Remember, the ELEMENTS OF ART are the basic building blocks of any artwork or design.
The Elements of Art are:
LINE, SHAPE, FORM, COLOR, TEXTURE, VALUE and SPACE.
The PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN are how you combine those elements together.
The Principles of Design are:
BALANCE, CONTRAST, DOMINANCE, EMPHASIS, MOVEMENT, REPETITION, RHYTHM, SUBORDINATION, VARIETY and UNITY
The conductor is the artist - they are directing the elements of art (musicians) to create the principles of design (the music).
BALANCE
The way in which the elements in visual arts are arranged to create a feeling of equilibrium in a work of art. The three types of balance are symmetry, asymmetry, and radial. Equal distribution of visual “weight”within a composition
Symmetrical Balance:
Equal weights are on equal sides of a composition. Also called Formal Balance
Asymmetrical Balance:
Equal distribution of "visual weight", but not identical elements.
|
|
Radial Balance: Elements radiate from a common center.
|
|
A simple video to illustrate symmetrical and asymmetrical balance:
REPETITION, VARIATION & RHYTHM
REPETITION
The act or an instance of repeating or being repeated.
Repetition is perhaps the most ubiquitous form of unity in the visible world. Repeat something and you’ve created that something’s twin. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.
VARIATION
Combining one or more elements of art in different ways to create interest. Elements visually contrast with one another.
Three hundred identical black dots could become a bit predictable especially if identically spaced. Change just a few of those gray dots to gray or white and you’ve created a dynamic event called variety.
RHYTHM
Intentional, regular repetition of lines or shapes to achieve a specific repetitious effect or pattern.
|
|
| Exercise #1: This can be done on paper or digitally. Repeat it multiple times. Transform at least one of the repeated images into something very different from the original image but maintain a visual thread so that the repeated item(s) shares the same “visual DNA” with the original. |
| Exercise #2: This can be done on paper or digitally. Use the same item as the first exercise. Duplicate this item several times. Take either the enlargement or the reduction and change something about it to make it appear somewhat different from the original. Next, create a few words and arrange them in a way that repeats something about the shape or structure of the original item. In this example, both the typography (text) and the leaves share a similarity due to the use of a central axis. Repetition and variation are on display on multiple levels. |
DOMINANCE The emphasis of one aspect in relation to all other aspects of a design.
SUBORDINATION Making an element appear to hold a secondary or lesser importance within a design or work of art.
CONTRAST Difference between two or more elements (e.g., value, color, texture) in a composition; juxtaposition of dissimilar elements in a work of art; also, the degree of difference between the lightest and darkest parts of a picture.
EMPHASIS Special stress given to an element to make it stand out.
MOVEMENT
The principle of design dealing with the creation of action.
UNITY
Total visual effect in a composition achieved by the careful blending of the elements of art and the principles of design. Elements are visually similar to one another. Unity &
Variety generally exist in relationship to one another in 2-D compositions