DESIGN

PRINCIPLES
&
ELEMENTS
Ahmada Auliya Rahman, S.I.Kom., M.Pd.
 Design Elements
Before we create a work, we must
first understand the materials that
make up the work, namely the
Design Elements.
There are 6 basic elements in the
realization of a work, namely:
 6 Unsur Desain

1. Line

All lines whether it's horizontal, vertical, straight,

curved, dots, thick or thin.
 6 Unsur Desain

2. Shape

Flat / 2D plane, whether it's Geometric or Organic

plane
 6 Unsur Desain

3. Form

A field that has a 3D shape (length, width, height),

whether it's a Geometric or Organic field
 6 Unsur Desain

4. Color

The color of the field corresponds to its Hue,

Saturation and Lightness.
 6 Unsur Desain

5. Texture

The impression that can be felt on the surface of

the field, such as soft, rough, slippery, hairy, etc.
 6 Unsur Desain

6. Space

Available space on a visual. Space can be around,

between, or within a plane or the space forms a
plane.
 Design Principle
Studying Design Principles will help
us in drafting the concept of the
design that we will realize.
Here are the 5 Design Principles and
their explanations
 5 Prinsip Desain

1. Unity
• Unity is one of the most important basic
principles of visual design.
• This principle is actually the relationship
principle.
• The absence of unity in a work of art will make
the work look scattered, chaotic which makes
the work uncomfortable to look at.
 Sample 1 Sample 2
Example of design with the principle of
Unity
 5 Prinsip Desain

2. Balance
• Artwork and design must have a balance so that
it is pleasing to the eye and not unsettling.
• Just as if we see a tree or building that is about
to fall, we feel uncomfortable and tend to be
restless.
• In the field of art this balance cannot be
measured but can be felt, which is a condition
where all parts of a work are not burdensome to
each other.
 Sample 1 Sample 2
Examples of designs with the principle of
Balance
 5 Prinsip Desain

3. Proportion
• Proportion is a basic principle of visual design to
achieve harmony.
• To obtain harmony in a work, proper
comparisons are needed.
Example of a design with the principle of
Proportion
 5 Prinsip Desain

4. Rhythm
• Rhythm is a regular and continuous repetition of
motion.
• The principle of rhythm is actually the
relationship of repetition of the forms of the
visual elements.
 Sample 1 Sample 2
Example of design with the principle of
Rhythm
 5 Prinsip Desain

5. Dominance
• Domination is one of the basic principles of art
that must exist in works of art and design.
• Domination has several purposes, namely to
attract attention, eliminate boredom and to
break the order.
 Sample 1 Sample 2
Example of a design with the principle of
Dominance
 There are no Absolute
Design Principles
Visual arts is not an exact science like
mathematics, but as explained earlier, we
need to learn Design Principles so that we
understand the basic guidelines for forming
a design so that our work is more
focused/conceptualized.
Sometimes we have to Break The Rule (Out
of the Box), but before we go out of the Box
we must first understand the basic
guidelines of Design Principles.
Thanks