lines, shapes, or textures are configured toward a certain point or area.

Horizontal placement suggests calmness, stability and tranquility.

Vertical placement gives a feeling of alertness and formality.

Oblique arrangement often suggests movement and action.

Dominance is the centre of interest or focal point. It is the area that first attracts attention.

There is a hierarchy or importance between various elements within a design.

Successful relationships between elements can create interest and counteract confusion and monotony.

Emphasis is where some elements have a greater prominence or significance than others in a composition or form.

Unlike 'dominance', which usually works in conjunction with 'large' size to achieve impact, 'emphasis' can achieve attention through 'small' size.

Scale is the association between the size of an object or image to that of its surroundings. A benchmark, such as the human body, is usually the means to measure this size or weight connection.

Four scale types in design are:

Normal or Human - sizes are the most natural or true to human use;
Intimate - sizes are smaller than what is seen as 'normal';
Monumental - sizes are larger than what is seen as 'natural';
Shock - sizes are so undersized or oversized that they base no relationship to human size.

Grouping and connection is where similar elements such as tones, shapes, and forms come together and form an association. They share a relationship because they are related in some way.

Harmony is the visually satisfying effect of combining similar or related elements e.g. adjacent colours on the colour wheel, similar shapes, comparable lines etc.

A harmonious composition is brought together with similar units in a consistent, orderly and pleasing arrangement.

Harmony is the opposite of contrast.

Unity is the fundamental principle in all design fields. It denotes completeness or wholeness.

Designers and artists skillfully coordinate and balance the different elements such as line, shape, texture and colour to achieve a result where all components visually belong with one another.