Elements and

Principles of Design
What makes something
visually appealing?
■ The way in which elements (your ingredients) and your
principles (the way in which you prepare those ingredients)
are arranged.
 Design
Elements
Design Element:

Line
CURVED LINES
Represents freedom, the
natural, having the
appearance of softness,
and creates a soothing
feeling or mood

Henry Sy Sr. Building, DLSU (TheLaSallian)

VERTICAL LINES
Represents dignity,
formality, stability and
strength.

Grand Central Station, New York (IG/EvanEdinger)

HORIZONTAL LINES
Represents calm, peace
and relaxation
DIAGONAL LINES
Represents action, activity,
excitement and
movement.
Design Element:

Color
 Color
• Color has an immediate and profound effect
on design
– Warm colors: Reds, oranges, yellows
– Cool colors: Blues, purples, greens
 Color
Warm Cool
 Warm Cool

The Hunger Games (Film, 2012) Game of Thrones – Season 7 (TV Show, 2017)
Design Element:

Form and
Shape
 Form and Shape
• Form (3D) - the shape and structure of
something as distinguished from its substance
or material

• Shape (2D) - The two-dimensional contour

that characterizes an object or area
 Form and Shape
Finding Nemo (2015) Kimi No Na Wa (2016)

Form (3D) Shape (2D)

Design Element:

Space
 Space
• Enlarging or reducing
visual space
Types
-Open
-Unused
-Cramped
Space
Space
Space

Magkaribal (TV Show, 2010)

Design Element:

Texture
 Texture
• The look and feel of an object
– Smooth: Reflects more light (more intense)
– Rough: Absorbs more light (appears darker)
 Texture
Smooth Rough
Smooth Texture
Rough Texture
Design Element:

Value
 Value
• The relative lightness or darkness of a color
Methods
-Shade: degree of darkness of a color
-Tint: A pale or faint variation of a color
 Value
Netflix logo

1 +shade/-tint
SHADE

2 +tint/-shade 2

1
TINT
Value
Microsoft Windows logo

Old logo

New logo
 Design
Principles
Design Principle:

Proportion and
Scale
 Proportion and Scale
• Comparative relationships between elements
in a design with respect to size.

– Golden Mean
– Golden Ratio
– Rules of Thirds
• Old logo

The King’s Speech (Film, 2010)

The King’s Speech (Film, 2010)
Design Principle:

Emphasis
 Emphasis
• The feature in a design that attracts one’s eye.
– The focal point
• Can be achieved through shape, color, line, size
La La Land (2016)
Schindler’s List (Film, 1993)
Design Principle:

Contrast
 Contrast
• Noticeably different
– Can be created with:
• Proportion and scale
• Shape
• Color
• Texture
• Etc.
British Government motivational posters (1939)
Design Principle:

Rhythm
 Rhythm
• Repeated use of line, shape, color, texture or
pattern
– Types
• Regular
• Graduated
• Random
Regular Graduated Random

Louis Vuitton monogram

“AM” by Arctic Monkeys (Music Album, 2013)
Saint Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow
Design Principle:

Unity
 Unity
• Achieved through the consistent use of lines,
color, material and/or texture within a design.
Design Principle:

Movement
 Movement
• Flow or feeling of action

Sydney Opera House, Australia

Design Principle:

Balance
 Balance
• Parts of the design are equally distributed to
create a sense of stability. Both physical and
visual balance exist.
– Symmetrical or formal balance
– Asymmetrical or informal balance
– Radial balance
– Vertical balance
– Horizontal balance
 Symmetrical Asymmetrical
Radial balance
(Formal balance) (Inormal balance)

Old Pepsi logo New Pepsi logo

Vertical balance Horizontal balance

Taj Mahal, India Manila Cathedral