Design Principles and

Purposes
Week-2
 Class Activity
• As we begin today’s class, let’s do this activity
• Research on the basic design principles and how they apply. Take any
website of your choice and relate how those principles manifest (visible)
in the website.
• Put that in slides. Each one will discuss his or her slides and the sample
website they have identified.
 Introduction
• Hi. Here I'm giving you the basic overview about the Elements and
Principles of Designing.
• The presentation will give you a good understanding about the
significance, meaning and the types of designing elements and principles .
• What are they??
• Why they were used??
 Significance of the Topic
• Sometimes we have to give our opinion about likes or dislikes on a piece
of art or a design, and it’s easy to say just “ I like this, or I don’t like
that…”. But if we are asked to give the reasons for it , then it proves to be
a very difficult to find out the reason.
• This generally happens because we judge the designs on its appeal rather
than on its articulate sub-factors.
• Therefore it’s imperative to know the meaning and the types of the
designing elements and principles.
 Class Activity
Can you evaluate
this piece of
art???
 Significance of the Topic Cont.’
• Designer who knows the design Elements & Principles can evaluate the
design/page in terms of line, color, balance, texture, etc.
• Designing Elements and Principles proves to be an analyzing frame for the
designers.
• A designer can express his thought & intentions with the elements of design
and does it effectively along with the design principles, i.e. they serves as an
expressing tool for designers.
• Now, let us discus these Elements & Principles!!!
 Elements of Design
• Meaning “Elements of Design are the components or part which can be isolated & defined in any
visual design or work of art. They structure and carry the work.”
• The following are the seven basic elements of design which are common throughout the field of
designing.
1. Point / Mark
2. Line
3. Shape
4. Forms
5. Space
6. Color
7. Texture 
 Point (Mark)
• A point or mark is the smallest and most basic
element . It can vary in size, value, regularity or
irregularity, and can be used alone as a unit in a
group.
• Marks can be used to form a value or pattern
( placed close together forms a darker value, further
apart forms a lighter value), or to delineate space
( larger means closer,etc.)
 Line
• A line is a form with width and length, but no depth.
• Artist use lines to create edges, the outlines of objects. The direction of a line
can convey mood.
• Broadly lines can be categorized into three types
1. Horizontal (Horizontal lines are calm and quiet)
2. Vertical (Vertical lines suggest more of a potential for movement.)
3. Diagonal (Diagonal lines strongly suggest movements and give more of a feeling of
vitality to a picture.)
Examples of Diagonal/Vertical and Horizontal
Lines
 Shape
• Shape is defined as an area that stands out from the space next to or around it due
to a defined or implied boundary, or because of differences of value, color, or
texture.
• A shape is formed when a line encloses an area.
• Shapes have two dimensions, length and width and can be geometric or free-form.
• Forms describes volumes and mass, or the 3D aspects of objects that take up space.
• Forms can and should be viewed from any angles. For example: When you hold a baseball, or
a small sculpture, you are aware of their curves, angles, indentations, & edges i.e. their forms.
Examples of Shapes
Examples of Forms
 Space
• Space is a 3D volume that can be empty or filled with objects. It has
width, height, and depth.
• Space that appears three- dimensional in a 2D painting is an illusion that
creates a feeling of actual depth.
• Several techniques can be used to show such visual depth or space, for
example, overlapping, linear perspective, etc.. Example for Overlapping
Other Examples Detail (aerial or atmospheric perspective) Linear
perspective ( converging lines )
Examples of Space
 Colour
• Color has three properties. The first is hue, which is the name of the
colours. - the primary hue are Yellow, Red, and Blue. - secondary colours
are made by mixing two primaries. - intermediate colours are mixtures of
a primary & adjacent secondary colour.
• The second property is Value, which refers to the lightness or darkness of
hue.
• The third property is Intensity, which refers to the purity of the hue also
known as “Chroma”.
Colour Wheel Example
 Texture
• Texture refers to the surface quality, both simulated and actual, of artwork.
 Principles of Design
• Meaning “The Principles of Design are the artistic guidelines used to
organize or arrange the structural elements of design.”
• The following are the six basic principles of effective design which are
common throughout the field of designing (i.e. from print design to
lithography, typography, & industrial design).
• Balance, Contrast, Emphasis, Pattern, Rhythm/Movement, Unity
Principles
 Balance
• Balance refers to the appropriate arrangement of objects in a design to
create the impression of equality in weight or importance.
• Balance provides stability and structure to a design.
• Balance may be symmetrical and asymmetrical, but the goal should be to
achieve equilibrium.
 Balance Cont.’
• Symmetrical Balance can be described as having equal “weight” on equal
sides of a centrally placed fulcrum. It is also known as formal balance.
• Asymmetrical Balance is more complex and difficult top envisage. It
involves placement of objects in a way that will allow objects of varying
visual weight to balance one another around a fulcrum point.
• It is also known as informal balance.
Examples
 Rhythm
• Rhythm or movement is regarded as a visual
temp or beat. It refers to a regular repetition of
elements to produce the look and feel of a
movement.
• Rhythm can be achieved through the careful
placement of repeated components. It can be
directed for example, along edges & by means
of shape and colour.
• Rhythm can be categorized Random, Regular,
Alternating, Progressive, and Flowing.
 Emphasis
• The term emphasis literally means to give
importance.
• Emphasis in designing refers to give special
attention to one part of a work of art.
• It can be achieved through placement, contrast,
colour, size, repetition, etc. For example: A dark
shape in a light composition
 Contrast
• Contrast refers to the juxtaposition of
different elements of design (for example:
rough & smooth textures, dark & light
values)in order to highlight their differences
or create visual interest , or a focal point.
• Contrast allows us to emphasize or
highlight key elements in your design.
 Pattern
• Pattern in a design simply refers to keeping
your design in a certain format.
• It is often described as a regular arrangement
of alternated or repeated elements (shapes,
lines, colours) or motifs.

For example: One could plan to

have curved lines all around a
design as a pattern.
 Unity
• Unity refers to the arrangement of elements to
give the viewer the feeling that all the parts of
the design or piece form a coherent whole i.e.
designs must be in harmony in which all
sections of the pattern make other sections
feel complete.
• It enables the design to be seen as one
complete piece of art or design.
 Absolute examples of Designing Elements &
Principles
• One can create such aesthetic piece of art if he strictly adhere to all
Elements & Principles of Designing.