Elements of Design

1. Jennifer Mckay
All pictures found on Google.ca 1

2. Curved lines are used
to create a symmetrical
design
A moving point (point a to point b) on a medium
that is used to show order; define the shapes and
perimeters of an image. They may be used to
provide depth; emphasis; to display emotion;
contrast; structure or texture.
Straight angled lines
portray distance and
depth, and direct the
eye towards the light.
http://digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/converging-lines-5-1.jpg http://lindaperry.us/nm3217/lineart2.jpg 2
“Lines” “Lines in art”

3. Shape (2D)
Flat structured object that may be
geometric, natural or abstract.
Geometric shapes are generally
symmetrical, while abstract shapes
may come in any form. Abstract
shapes are stylized while natural
Distinct rounded
rectangle and triangle
are combined with a more fluid. Natural shapes
shapes are
stylized shape to
form a new image.are generally found in nature;
sometimes created by humans.
Geometric stars are
overlapped to form
a new shape.
3

4. A 3 dimensional object that can be physically
interacted with. Ex. a chair is a 3D form, a human is a 3D form.
In art a 2 dimensional
picture may appear 3
dimensional by including
depth, lighting and
shadows.
Image with forms of
spheres, doughnuts Shiny sphere displays
and linked objects lighting and shadows,
portray a virtual 3D making it appear as a
world. lustrous glassy material
http://aug50m3.edublogs.org/files/2012/04/SphereRainbowObsidian1L-28v5q40.jpg
“Sphere” 4
http://d3sdoylwcs36el.cloudfront.net/steel%20objects%20in%20the%20sea.jpg
“Art Form”

5. COLOR
Color is used to draw
Colors are one of the most defining parts of an image, they may express the eye.
emotions or atmosphere to the audience of an artwork. Colors group may be
defined as warm or cool; warm colors generally remind a person of sunlight or
fire whereas cool colors may remind a person of
Hue: Primary Colors
winter, ice or water
Value: Lightness or
darkness of a color
Colors opposite to each other are considered
complimentary, colors adjacent to each other Intensity: the purity of a color
are considered analogous Color wheel displays
both complimentary Monochromatic Color: picture
colors as well as is composed of one color
analogous colors. where only the value changes
http://www.alternative-spiritual-healing.com/images/symbolic-meaning-of-colors01.jpg
“Color”
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:BYR_color_wheel.svg&page=1 5
“Color Wheel”

6. Texture
Picture displays the
effect of an added
texture on the image.
Image displays a grunge
texture which appears
stone-like. Works as a
http://www.slrlounge.com/post-production-how-to-apply-textures-to-images-using-photoshop good ledge .
‘Texture tutorial” 6
http://www.vectorious.net/data/media/2/3399-grunge%20texture.jpg
“Texture”

7. Uses shadows and sharp lines to
show closeness and lighter faded Angle, blurriness and
colors to show distance and scale are used to show
angle of light distance.
The (apparent) amount of 3D form
given to a 2D image. Depth in art is
the perception of an added
dimension. Depth may be achieved
through scale of objects, lighting &
shadow, location, detail (use of colors
http://findimelda.com/483e_web/project02/photographysite/images/depth_of_field.jpg
“Depth” 7
http://www.pxr.dk/wmt/images/articles/doftut/DofTutorialDepthA0000.jpg
“Depth”

8. LIGHT
Lighting and shadows enhance form in 2D objects;
it can suggest the volume or depth of an image. It
may be used to silhouette or highlight an object to
create emphasis, shadow may be Shadows used to make
used to tone
down areas that drawtotoo muchthe circle sphere like and
Light on black used
attention.
3 dimensional.
create form.
http://www.photopumpkin.com/wp-content/uploads/light-graffiti-12.jpg
“Light” 8
http://www.cgl.ucsf.edu/Outreach/Workshops/UCI-2005/02-PubPres/sphere-light.png
“sphere”

9. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/Galahs_flying_motion_blur.jpg “Motion”
Motion can not actually be seen in a single
photograph, so artists use certain techniques to Color
give figures and objects the appearance of a splatter
towards
moving object. the left
Blurred shapes make shows the
the birds wings appear direction
to be moving too fast in which
to be captured on film the bullet
Blurry Outlines will appear is moving.
to show a figure moving too Anticipated motion is like
(
fast to be caught by camera. taking a freeze frame (mid- M
Optical Illusions use swing) of a man swinging an o
repetition, color and lines to axe, you can see that the man t
confuse the eye of the viewer is going to complete the action
who will perceive motion when but is still frozen in the i
none is present. motion. o
Multiple Images uses Optical Movement involves n
http://very-bored.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=95 using multiple forms and
overlapped images or
)
9
“Motion”

10. http://www.moodsofnature.com/design/lever-copy.jpg http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2008/09/new-work-by-benjamin-hubert-lilly-3.jpg
“Visual Weight” “Visual Weight”
Larger shapes on the
left draw the
eye, while the
smaller circle
appears less
significant
M as
Mass is the amount of weight or
heaviness a design appears to have. It
may be conveyed by posture, distance,
size and lighting. Shadows appear to The wider, shorter
stool appears to be
be heavier than light, and closer heavier than the
thinner shorter stool
objects may appear more dense than
distant objects, if the objects are in
open air. Mass is relative to the entire
picture; with each object carrying their
own percentage of the visual weight in
10
an image.

11. http://0.tqn.com/d/painting/1/0/S/Q/1/Tone-allcolors2.jpg http://painting.about.com/od/colourtheory/ss/ColorClassTones_4.htm
“Tone” “Color Tone”
Displays a change in
hue from greyscale to
color but the tone
remains unchanged.
Tone or value can be defined as
the intensity of light colors
and dark colors added to an
image in regards to lighting and
shading. Black and white are Shows the changes in
not usually directly applied to both color and tone.
an image as lighting or shading
colors; instead a darkened or Shade: A darkened color used to define shadows
lightened version of a already Tint: A lightened color used to define lighting
existing color is applied, Tone: A color to which grey has been added
usually with low opacity. Value: The degree of shadow or lighting in an image
Hue: Color
Tone (Black and White) 11

12. Shows color move from
light to dark, indicating
a change in value.
The relative
lightness or
darkness of a
certain area in an
image. Used to
Displays the color
create illusion, with its equal
greyscale counterpart
depth, emphasis and the value range
of a pink color
or intensity.
http://www.amazingquiltsbygrace.com/wp- http://www.amazingquiltsbygrace.com/wp-
content/uploads/color_value.png content/uploads/color_value.png
“Color Value” “Color Value”
http://a1star.com/images/suprnova.gif 12

13. http://www.fmhscts.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/space_neg.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rubin2.jpg
“Positive Space” “Positive and Negative Space”
Negative space Shows the
negative space
refers to empty around the
cherries.
space in an image, it
may contain a color,
but it is more of a
backing for the
central design rather
than a main
component of it. Contrasts the
positive space of
the golden vase
with blank white
Positive space is space of the
the occupied area of vase, changing
which part of the
an image; the part image the brain
focuses on.
that contains subject
matter. Positive 13
Negative

14. To balance art is make all proportions equal in
regards to visual weight; all elements are evenly
distributed.
Symmetrical Designs are perfectly centered and mostly identical on both
sides, if you do much to much to manipulate the elements, the image could
Hands are balanced and almost
become asymmetrical.
symmetrical, but the color is
slightly different on both hands A symmetrical
and one hand is slightly higher design
than the other structure is
shown, but
the paint
colors at the
top differ.
a n
Asymmetrical Designs are off center, the picture will still be balanced but the
elements will be mismatched enough to throw off symmetry.
In Asymmetrical Balance you evenly distribute the given elements to create
balance. ie. Using multiple small elements to balance a larger picture
e
Radial Designs use elements with circular patterns and spiral forms, the image
http://www.stoughton.k12.wi.us/imageGallery/KLarmour16797/art.jpg http://laurabuck.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/balance.jpg 14
must still be balanced through element arrangement.
“Art Balance” “Art Balance”

15. http://www.nhsdesigns.com/images/examples/graphic-principles_emphasis.jpg http://www.sophia.org/design-in-art-emphasis-variety-and-unity-tutorial
“Emphasis Art” “Emphasis Art”
E mphasis
When an element is used to dominate an image; in
order to be the main or one of the main focal points of
the design.
May be done with image placement, sizes of elements,
contrasting colors or manipulation of lighting/shading
The contrast in
colors (blue sky &
red lipstick), and
the appearance of
The surrounding green leaves a broken area
emphasis the flowers make them draw the eye to
the main focal point of the image the lips.
15

16. Photo-Shopped eyes make
the cats face look
disproportionate.
P roportion (Scale)
Large eyes look
(somewhat) normal on the
owl in regards to their
facial proportions.
The size or scale of an element in relation to the
entire image. The human body is often used as a
unit of measurement in regards to proportion.
ie. In art the human body is usually 6.5 – 8 heads tall
http://www.libertywildlife.org/wp-
http://ultimate-wallpaper.com/media/wallpapers/photos/cache/1nnFkx_animalwall_preview.jpg
content/uploads/2011/10/Little-owl-
“Cat Huge Eyes”
big-eyes.jpg 16
http://treesimages.com/wp-content/plugins/WPRobot3/images/29b48_trees_3752664173_b7e1e5fa5c.jpg
Owl Big Eyes
“Tree Bark”

17. http://www.empowerorphans.org/userfiles/Upstart%20Magazine%20pa
ge2.jpg
“Magazine Page”
Repetition (Rhythm)
The consistent
Magazine page displays text use of similar or
format and page layout that same elements
would probably be repeated page to page in
throughout most of the
publication.
the same
location.
ie. Page
number, picture Consecutive
location, font line of houses
alignment or shows basic
style type etc. repetition in
art.
17 http://cdn.dailypainters.com/paintings/repetition_of_houses_9b0641e5b30787ab359f12f6193cce
83.jpg

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The use of long triangular dresses, X
overlapping lines and linked arms X
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make all the women look a X
combined unit in the image X
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X X X Rounded edges
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T o ma k e a l l o b j e c t s , X
X and curved lines
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X o r e l e me n t s i n a n X
X X and all the colors
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X X tied together.
X i ma g e a p p e a r t o b e X
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t i e d t o g e t h e r , e v e n X
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i f u n r e l a t e d . X
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XRepetition – using repetition of color, shape, style etc. to tie
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XProximity – using closeness to make things appear related
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X Continuation – using lines and alignment to achieve unity X
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X http://nhsdesigns.com/images/artwork/vincent-van- X
Xhttp://cache2.allpostersimages.com/p/LRG/15/1540/R8PBD
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00Z/posters/stewart-monica-unity.jpg gogh_starry-nig.jpg
X
“Unity Art” “Unity Art” X 18
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19. http://a1.s6img.com/cdn/box_002/post_12/294969_14913138_lz.jpg
“Contrast”
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/4994607052_6a0ef72258.jpg
“Contrast Art”
Placing a flower on
denim creates
contrast in both
texture (smooth and
slightly rough) and
color (greyish blue
and rich purple).
Using elements with obvious differences to
adjust emphasis and to make a design
more interesting. Methods of creating
contrast include differences in size, color,
value and texture and style.
The use of bright textured colors
on black creates perceived
depth and emphasis on the
19
turtle because the black
appears as negative space.

20. Harmony
Combining same, similar or related elements.
ie. Adjacent colors, similar form, style, elements with similar
meaning/symbolism etc.
The use of an almost
symmetrical image with The contrast of night and day in a YinYang design shows
reversed colors on each side both opposition and balance between two contrasting
creates harmony elements.
http://cdn.dailypainters.com/paintings/_dream_clouds__by_karla
_nolan__oil_painting_on_canvas_panel_landscape_western_art_
palette_knife_oil_painting_brushwork_rocky_mountains_colorad
http://myjustliving.com/image.axd?picture=2011%2F2%2Fharmony.jpg
o_impressionist_abac0bee3549d0b476a4cae7ff83b293.jpg “Harmony” 20
http://www.mica.edu/Images/pr_images/amy%20appleton_harmony_272.jpg
“Landscape” “Harmony”

21. Close proximity of the art makes it
appear to be related, possibly created
by the same artist.
Grouping of sea shells creates the
appearance that they may be part
of the same collection.
Organizing visual structure by placing related objects closer
together and unrelated items further apart
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http://thumbs.imagekind.com/member/253aed58-7683-44e4-8ff3-
534f3ec05aeb/uploadedartwork/650X650/47c5c5cb-ebdc-4809-b4a0-
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62cd2c123657.jpg ___________________________________
“Grouping Art”
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vqD89Qvcn94/SuCv70JYT6I/AAAAAAAACFg/NDTwGAkAcY4/s400/MS+Six.jpg 21
“Grouping Art”

22. Variety
Use of differing sky or flight
related objects creates both
a form of unity and a slight
sense of chaos.
Using a mixture of elements in a piece, that
vary in size, texture, color etc. and still have a
form of unity with each other.
Ways to vary elements:
> Color: saturation, value (lightness & darkness) and
contrast Contrasting colors
> Texture: rough, smooth, natural, unnatural and random lines
create variety.
> Line: weight, length, angle and color
> Shape: form, size, color, texture, orientation
http://smartphonewallpaper.com/wallpapers/abstract_sky-960x854.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-
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xuila7PDqFY/Tr1SFZoKBxI/AAAAAAAAADE/jZmdsHJODKc/s1600/radioww.jpg
“Variety Art” “Variety Art”