Presentation Name Course Name

Unit # – Lesson #.# – Lesson Name

Visual Design Elements

Eight integral components used in the

creation of a design:
•Point •Shape
•Line •Form
•Color •Space
Elements and Principles •Value •Texture
of Design

Introduction to Engineering Design © 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

Point Line

• Most basic element of • Has only a length

design dimension Image courtesy Autodesk, Inc.

• Has position but no • Can be used to

dimension Image courtesy Autodesk, Inc. – Define a boundary
– Indicate volume
• Can be described by
– Create perspective and depth
coordinates on a plane
– Create textures and patterns Image courtesy Autodesk, Inc.

• Used to indicate a location – Suggest movement

– Imply emotion

Image courtesy Autodesk, Inc. Microsoft Office clipart Microsoft Office clipart

Line Vertical Lines

Types • Vertical lines characterize dignity,
formality, stability, and strength
• Vertical - Represents dignity, formality,
stability, and strength
• Horizontal - Represents calm, peace, and
relaxation
• Diagonal - Represents action, activity,
excitement, and movement
• Curved - Represents freedom, the natural,
having the appearance of softness, and The Empire State Microsoft Office clipart
Skyscraper
creates a soothing feeling or mood Building Brandenburg Gate
Madrid, Spain
Architect: Shreve, Lamb, Berlin
and Harmon

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Horizontal Lines Diagonal Lines

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Microsoft Office clipart

• Horizontal lines
• Diagonal lines give
represent calm,
peace, and the sense of
relaxation movement, action,
and activity.
©iStockphoto.com

Microsoft Office clipart

Wikimedia.org

Community Christian Church

Kansas City, MO
Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright, 1940

Curved Lines Color

Described by a number of
qualities
– Hue: base color (e.g., red)
Microsoft Office clipart

©iStockphoto.com

– Value: lightness or darkness

©iStockphoto.com
Microsoft Office clipart

– Saturation: purity or intensity

• Curved lines give the relative to gray
sense of freedom and
a soothing mood Sydney Opera House
Jorn Utzon

Color Temperature Color

• Color has an immediate and profound

effect on a design

Image courtesy Autodesk, Inc.

Cool Colors Warm Colors

Blues, purples, greens Reds, oranges, yellows
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Microsoft Office clipart

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Value Value

• Relative lightness or darkness of a color, • Allows us to perceive shapes and the

object, or shape illusion of 3D objects on a 2D surface

Image courtesy Autodesk, Inc.

Microsoft Office clipart

Shape Shape

• A 2D area enclosed by lines or curves

• Types
– Geometric: square, circle, triangle
– Mechanical: simple shapes made of straight
and curved lines
– Organic: natural or simulating nature
Microsoft clipart Image courtesy Autodesk, Inc.
Image courtesy Autodesk, Inc.

Geometric Mechanical Organic

Form Form
©iStockphoto.com

• A 3D volume or solid
• Often implied on a 2D surface by careful
use of value

Microsoft clipart
Image courtesy Autodesk, Inc.
Oriental Pearl Tower Ancient Egyptian Pyramids
Shanghai
Architect: Jiang Huan Cheng,
Shanghai Modern Architectural
Design, Co.

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Space Space

• Areas between and around parts of an • Evident in images with

image or the implied depth in that image depth
• Types • Types
– Positive – Open, uncluttered
– Negative – Cramped, busy

Microsoft clipart

Image courtesy Autodesk, Inc.

©iStockphoto.com

Texture Texture Fluffy

• The surface look or feel Smooth

©iStockphoto.com

• Types
– Smooth Rough
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• Reflects more light

• More intense color
– Rough
• Absorbs more light
Exterior metal façade of Disney
• Appears darker Concert Hall
Los Angeles
Image courtesy Autodesk, Inc.

©iStockphoto.com

Park Guell – Barcelona, Spain

Architect: Antonio Gaudí

Principles of Design Balance

• Many principles add to an interesting • Visual and physical balance

design • The distribution of elements within a
design
•Balance •Proportion • Types
•Emphasis •Unity – Symmetrical (formal)
•Contrast •Economy – Asymmetrical (informal)
– Radial
•Rhythm

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Symmetrical (Formal) Balance Asymmetrical (Informal) Balance

• The elements within the design are • The elements within the design are not
identical in visual weight in relation to a identical but are arranged to provide a
centerline or axis balanced visual weight
©iStockphoto.com

©iStockphoto.com

The Taj Mahal Mausoleum

Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India
Image courtesy Autodesk, Inc.

Microsoft Office clipart

Microsoft clipart
Microsoft Office clipart

Radial Balance Emphasis

• Distribution of components in a circular • Used to draw attention to one area

pattern around a center point • Focal Point – feature in a design that
attracts the eye
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• Can be achieved through

– Size
– Placement
– Shape
– Contrast
Dresden Frauenkirche – Use of lines
Dresden, Germay
Microsoft clipart
Wikipedia.org Microsoft Office clipart

Microsoft Office clipart

Emphasis Contrast
• The degree of relative
difference between
elements

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Image courtesy Autodesk, Inc.

Microsoft clipart ©iStockphoto.com

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Contrast Rhythm
• Can be used to emphasize an element of • Repeated use of line, shape, color, texture
a design or pattern
• A harmonious pattern or sequence
• Types
– Regular
– Random
– Gradated
– Graduated

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Image courtesy Autodesk, Inc.

Regular Rhythm Random Rhythm

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• An element is repeated at the same • The repetition of the

repetition/interval element is random or
situated at irregular
intervals
Microsoft Office clipart
Microsoft Office clipart

Microsoft Office clipart

Gradated Rhythm Graduated Rhythm

• The repeated element is identical with the • The repeated element becomes closer or
exception of one detail increasing or further apart
decreasing gradually with each repetition

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Left: Stack of rocks used

as focal point in
landscaping

Right: The Chinese Tower

English Gardens
Munich, Germany
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Microsoft Office clipart
www.wikimedia.org Microsoft Office clipart

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Presentation Name Course Name
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Proportion Microsoft Office clipart

Unity
• Comparative relationship • The consistent use of
between elements in a design elements
design with respect to
size ©iStockphoto.com

Microsoft Office clipart

• Scale – The proportion or Microsoft Office clipart

size of an element in
relation to the other
elements Microsoft Office clipart

©iStockphoto.com

Economy Economy
• Use of the bare minimum of elements
• Can be achieved by removing extraneous
elements
• In simplicity there is beauty
• Less is more Image courtesy Autodesk, Inc.

Image courtesy Autodesk, Inc. Image courtesy Autodesk, Inc.

Visual Design Principles and Elements Matrix

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