 The Elements are the building blocks used to

create a work of art. Good or bad - all graphic

design work or paintings will contain most of if not
all, the seven elements of design.

 The Principles of design can be thought of as what

we do to the elements of design. How we apply the
Principles of design determines how successful we
are in creating a work of art.
Visual elements of composition:
 Point

 Line

 Plane or shape

 Value or tone

 Texture

 Volume or form

 Colour
Point
A point marks position in
space. It has no mass at
all. Graphically a point
takes form as a dot, a
visible mark.
A point can be an
insignificant fleck of a
matter or concentrated
locus of power.
Point
LINE
A line is the track made by the moving point…
W. Kandinsky
A line is an infinite series of
points. It is the connection
between two points, or it is the
path of a moving point. A line
can be a positive mark or
negative gap. Lines appear at
the edges of objects and where
two planes meet.
Lines are drawn with a pen,
pencil, brush, mouse or digital
code.
LINE
LINE
LINE
LINE
LINE
LINE
LINE

Example of expressive possibilities of pure line. Calligraphy is the art of fine writing, so highly developed in
Arabic cultures, Japan and China.
LINE
 LINE

Edges may be read as lines

in 3D as well as 2D works

Christo – Running fence, Sonoma, California

 LINE

The reclining rocking chair suggests, by its long, flowing lines, the restful feeling that one expects to experience
when lying in the chair. As the lines flow thought the lengthened curves, it is difficult to follow the single line,
rather, we are visually drawn into the abstract expressive quality of the lines.
LINE typographic illustration
Plane or Shape
A plane is a flat surface extending in height
and width. A plane is the path of moving line.
A line closes to become a shape, a bounded
plane. Shapes are planes with edges.
Ceilings, walls, floors, and windows are
physical planes. A plane can be solid or
perforated, textured or smooth.
Plane or Shape
Plane or Shape
Plane or Shape typographic illustration
SHAPE (2D areas, flat)
A shape is a self contained
defined area of geometric or
organic form. A positive shape
in a painting automatically
creates a negative shape.
SHAPE (2D areas, flat)
A positive shape in a painting
automatically creates a
negative shape.
SHAPE (2D areas, flat)
A positive shape in a painting
automatically creates a
negative shape.
 Negative – Positive Space Visual Interrelationship
A positive (black) form on a negative
(white) ground, and the reverse,
retains its identity as positive if there
is no other form or spatial break to
define it as anything else. Note also
how the white form on the black
background appears larger than its
same-sized black counterpart on the
white field.
As a black (positive) form becomes
larger within a negative (white) field,
the leftover negative spaces
become smaller and, eventually,
might appear to be positive (white
forms) in the context of a black
field.
 Form and Counterform
Typographic positive and negative space

871
VALUE or TONE

…the relative lightness or darkness of an area. Values are most

easily perceived when colour hues are subtracted. Black and white
photographs of coloured artworks translate hues into a range of grays
from very dark to very light.
 Black and white photographs of coloured
artworks translate hues into a range of
VALUE or TONE grays from very dark to very light.

Caravaggio – The Fortune Teller

VALUE or TONE typographic illustration
TEXTURE

Texture is the surface quality of

a shape - rough, smooth,
soft, hard, glossy etc.
Texture can be physical (tactile)
or visual.
From experience in the world,
we are quite familiar with
great range of textural
qualities: coarse, slimy,
bristly, smooth , furry,
matted, scratchy, wrinkled,
and so on.
TEXTURE
TEXTURE typographic illustration
TEXTURE
Texture can be physical (tactile) or
visual.

Rendering a
drawing
plane
TEXTURE
Texture can be
physical (tactile) or visual.

Rendering a
drawing
plane
 TEXTURE

Certain artists have gone to great

lengths to capture the visual
effects of textures. One of the
masters in this respect is
Dominique Ingres. In his
Portrait of the Princesse de
Broglie, the facial skin and hair
are rather stylized and simplified,
in dramatic contrast to the
extreme attention to detail in
rendering textures of the fabrics.
The lush satiny dress fabric is so
realistically painted that we can
guess exactly how it feels.
 VOLUME or FORM

The volume of any solid,

liquid, plasma, vacuum or
theoretical object is how
much three-dimensional
space it occupies, often
quantified numerically.
One-dimensional figures
(such as lines) and two-
dimensional shapes (such
as squares) are assigned
zero volume in the three-
dimensional space.
VOLUME or FORM
VOLUME or FORM

Although term ‘VOLUME’ and

‘FORM’ apply to 3D objects,
sometimes two-dimensional
works may create on flat surface
the illusion of forms. In many
three-dimensional works,
distinguish both outer, or
PRIMARY CONTOURS and
SECONDARY CONTOURS
developed within the primary
contours. Often the primary In the ancient Fish from Vettersfelde (c. 500
contour is the outline that allows bc), found in Germany, primary contour is
us to identify the subject of the the shape of a fish. The secondary contours
work, if it is representational. are the raised and engraved areas across
the body.
COLOUR
BALANCE

Balance is a fundamental human condition: we require physical

balance to stand upright and walk; we seek balance among the
many facets of our personal and professional lives.
In design, balance acts as a catalyst for form –it anchors and
activates elements in space.
BALANCE

Balance implies that the visual elements within the frame have a
sense of weight. Large objects generally weigh more than small
objects and dark objects weigh more than light colored objects. The
position of the elements is also critical. We unconsciously assume
the center of a picture corresponds to a fulcrum. A heavy weight on
one side can be balanced by a lighter weight on the other side if the
lighter weight is located at a greater distance from the fulcrum.
BALANCE
Balance in design is similar to balance in physics

A large shape close to the center can be balanced by a small

shape close to the edge.
A large light toned shape will be balanced by a small dark toned
shape (the darker the shape the heavier it appears to be)
BALANCE

There are three

different types of
balance:
- symmetrical
- asymmetrical
- radial
BALANCE typographic illustration
REPETITION or PATTERN
Repeating visual elements
such as line, color, shape,
texture, value or image
tends to unify the total
effect of a work of art as
well as create rhythm.
Repetition can take the
form of an exact duplication
(pattern), a near
duplication, or duplication
with variety.
REPETITION or PATTERN
REPETITION or PATTERN
Repetition without variation appears dull and monotonous
Repetition with variation appears stimulating and visually attractive
REPETITION or PATTERN
GRADATION

Gradation of size and

direction produce linear
perspective. Gradation of
colour from warm to cool and
tone from dark to light
produce aerial perspective.
Gradation can add interest
and movement to a shape.
A gradation from dark to light
will cause the eye to move
along a shape.
GRADATION
CONTRAST

Contrast is the combination of opposing elements e.g. opposite

colours on the colour wheel - red / green, blue / orange etc.
Contrast in tone or value - light / dark.
Contrast in direction - horizontal / vertical.
The major contrast in a painting should be located at the center of
interest.
Too much contrast scattered throughout a painting can destroy
unity and make a work difficult to look at. Unless a feeling of chaos
and confusion are what you are seeking, it is a good idea to
carefully consider where to place your areas of maximum contrast.
CONTRAST
CONTRAST
Contrast enhances appearance
DOMINANCE

Dominance gives a
painting interest,
counteracting confusion
and monotony.
Dominance can be
applied to one or more of
the elements to give
emphasis.
DOMINANCE
UNITY
Relating the design elements to the idea being
expressed in a painting reinforces the principal of unity;
e.g. a painting with an active aggressive subject would
work better with a dominant oblique direction, course,
rough texture, angular lines etc. whereas a quiet
passive subject would benefit from horizontal lines, soft
texture and less tonal contrast.
Unity in a painting also refers to the visual linking of
various elements of the work.
UNITY
HARMONY
Harmony in painting is the visually satisfying effect of
combining similar, related elements, e.g. adjacent
colours on the colour wheel, similar shapes etc.
HARMONY

Harmony: brings together a

composition with similar
units. If your composition
was using wavy lines and
organic shapes you would
stay with those types of lines
and not put in just one
geometric shape. (Notice
how similar Harmony is to
Unity).
PROPORTION or SIZE

Proportion refers the size relationship of visual elements to

each other and to the whole picture. One of the reasons
proportion is often considered important in composition is that
viewers respond to it emotionally. Proportion in art has been
examined for hundreds of years. One proportion that is often
cited as occurring frequently in design is the Golden mean or
Golden ratio.
PROPORTION or SIZE
PROPORTION or SIZE
 PROPORTION

Golden Ratio: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21,

34 etc. Each succeeding number
after 1 is equal to the sum of the two
preceding numbers. The Ratio
formed 1:1.618 is called the golden
mean - the ratio of bc to ab is the
same as ab to ac. If you divide each
smaller window again with the same
ratio and joining their corners you
end up with a logarithmic spiral. This
spiral is a motif found frequently
throughout nature in shells, horns
and flowers.
 PROPORTION

Many artists are aware of the rule of thirds, where a picture is divided
into three sections vertically and horizontally and lines and points of
intersection represent places to position important visual elements.
Moving a horizon in a landscape to the position of one third is often
more effective than placing it in the middle, but it could also be placed
near the bottom one quarter or sixth. There is nothing obligatory about
applying the rule of thirds. In placing visual elements for effective
composition, one must assess many factors including color,
dominance, size and balance together with proportion.
PROPORTION
PROPORTION
 DIRECTION

All lines have direction –

Horizontal, Vertical or
Oblique. Horizontal
suggests calmness,
stability and tranquility.
Vertical gives a feeling
of balance, formality
and alertness. Oblique
suggests movement
and action.
MONOCHROMATIC

Having or appearing to have

only one color or composed of
radiation of only one
wavelength: monochromatic
light.

Red Square Composition

MONOCHROMATIC
MONOCHROMATIC
 POLYCHROMATIC

Having or exhibiting many colors, or

composed of radiation of more
than one wavelength:
polychromatic light.

Klee, Paul-Red_Balloon-1922
 POLYCHROMATIC

Kandinsky, Composition VII

POLYCHROMATIC

cd cover magazine add

STATIC

"static" has nothing to do

with electricity -- it simply
means unmoving, or
without force. By contrast,
"dynamic" means forceful,
or moving.
Static composition in a
picture is quite often
centered and almost
always well balanced.
Mondrian – Composition
 STATIC

Rafael – Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione

STATIC

annual report poster

DYNAMIC

Delacroix - Liberty Leading the People

DYNAMIC

Salvatore Dali
-tuna - polychromatic,
dynamic,
DYNAMIC
DYNAMIC

double spread
Apicrop annual report
cover
OPEN

Objects, shapes, colour and

value extend beyond picture
plane/shape boundaries.

OPEN

CLOSED
OPEN
 OPEN

Wassily Kandinsky – Composition V

 OPEN

Matisse – Fruit and Coffee

OPEN

Edggar Degas-
Dancer adjusting
her shoe
 CLOSED

Vincent Van Gogh - Sunflowers

 CLOSED

Claude Monet – Madame Monet and Son

 CLOSED

E.C. Tarbell –Three

Sisters
 LINE

The technique of the brush

drawing with white highlights
on blue paper was one Dürer
became acquainted with in
Venice. The interplay of white
and dark parallel and cross-
hatchings which gently follow
the curves of the face create
the plastic effect of the light
and dark shades.

A. Durer - Head of an Angel 1506

Brush drawing on blue Venetian paper, 270 x 208 mm, Vienna
 LINE

Albrecht Durer - Study of Drapery

Brush drawing on a dark ground with white highlight, 400 x
235 mm
Staatliche Museen, Berlin
 LINE

Albrecht Durer – Hands Study

Aesthetic and expressive qualities of line
Line personality
Line personality
Line personality
Line personality
Line personality
Line personality
Line personality
Line Factory (disorganized)
LINE
 LINE

Rembrandt van Rijn - A Woman Sleeping – paint brush

drawing - 1655
 LINE

Carp – paint brush drawing

The quality of your line is very
important and it can make or
break a gesture drawing.
Emphasize the complex rhythms
of en object by alternating thick
and thin strokes, saving your
strongest lines for the dominant
rhythms. You can also reinforce
the interlocking, sculptural quality
of the shapes by emphasizing the
lines on forms that cross over and
in front of other forms.
You may want curves in your
drawing to evolve one into the
other, not start and stop like a
sputtering car.
 Not Anything
Five brush-strokes
by Jan Zaremba
Contour Drawing
Blind Contour Drawing
Blind Contour Drawing
Continuous Line
Continuous Line Drawing
Gesture Drawing
Gesture Drawing
Silhouette Drawing
Silhouette Drawing
Orchid o a Hills
Line and spatial effects
Two studies of the head of an old Man by Rembrandt, pen and brown ink