Principles of Design

Principles of DesignThe Principles of Design are a set of guidelines artist’s use for two main reasons…

To help them create artwork that is both pleasing to the eye and that communicate what the artist wants. To help the artist create more variation on a theme, additional ways to change the composition of the design.

balance• Balance is the principle or concept that keeps your design

units evenly distributed through-out the picture plane. • You do not want all your images crowded into one area and

other areas empty looking. • Design units are your subject matter, the images that make up your

design. • The picture plane is the design area, the piece of paper or the

computer screen or whatever else you are working on. The edges of this work surface define the size and shape of picture plane.

There are two main types of balance... and three sub-categories…

• Asymmetrical

• Symmetrical – Radial symmetry – Rotational symmetry – Reflective symmetry

There first main type of balance...

• Reflective Symmetry

• Symmetrical balance is an image that is exactly the same on each side. It has the same elements.

• Symmetrical balance is visually more rigid and formal.

Think of balance as a scale… if you have five on one side you need five on the other side.

Symmetrical balance is exactly the same on each side.

balance ?

Reflective symmetry

The second main type of balance...

• Rotational symmetry • Rotational symmetry is

balance that is symmetrical, but instead of being “reflective” (or the same from side to side) the image is rotated around a central point.

• Radial symmetry is a bit more interesting.

balance ?

rotational symmetry

The third main type of balance...

• Asymmetrical • Asymmetrical balance is

an image that is equally weighted on each side, but with different elements.

• Asymmetrical balance is more active visually.

Think of balance as a scale… if you have five on one side you need five on the other side.

Asymmetrical still needs five on each side, but it no longer has to identical.

Asymmetrical design can have different design units as long as they have the same visual weight (or impact).

asymmetrical balance

asymmetrical balance

balance ?

asymmetrical

balanced ?

• To much “stuff” on the right hand side, creating an uncomfortable feel.

• Could this image become balanced?

asymmetrical

Reflective symmetry vertical reflective and horizontal reflective

symmetrical radial

Principles of Design

focal point• Focal Point (also called the center of attention) is

the area of the design that the viewer sees first (or should see first).

• The focal point holds the viewers attention (allowing the artist to direct the viewer where they want) and is usually the most important part of the design.

• Directing the viewers eye is called “movement” or “direction”.

Focal point is created by contrast...

or by direction.• Direction is the term

used to describe how an artist sets the elements up to move the viewers eye around the artwork in the desired manner.

focal point ?

focal point

by contrast and direction

focal pointmovement/direction

The “Rule of Thirds”