Principles of Design

nº1

$12

2021

Principles of Design

Learn about the principles of design

Yes, the principles of design are like making a cake.

A cake!!

Have you heard about the principles of design?

together we will learn about how the elements of art are organized through the principles of design.

Principles of design select, arrange and organize the visal elements of art into designs or compositions.

learning objectives

• Distinguish between the ways that artists can achieve unity and variety in a work.
• Compare and contrast symmetrical and asymmetrical balance.
• Describe how areas of emphasis and subordination can be created in a work.
• List some reasons that artists distort scale.
• Explain the difference between a change in scale and a change in proportion.
• Identify what elements can be repeated in a work to create rhythm.

principles of design

BALANCE ·············

UNITY & VARIETY···········

EMPHASIS & SUBORDINATION···········

SCALE & PROPORTION···················

RHYTHM & MOVEMENT··············

Balance

An even distribution of weight throughout a design.

+ info

aCTUAL WEIGHT VS. vISUAL wEIGHT

Actual weight

Visual weight

Refers to the apparent heaviness of an object based on the amount of attention it attracts.

Is the physical heaviness of an object that we could measure on a scale.

Artist Xu Zhen balances a work's actual weight so that the work doesn't fall over. In the perfomance piece In Just a Blink of an Eye, Xu Zhen, a contemporary Chinese artist, posed immigrants for Chinatown, New York, in frozen falling poses. Metal armatures hidden under the performers' clothing supported their actual weight. The disconcerting positions perhaps mirrored the immigrant's unresolved legal status in real life.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini, a 17th century Italian aritst, balanced the visual weight in David, so that we are drawn to look at both side of the sculpture. Our eyes seem to be pulled to that visual weight. So that our eyes don't get stuck looking there, Bernini formed a fierce look in David's eyes that sets up an implied line to the right.

Three ways to balance visual weight in an artwork

Symmetrical

Assymetrical

Radial

An even distribution of visual weight in a design achieved because of the similarity of form on both sides of an imaginary central dividing line.

An even dstribution of visual weight in a design achieved even through the different sides of a work of art do not match.

An even distribution of visual weight in a design achieved because the forms are positioned around a central point.

Characterisitics of a symmetrically balanced artwork:

The easiest way to balance a work with symmetrical balance.

• Both sides of an imaginary vertical, central dividing lines have an even distribution of visual weight.

• The left and right sides have a similarity of forms, items and figures are similar in shape, mass, placement, size, texture, value and/or color

• The work usually feels stable, formal and grand

Characterisitics of asymmetrically balanced artwork:

A more difficult way to balance a work is with assymetrical balance.

• Both sides of an imaginary vertical, central dividing lines have an even distribution of visual weight.

• Two sides of the artwork do not match in form at all; items and figures differ in shape, mass, placement, size, texture, value and/or color

• The work often feels dynamic, casual and exciting.

Radial Balance

A third way to balance artworks is through radial balance.

• All areas around the central point have an even distribution of visual weight.

• Forms are positioned and balanced in a circle.

• The central point is a place of importance that draws attention.

Hi,did you know that symmetrical balance is common in religious artworks?

The artworks lend to visual weight in what is in the middle of the design.

No, how?

Like the painting Isenheim Altarpiece in France?

OptionaL Enrichment: Click on artwork to learn about the artwork

Let us analyze the painting.

This slit at the center of the altar shows how Christ is crucified slightly to the right of center.

St. Anthony stands in an outer panel.

John the Baptist appears with a sacrificial lamb.

St. Sebastian appears in an outer panel.

• The altar has four panels

• Christ's arms reach out on both sides of the cross.

• Two saints, each in red robes, flank the outside of the altar.

The virgin Mary swoons into the arms of John the Evangelist, and Mary Magdalene kneels.

vassily Kandinsky

The left side gains weight from this circular shape placed at the edge that is the largest, darkest, most textured (with its mottled surface), and most complex (with its soft-edged border) shape. Try covering this shape and see what happens to the balance.

The right side earns its weight from the large number of forms that take up space and crowd the background. Our eyes tend to go to the right to explore each repeating circle, arc, line, and triangle.

In a surface filled with precise lines and forms, there is one irregular, flowing line- on the left-that is visually heavy.

Several shapes on the left repeat the intense color and complex edge of the large circle and so further sees to draw our eyes left.

OptionaL Enrichment: Click to learn about VAssily Kandinsky

The poster for the 2018 superhero movie Black Panther is balanced. The film tells the story of T'Challa, who becomes king of Wakanda. Known to the world as a poor Afrian nation, Wakanda is hiding its futuristic, technological advances. T'Challa assumes the role of Black Panther to protect Wakanda and the world from a powerful enemy. The film's content can be understood from the image of Wakanda, seen at left with different spaceships flying above, and T'Challa, seen at right as Black Panther, standing atop an enormous sculpture of the panther goddess. The two look left, forming implied lines toward Wakanda, as if they watch over the country. Filled with such different images, the two sides of the work do not match. Yet, since the work has asymmetrical balance, both sides have equal visual weight. Consider what makes something visually heavy (including size, color, value, texture, configuration and placement) and answer these quesstions:

• What gives the right side visual weight?
• What gives the left side visual weight?

Emphasis & Subordination

The visual dominance of an area in a design that attracts the viewer' attention

The deemphasis of certain areas in a design so that they do not attract attention

Emphasis vs. subordination

A part of an artwork is defined as an area of subordination when:

A part of an artwork is defined as an area of emphasis when:

• Dominates because it carries the most visual weight
• Attracts viewers' attention to what is most important
• Ensures that viewers's eyes focus there

• Is deemphasized because it carries less visual weight
• Does not distract because it is less important
• Ensures that viewers's eyes can move to areas of emphasis

examples of creating emphasis in an artwork

Info

Info

Info

Info

Emphasis using complementary colors and atmpospheric perspective.

Emphasis using value (light and dark)

Emphasis using intensity of light.

Emphasis using color.

The emphasis is the fruit & colorsThe subordination is the tablecloth and background. Without the fruit, the painting would be pretty boring and would blend in with everything else.

Still Life with Compotier, Pitcher, and Fruit, Paul Cezanne, 1892-1894

In this painting, the emphasis is on the man with his arms raised in surrender and other victims while the subordination is the line of soldiers with their backs to the viewer which already tags them as the antagonist. In art, whenever a figure has their backs to the viewer we typically do not like them because we cannot connect with them. They are a mystery. Whereas when a figure is looking at the viewer, or if they have what is called “the gaze” we connect with the painting on a deeper level.

Executions of the Third of May, 1808, Francisco Goya, 1814-1815

video

rhythm & Movement

The repetition of a particular visual element or similar visual element of art.

Movement is the path the viewer's eyes take through the work of art, often to focal areas.

Rhythm is created when one or more elements of design are used repeatedly to create a feeling of organized movement. Rhythm creates a mood like music or dancing. To keep rhythm exciting and active, variety is essential.Rhythm can be random, regular, alternating, flowing, or progressive.

Regular Rhythm: Regular rhythm is created when a series of elements (often identical or similar) are placed at regular intervals in an artwork. If an artist isn't careful, this type of rhythm can be monotonous or boring.

Flowing Rhythm: Flowing rhythm is created by bending and curving different elements and intervals in an artwork

Edvard Munch's The Scream (1893) is an example of regular and flowing pattern rhythm.

Sandy Skoglund's photograph A Breeze at Work (1987) is an example of alternating rhythm.

Alternating Rhythm: Alternating rhythm is when two or more motifs are alternated. It is similar to regular rhythm but, because more things are repeated, it adds more variety to an artwork.

"Sandy Skoglund – Breeze at Work (1987)" by cea+ is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Random rhythm describes an artwork that contains repeating elements without a specified order or arrangement. Some random rhythm examples include splatters of paint or shells on a beach.

+ info

+ info

+ info

Georges Braque's Candlestick and Playing Cards on a Table (1910) is an example of progressive rhythm.

Progressive Rhythm: In progressive rhythm, each time an element or motif repeats itself, it changes a little and transforms gradually. It changes from one thing to another.

Principle of Design: Movement

Movement: Explore a variety of artists that show motion in their artwork.

Three types of Movement in art

Movement is the path the viewer's eye takes through the work of art, often to focal areas. Such movement can be directed along lines, edges, shape, and color within the work of art. Artists use movement to direct the viewer's eye through a work of art.

PHYSICAL

JUXTAPOSITION

MOVING THE VIEWER'S EYE

Physical movement is the first type of movement found in an artwork. It is the obvious, physical movement. This is the feeling of action found in a work of art. This can be conveyed by drawing or painting lines coming from the object that is moving. It can be actual in a three dimensional artwork such as a mobile .

Juxtaposition is the second type of movement. In juxtaposition, the artist portrays the subject in somewhat of a "freeze frame.” This type of movement can show the subject in the air, or at an angle.

Moving the viewer's eye is the third type of movement. It deals with the way the viewer's eye moves through the work of art. Movement is dictated by the way the objects are placed on the picture plane or by the way the artist uses the elements of art throughout the artwork.

Your drawing assignment on rhythm and movement will be inspired by the video below: Please see video for instructions.

How can I create movement in my artwork?

uNITY and Variety

Unity: The quality of oneness, coherence, or wholeness among the visual elements of a work of art.

Variety: The quality of contrast, difference, or diversity among the visual elements in a work of art.

If, instead, each wall is a different color, even if you like all the colors, perhaps your room feels disconnected.

Let me explain unity and variety to you today. Think about your bedroom. Did you arrange or organized your furniture, bedding and decorations in a way that felt right to you?

Yes, I chose the furniture, decorations and the color of my walls.

Now consider your walls in relation to the rest of the room. Chances are your walls are not the same color as your decorations.

I think I get it now, but let's dive into.

That would be boring.

+ info

unity VS. Variety

Variety can similarly be created in different ways. Artist can include:

Unity in art can be created in many ways. Artist can use:

• Different and unique lines, shapes, masses, textures, values or colors

• Common and repeated lines, shapes, masses, textures, values or colors

• Space or time in a consistent manner

• Space or time in an inconsistent manner

• A simialar material or technique

• Dissimalar material or technique

In the Taj Mahal, unity is created, in the repetition of the masses and open spaces formed by alcoves, domes, and arches and in the consistent technique of inlaid marble.

In the Taj Mahal, variety is created through different-sized alcoves, domes and arches and in the change in value across the facade.

The Taj Mahal tomb building. Mughal period, 1632-48, Agra, India.

click here to take a virtual field trip

Artist Auguste Rodin

• Rodin unified the design, commemorating the group sacrifice, in the similar draped masses of the men's attire and the common color and texture of the bronze.

• Rodin uses variety to convey the drama of the situation. Each man faces his fate showing a different response, from resignation to fear to acceptance to sadness.

Watch

Auguste Rodin, The Burghers of Calais, 1884-89, cast 1953-59. Bronze, 6'7 1/8" x 6' 5 1/8". Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpure Garden, Smithonian Institution, Washington, DC.

Unity is created by the repetition of the flags and the people, and the arrangement on the canvas, with all elements of the composition facing inward from the edges of the canvas. Variety is provided by variations in the sizes and position of the flags and people.

Claude Monet Rue Montorgueil in Paris, Festival of June 30, 1878.

https://www.sophia.org/tutorials/design-in-art-emphasis-variety-and-unity

Wasily Kandinsky

In this composition, unity is provided by the repetition of circles on a neutral background. Variety is added by varying the sizes and colors of the circles, and by overlapping them.

Wasily Kandinsky Several Circles (Einige Kreise), January–February 1926. Oil on canvas, 55 1/4 x 55 3/8 inches (140.3 x 140.7 cm).

Does this image look familiar? Artist Wayne Theibaud creates art inspired by everyday objects or food!

+ info

Wayne Thiebaud: Beyond the Cakes

Wow! I never thought of my box of doughnuts as having unity and variety.

Wayne Thiebaud. Cakes. 1963. oil on canvas

Wayne Thiebaud. Neapolitan Cupcakes.2008. oil,cardboard

Wayne Thiebaud. Four Cakes.1996. pastel, paper

Wayne Thiebaud. Pie Counter. 1963

Wayne Thiebaud. Three Machines. 1963

Wayne Thiebaud. Eight Lipsticks, 1988 drypoint on Somerset Satin paper,

This is an optional enrichment video if you wish to learn more about artist Wayne Thiebaud.

Best known for his luscious paintings of pies and ice-cream cones, California artist Wayne Thiebaud (born 1920) has been an avid and prolific draftsman since he began his career as an illustrator and cartoonist

scale & pROPORTIONS

Scale: The size of an object relative to what is normal.

Proportion: The mathematical relationship between the size of a part of an object and the size of the whole.

Scale is how an object compares in size to other objects. This sculpture uses scale to make us look at the forms and colors of this spoon and cherry.

Wow! That is a big spoon!

+ info

More Artworks that play with scale

Many times, scale involves comparing the size of objects to the human body. Chuck Close painting of an ordinary-looking man is enlarged, making viewers notice the face and details. Words often used to describe scale include: life-sized, oversized, and miniature.

In The Great Wave Off Kanagawa, Hokusai used scale to make the viewers focus on the wave and to express the wave’s power. The humans appear tiny and helpless, and even Mt. Fuji looks dwarfed by the large wave.

In the painting by Magritte, objects are abnormally large in scale, creating a bizarre setting.

Georgia O’Keeffe was one of the first influential female artists and one of the pioneers of modern art.

• She was known for her flower canvases and southwestern landscapes.
• O’Keeffe produced artwork for seventy years, dying at an old age of 99. ​
• ​​Much of Georgia O’Keefe’s art focused on flowers. She chose to paint the flowers on a large scale. Scale relates to the size of an object as compared to what is thought of as a normal size.
• O’Keefe’s flowers were painted in such a close-up view that the colors and shapes form an abstract design. By changing the “scale” or normal size of a flower, she drew attention to it and changed it into an abstract painting.

Proportion is how the parts of a whole object compare in size. For instance, if the head of a human body is drawn unusually large it is out of proportion with the rest of the body.

Artists and cartoonists often change the proportion of parts of a person’s body to call attention to the feature, to make a point, or even just to be funny. In this drawing, called a caricature, the artist made Elvis Presley’s lips, cheeks, and hair larger in proportion to his normal face.

In the sculpture of Roman emperor, Constantine, the artist made Constantine’s eyes larger in proportion to the rest of the face. He also made his forehead shorter. The artist had reasons for doing this. He was trying to show emperor Constantine as a person concerned with spiritual matters. In the sculpture of David, Michelangelo made the face in what was considered perfect proportion with no parts of the face made larger or smaller in size than normal. He wanted to show the human body as something created by God as a thing of beauty.

Artist Hannah Hoch (Hotch) created collage artworks using photos. She distorted proportions of human figures to make a political statement about her world of Germany just before World War II. When parts of an object are exaggerated or not in normal proportion in tends to startle or even bother a viewer.

Practice scale and proportion by enlarging a photo onto a larger paper

Then measure and draw a second grid on the larger paper or canvas where you want to draw the photo larger. The size of this new grid and the squares must be of equal ratio to the size of the first photo and squares.

First, a grid needs to be drawn over the photo or drawing you want to use. Use a ruler and measure equal squares to form a grid over the photo.

Then draw the image onto the bigger paper, focusing on one square at a time, which makes it easier to get the drawing the right size and the lines in the right places. When the reproduced drawing is finished, the grid lines are erased, and the artist has an accurate reproduction of the photo or first drawing.

+ info

In the latest installment of "Note to Self," famed portrait artist Chuck Close writes a letter to himself at age 14, offering himself advice on how to overcome his learning disabilities and his problem with face blindness.

+ info

THE END?

THANKS!