Formal Principles of Design

(composition)•Unity and Variety

•Balance (Symmetry and Asymmetry)

•Emphasis or Dominance

•Scale and Proportion

•Rhythm

•Economy

Unity and Variety

•Unity = oneness, wholeness, elements go together

•Variety = difference, contrast, enlivens

Ways to Achieve Unity

•Repetition

•Alignment

•Continuity

Unity thru Repetition

Unity thru Repetition

Unity thru Alignment

Unity thru Alignment

Unity thru Continuity

Ways to Achieve Variety

•Contrast (of lines, shapes, values, etc)

•Hybridity (mixing differing elements, genres, styles, media etc)

•Fragmentation (breaking apart) and Discontinuity

Variety and Contrast

Variety

Fragmentation Hybridity

Unity and Variety

Unity and Variety

Unity and Variety

Balance

•Feeling of the counterbalancing weights of visual forms and effects

•Two types: Symmetry and Asymmetry

Symmetrical Balance

Symmetrical Balance

(approximate)

Asymmetrical Balance

Asymmetrical Balance

Asymmetrical Balance

Asymmetrical Balance

Emphasis

•An element that is the most dominant or noticeable in a composition

•A focal point

Ways to Achieve Emphasis

•Isolation

•Framing

•Pointing

•Contrast

Ways to Achieve Emphasis or Dominance

Ways to Achieve Emphasis or Dominance

Ways to Achieve Emphasis or Dominance

Ways to Achieve Emphasis or Dominance

Scale and Proportion

•Scale - Relative size of object to similar objects

•Proportion – Relative size of parts of object relative to other parts

Scale

Scale

Scale

Proportion

Proportion

Rhythm

Rhythm

•A repeating pattern creates a sense of flowing, increasing, or staccato movement

•Similar to music or dance rhythm

Flowing Rhythm

Increasing Rhythm

Increasing and Flowing Rhythm

Staccato Rhythm

Staccato Rhythm

Staccato Rhythm

Staccato Rhythm

Economy

•Getting to the essential elements, distillation, “less is more”, part of abstraction

Economy

Economy

Economy

Economy

Elements and Principles: Putting it all together

• Foregrounded elements = color, shape, space

• Complementary color scheme

• Unity from repetition and alignment (shapes and colors)

• Unity working with variety

• Flowing rhythm

Elements and Principles: Putting it all together

• Foregrounded elements = color, shape, texture, value

• Implied Diagonal lines

• Unity from repetition and alignment (shapes, hand, and colors)

• Unity working with variety

• Emphasis on Kennedy

Elements and Principles: Putting it all together

• Foregrounded elements =, shape, texture, value

• Vertical Forces gives it power

• Economy

• Variety through contrast

• Emphasis

Elements and Principles: Putting it all together

• Foregrounded elements =, shape, texture, value

• Implied vertical line

• Unity from continuity (heads looking like they are one)

• Variety through contrast

• Approximate symmetry

Elements and Principles: Putting it all together

• Foregrounded elements = color, line, texture,

• Flowing rhythm

• Unity from repetition Unity working with variety

• Complementary color scheme (red and green)

• Economy

You try

You try

You try

You try

You try

You try