Course code- BA(JMC) 105

Course Title- Basics of Design and Graphics

Unit -1 [Introduction to Design and Graphics]
Lesson – 2 “Elements and Principles of Design”
 whAT IS Art ?

The Elements and Principles

of Art
 The Elements of Art

Line
A line is defined as an extension of point. Line is a
one-dimensional entity with only length and
having no width. This point in motion can either
be thick or thin. Thinness or thickness of line
creates a visual impact.
 LINE

Ansel Adams Gustave Caillebotte

Pablo Picasso
 The Elements of Art

Colour
Colour is the core attribute of visual perception
and therefore it is the most effective element of
design. No one can imagine a world with only two
colours: black and white. Colour is the soul of
design.
 The Elements of Art
Types of colours
 Primary colour: The three colours that are equal
distant on the colour wheel and are used to make up all
other colours; red, yellow, and blue.

 Secondary colour: A mixture of two primary colours

including green, violet, and orange. Secondary colours are
a way to have more vibrant colours.

 Tertiary colour: Colours formed from a primary and a

secondary colour like yellow-green, red-violet, and
yellow-orange. While naming the tertiary colours, the
primary is named before the secondary.
 COLOR

Consists of Hue (another word for color),

Intensity (brightness) and Value (lightness
or darkness).

Alexander Calder

Henri Matisse
 The Elements of Art
Value
Value is the degree of lightness or darkness of a colour.
Value is also called tone. Tonal contrast is simply the
difference between the light and dark areas in a painting.
 VALUE

The lightness or darkness of a color.

MC Escher Pablo Picasso

 The Elements of Art
Shape

A shape is a self contained defined area of geometric or

organic form. A shape is defined as an area enclosed by
lines with defined or implied boundary, or because of
differences of value, colour, or texture.
 SHAPE

An enclosed area defined and determined

by other art elements; 2-dimensional.

Joan
Miro
Gustave Caillebotte
 A 3-dimensional object; or something in a
2-dimensional artwork that appears to be 3-
dimensional.
FORM

For example, a triangle, which is 2-dimensional, is a

shape, but a pyramid, which is 3-dimensional, is a form.
Jean Arp Lucien Freud
 The Elements of Art
Space
Space is the void between solid objects and shapes. It is
everywhere and all around us. Everything takes up space
in one form or another whether it’s two dimensional like
drawing and painting, three dimensional like sculpture and
architecture.
 S PAC E
The distance or area between, around, above, below, or
within things.

Claude Monet Robert Mapplethorpe

Foreground, Middleground and Positive (filled with something)
Background (creates DEPTH) and Negative (empty areas).
 The Elements of Art
Texture
Texture is defined as the surface characteristics of a
material that can be experienced through the sense of
touch or the illusion of touch.
In visual images, actual textures can be used, such as
bricks, stone, wood, leaf etc.

Physical Texture is the texture you can actually feel with

your hand.

Visual Texture is the illusion of physical texture, created

with the materials you use.
 TEXTURE

The surface quality or "feel" of an object, its

smoothness, roughness, softness, etc. Textures
may be actual or implied.
Cecil
Buller
 The Elements of Art

Size 
Size is simply the proportionality of the area occupied by one shape
to that of another .
For example, the font of the Mast Head of every newspaper is
always bigger than that of the running text. 
The Principles of Art
What we use to organize the
Elements of Art,
or the tools to make art.
 The Principles of Art
Balance
Balance is the arrangement of lines, colours, values,
textures, forms, and space. Balance is a psychological
sense of equilibrium.

Symmetrical balance is easiest to see in perfectly carved

compositions or those with mirror images. In a design
with only two elements they would be almost identical or
have nearly the same visual mass.

Asymmetrical design is typically off-centre or created

with an odd or mismatched number of disparate elements.
 B A L AN C E

The way the elements are arranged to

create a feeling of stability in a work. 

Alexander Calder
 Symmetrical Balance

The parts of an image are organized

so that one side mirrors the other.

Leonardo DaVinci
 Asymmetrical Balance

When one side of a composition does

not reflect the design of the other.

James Whistler
 The Principles of Art
Dominance (Emphasis)
Every page needs a focal point. Emphasis (also known as
dominance) in graphic design is the first thing the eye
sees.
 EMPHASIS

The focal point of an

image, or when one
area or thing stand
out the most.
Jim Dine Gustav Klimt
 The Principles of Art
Contrast
Contrast is the juxtaposition of opposing elements, for
example- opposite colours on the colour wheel - red /
green, blue / orange etc. Contrast in tone or value - light /
dark.
 CONTRAST
A large difference between two
things to create interest and tension.

Salvador Dali
Ansel Adams
 The Principles of Art
Rhythm
Rhythm is a pattern created by repeating elements on a
page in an expected manner. There are many different
kinds of rhythm
Regular: A regular rhythm occurs when the intervals
between the elements, and often the elements themselves,
are similar in size or length.

Flowing: A flowing rhythm gives a sense of movement,

and is often more organic in nature.
 RHYTHM
RHYTHM
RHYTHM
RHYTHM
RHYTHM
RHYTHM
A regular repetition
of elements to and
produce the look and MOVEMENT
Marcel
Duchamp feel of movement.
Vincent VanGogh
 The Principles of Art
Pattern is also a repeating unit of shape or form, but it
can also be thought of as the “skeleton” that organizes the
parts of a composition.
PATTERN
and Repetition Gustav Klimt

Repetition of a design.
 The Principles of Art
Unity
Unity is the underlying principle that summarizes all of
the principles and elements of design. It refers to the
coherence of the whole, the sense that all of the parts are
working together to achieve a common result; a harmony
of all the parts.
 UNITY

When all the

elements and
principles
work together
to create a
pleasing
image.
Johannes Vermeer
 The use of
differences and
change to increase
the visual interest of
the work.

VAR IET Y
Marc Chagall
 The Principles of Art
Proportion
Proportion is the comparison of dimension of forms. It is
the relationship in scale between one element and another,
or between a whole object and one of its parts.
PROPORTIO N

The comparative
relationship of one part to
another with respect to size,
quantity, or degree; SCALE.

Gustave
Caillebotte
 The Principles of Art
Repetition generally refers to repeating elements, like predictable
background patterns or multiple instances of the same object
appearing. 
White Space
Designs that try to cram too much text and graphics onto the page
are uncomfortable and may be impossible to read. White space
gives your design breathing room.
Alignment
Alignment refers to lining up the top, bottom, sides, or middle of
text or graphic elements on a page.
Similarity
The principle of similarity states that things which share visual
characteristics such as shape, size, colour, texture, value or
orientation will be seen as belonging together. 
 Reference

https://medialoot.com/blog/the-elements-and-principles-of-design/
https://blog.bannersnack.com/elements-and-principles-of-design/

Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65WjYDEzi88
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=losbYfihiN4
whAT IS Art ?

Thank You