Describe the Elements and

Principles of Design
and how it applies to

Visual Communication
1. Design.
2. Communication.
3. Visual.
design
dɪˈzʌɪn/

noun
noun: design; plural noun: designs
1 a plan or drawing produced to show the look and function or workings of a building, garment, or other
object before it is made.

verb
verb: design; 3rd person present: designs; past tense: designed; past participle: designed; gerund or present
participle: designing
1 decide upon the look and functioning of (a building, garment, or other object), by making a detailed
drawing of it.
design = to have function
Communication.
Communication.
COMMUNICATION.
Communication.
Communication.
Communication.
“Everything we see* communicates an emotion to us.”

* see/hear/taste/smell/feel
Visual.
1. Design.
2. Communication.
3. Visual.
 The purpose of Visual
Communication Design is
effective communication.
?
 Describe the Elements and

Principles of Design
and how it applies to

Visual Communication
The Starry Night (Vincent Van Gogh, 1889)
 We need rules to code
–or decode a visual design.
 Describe the Elements and

Principles of Design
and how it applies to

Visual Communication
 * for the purpose of this communication,
the words Art and Design are interchangeable
The elements and principles of design are the
building blocks used to create a work of art.
The 7 Elements of Art
• Line
• Shape
• Direction
• Size
• Texture
• Colour
• Value
• Line: The linear marks made with a pen or brush or the edge created when two shapes meet.

• Shape
• Direction
• Size
• Texture
• Colour
• Value
• Line: The linear marks made with a pen or brush or the edge created when two shapes meet.

• Shape: A shape is a self contained defined area of geometric or organic form.

• Direction:
• Size
• Texture
• Colour
• Value
• Line: The linear marks made with a pen or brush or the edge created when two shapes meet.

• Shape: A shape is a self contained defined area of geometric or organic form.

• Direction: All lines have direction - Horizontal, Vertical or Oblique.

• Size:
• Texture
• Colour
• Value
• Line: The linear marks made with a pen or brush or the edge created when two shapes meet.

• Shape: A shape is a self contained defined area of geometric or organic form.

• Direction: All lines have direction - Horizontal, Vertical or Oblique.

• Size: Size is simply the relationship of the area occupied by one shape to that of another.

• Texture
• Colour
• Value
• Line: The linear marks made with a pen or brush or the edge created when two shapes meet.

• Shape: A shape is a self contained defined area of geometric or organic form.

• Direction: All lines have direction - Horizontal, Vertical or Oblique.

• Size: Size is simply the relationship of the area occupied by one shape to that of another.

• Texture: Texture is the surface quality of a shape. It can be physical (tactile) or visual.

• Colour
• Value
• Line: The linear marks made with a pen or brush or the edge created when two shapes meet.

• Shape: A shape is a self contained defined area of geometric or organic form.

• Direction: All lines have direction - Horizontal, Vertical or Oblique.

• Size: Size is simply the relationship of the area occupied by one shape to that of another.

• Texture: Texture is the surface quality of a shape. It can be physical (tactile) or visual.

• Colour: (you know what this means) It is also called Hue.

• Value
• Line: The linear marks made with a pen or brush or the edge created when two shapes meet.

• Shape: A shape is a self contained defined area of geometric or organic form.

• Direction: All lines have direction - Horizontal, Vertical or Oblique.

• Size: Size is simply the relationship of the area occupied by one shape to that of another.

• Texture: Texture is the surface quality of a shape. It can be physical (tactile) or visual.

• Colour: (you know what this means) It is also called Hue.

• Value: Value is the lightness or darkness of a colour. It is also called Tone

The Starry Night (Vincent Van Gogh, 1889)
The 7 Principles of
Design
The Principles of Design are the aesthetic guidelines
used to organize or arrange the Elements of Art.
• Balance
• Gradation
• Repetition
• Contrast
• Harmony
• Dominance
• Unity
• Balance

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)
• Gradation

Gradation of size and direction produce linear perspective. Gradation of 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.
• Repetition

The five squares above are all the same. They can be taken in and
understood with a single glance.
• Repetition

When variation is introduced, the five squares, although similar, are much
more interesting to look at. They can no longer be absorbed properly with a
single glance. The individual character of each square needs to be
considered.
• Contrast
• Harmony

Harmony in painting is the visually satisfying effect of combining similar,

related elements.
• Dominance

Dominance can be applied to one or more of the elements to give emphasis

• Unity

Unity in a painting refers to the visual linking of various elements of the work.

Relating the design elements to the the idea being expressed in a painting
reinforces the principal of unity.eg. 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.
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