Week 1 – Week 2 | 06/02/24 – 14/02/24
Emily Soh Ching-Ling | 0359478
Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media
Design Principles | Section 01 | GCD60804
Lecture Notes
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 ELEMENTS & PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN
ELEMENTS OF DESIGN:
- Design elements are individual "building blocks".
- Point, line, shape, form, texture, space, and colour.
PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN:
- Design principles are rules that guide the arrangement of the elements.
- Contrast, balance, emphasis, rule of thirds, repetition / pattern / rhythm, movement, hierarchy, alignment, harmony, unity, and proportion.
2.0 CONTRAST & GESTALT THEORY
CONTRAST:
- Definition of Contrast: The juxtaposition of strongly dissimilar elements.
- Purpose:
- To provide visual interest.
- To emphasise a point.
- To express content.
- Types of Contrast: Colour, shapes.
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| Figure 2.0-1: Contrast — Joker (Warner Bros., 2019) Joker (bright and saturated) contrasts against the background (dull and grey). |
GESTALT THEORY:
- Definition of "Gestalt" (in German): Shape / form.
- Definition of Gestalt Theory: Rules that describe how the human eye perceives visual elements.
- Purpose:
- To reduce complex scenes into simple shapes.
- To show how the human eye perceives multiple shapes as a single form.
- 1. Principle of Similarity:
- Similar elements are perceived as a group, even if those elements are separated.
- 2. Principle of Continuation:
- The human eye follows the lines and curves in a design, and prefers to see a continuous flow of visual elements.
- 3. Principle of Closure:
- Complete shapes are preferred over incomplete shapes.
- If the visual elements are incomplete, the human eye fills in the missing visual information.
- 4. Principle of Proximity:
- Elements that are placed together are perceived as a group.
- 5. Principle of Figure / Ground:
- Objects are perceived as either in the foreground or the background.
- Figure: Objects that stand out.
- Ground: Objects that recede into the back.
- 6. Law of Symmetry & Order:
- Symmetrical elements are perceived as a group.
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| Figure 2.0-2: Gestalt Theory |
3.0 BALANCE & EMPHASIS
BALANCE:
- Definition of Balance:
- The distribution of visual weight in a work of design.
- The visual equilibrium of elements causes the image to appear balanced.
- 1. Symmetrical Balance:
- Has equal visual weight on either side of a fulcrum.
- Bilateral Balance: Equal arrangement of elements on either side of a central axis (horizontally / vertically).
- Radial Balance: Equal arrangement of elements around a central point.
- Approximate Symmetry: Equivalent but non-identical elements are arranged around a fulcrum.
- 2. Asymmetrical Balance:
- Has unequal visual weight on both sides of a composition.
- One side of the composition may contain a dominant focal point, which is balanced out with other non-dominant focal points on the other side.
- Purpose:
- More dynamic and interesting.
- Evokes feelings of modernism, movement, energy, and vitality.
- Offers visual variety.
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| Figure 3.0-1: Balance |
THE GOLDEN RATIO:
- AKA: Phi, Golden Mean, Golden Section.
- Definition of Golden Ratio: A mathematical concept and number that goes on indefinitely.
- Derived from the Fibonacci sequence.
- Perceived as the representative of perfect beauty.
- Purpose: A guide to creating visual balance, harmony, and structure in design work.
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| Figure 3.0-2: The Golden Ratio in A Sea Shell |
RULE OF THIRDS:
- Definition of Rule of Thirds: A composition guideline to create more dynamic works of design / art.
- A composition is divided evenly into thirds.
- Subjects of the composition are placed on one of the lines or at an intersection.
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| Figure 3.0-3: Rule of Thirds |
EMPHASIS:
- Purpose: To create dominance and focus in a design work.
- Types of Emphasis: Colour, shape, value.
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| Figure 3.0-4: Emphasis The flowers and the bird are the focal points of this composition due to their bright, saturated colour. |
4.0 REPETITION & MOVEMENT
REPETITION:
- Purpose:
- To make a work of design seem active.
- To create rhythm and pattern.
- To provide variety (i.e. a slight difference in elements, including angles, exposure, composition, etc.).
- To avoid monotony.
- To increase visual excitement by enriching surface interest.
 |
| Figure 4.0-1: Repetition Five models of similar heights and clothing are posing differently. |
MOVEMENT:
- Definition of Movement: The way a design leads the eye in, around, and through a composition / The path the eye follows.
- Movement occurs when elements in a composition seem to be moving.
- How is Movement Formed: Depending on the type of shapes, forms, lines, and curves used.
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| Figure 4.0-2: Movement The words appear to be moving when scrolling past. |
HIERARCHY:
- Definition of Hierarchy: The choreography of content in a composition.
- Purpose:
- To communicate information.
- To convey meaning.
- To aid in navigation through a composition.
 |
| Figure 4.0-3: Hierarchy We notice the image first, the title second, and the subtitle third. |
ALIGNMENT:
- Definition of Alignment: The placement of elements in a way where 1. The edges line up along common rows and columns, or 2. The bodies line up along a common centre.
- Purpose:
- To create a sense of unity and cohesion, contributing to a design's perceived stability.
- To lead the eye through a design.
 |
| Figure 4.0-4: Alignment Left Side: Subtitle and website link line up with the title. Right Side: Text is flushed right. Edges of the image line up with the text from either side. |
5.0 HARMONY & UNITY
HARMONY:
- Definition of Harmony: The sense that all elements in a design fit together (e.g. they have the same theme, aesthetic, mood, etc.).
- Harmony involves the selection of elements that share a common trait.
- Harmony without variety is monotony.
 |
| Figure 5.0-1: Harmony All elements have some shade of green, brown, or grey. |
UNITY:
- Definition of Unity: The repetition of certain elements (e.g. colour, shape, material) in a design that pulls the look together.
- Purpose:
- To create a sense of oneness.
- To create a theme.
 |
| Figure 5.0-2: Unity Repetition of the colours grey and pink, and highly textured circles. |
SCALE & PROPORTION:
- 1. Scale:
- Definition of Scale: The size of an object in relation to other objects in a composition.
- Purpose: To illustrate details based on the relative sizes of objects.
- How to Determine Scale:
- 1. Actual measurement
- 2. Visual estimates based on comparison
- Examples of Scale: Architectural drawings, scale models.
- Substantial deviation from a normal scale relationship can create dramatic results and visual interest in a composition.
- 2. Proportion:
- Definition of Proportion: The size of the parts of an object in relation to other parts of the same object, i.e. ratio.
- Purpose: To create harmony and unity.
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| Figure 5.0-3: Scale & Proportion |
6.0 SYMBOL, WORD & IMAGE
SYMBOL:
- Definition of Symbol: A sign, shape, or object used to represent something else.
- 1. Pictorial Symbols: Image-related and simplified pictures.
- 2. Abstract Symbols: Look like less-detailed versions of the objects they represent.
- 3. Arbitrary Symbols:
- Have no resemblance to what they represent.
- The symbol is invented with meaning.
- Arbitrary symbols are learned.
- Many are based on geometric shapes and colours.
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| Figure 6.0-1: Symbols |
WORD & IMAGE:
- Definition of Typography: The design and arrangement of text to convey a message / concept.
- Purpose:
- To allow users / viewers to relate to a brand / concept.
- To deepen the meaning of the design.
- Suitable typeface and strategic positioning of type — To create hierarchy and balance in a design.
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| Figure 6.0-2: Word & Image Text is arranged behind certain elements to convey depth. |
7.0 VISUAL ANALYSIS
VISUAL ANALYSIS:
- 1. Phase 1 — Observation:
- Look closely and identify the visual elements of a design, AKA what can be seen on the surface level.
- Describe the visual elements accurately in your own words.
- Do not read beforehand about the design.
- 2. Phase 2 — Analysis:
- Think about your observations.
- Make statements about the design work based on the evidence (AKA observations).
- Think about how specific visual elements combine to create design principles, and the effects on the viewer.
- 3. Phase 3 — Interpretation:
- Combine your observations, analysis, facts about the design / designer, and historical context.
- E.g. What is the meaning of this design? What is the purpose of its creation?
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