Principals of Design

Design:  the principals and elements
"people ignore design that ignore people."  -Frank Chimero

  

What is design?
-Design elements are the basic units of a visual image.
- The principals of design govern the relationship of the elements used and organize the composition as a whole.
-All imagery art, design and photography are alike, are the comprised of elements that can be broken down and analyzed. This goes for web design as well.

Design Elements
-space: can exist in two or three dimensions, positive space or negative space
    can refer to foreground mid or background
-line: used to guide the views eye or provide a sense of movement or motion
-color: can evoke moods or to draw or to draw the eye to certain area. It can be used to mute or hide images, convey a sense of time
-shape: helps use identify and make links on our minds (geometric, organic, realistic)
-texture: is perceived surface quality, it can be tactile or implied
-value: refers to the relationship between light and dark, add forms of depth

The Principals
-unity: refers to a sense that everything in an image or piece of art work belongs
-variety: the use of dissimilar elements. Differences in shape, texture, color and line
-repetition: refers to the recurrence of elements
-harmony: is achieved through the sensitive balance of elements
-proximity: refers to the physical placement of elements
-functionality: most important element, design serves a purpose, to communicate, inform and delight