Principles of Design

Principles of DesignProportion, Variety, Economy, Repetition, Balance, Unity

Elements of DesignDot, Line, Shape, Form, Texture, Directional Force, Color

PROPORTION• Proportion refers to the

relative size and scale of the various elements in a design. The issue is the relationship between objects, or parts, of a whole.

David Hockney

Jan Van Eck

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Variety• Variety is the use of

dissimilar elements, which creates interest and uniqueness. Make sure you have enough variety to catch and hold your viewer’s attention.

Piet Mondrian

Rene Magritte

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Economy• Don’t overcrowd your

design! Are there distracting elements? Too much information?

Andy Warhol

Tom Friedman

Ianwhitmore.com

Repetition• Repetition is the

recurrence of elements within a piece: colors, lines, shapes, values, etc. Any element that occurs is generally echoed, often with some variation to keep interest.

Andy Warhol

David Hockney

Marcel Duchamp

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Balance• Balance can be either

symmetrical or asymmetrical depending on if the right or left side is identical or not. Also refers to a sense that dominant focal points are balanced and don't give a feeling of being pulled too much to any part of the artwork.

Jan Vermeer

Leonardo DaVinci

risd.edu

Emphasis• Emphasis refers to the

area(s) of interest. Guides the eye into through and out of the image through the use of sequence of various levels of focal points, primary focal point, secondary, tertiary, etc.

Salvador Dali

Rene Magritte

www.artinamericamagazine.com

Unity• Unity refers to a sense

that everything in the artwork belongs there, and makes a whole piece. It is achieved by the use of balance, repetition and/or design harmony.

Jasper Johns

Pablo Picasso

Roy Lichtenstein

proximitymagazine.com