Basic Design elements

What are the ESSENTIALS of design?

1. conceptual elements
2. visual elements
3. relational elements
4. practical elements
1. Conceptual elements

a) Point
b) Line
c) Plane
d) Volume
 A. Point 4

 A point indicates
position.
 it has no length, width,
or depth.
 is static, centralized,
and directionless
B. Line 5

 As a point moves, its path

becomes a line.
 A line has length but no breadth.
 is capable of visually expressing
direction, movement, and
growth.
C. Plane 6

 The path of a line in motion in a direction

other than its intrinsic direction becomes a
plane.
 A plane has length and breadth, but no
thickness.
D. Volume 7

 The path of a plane in motion (in a direction other than its

intrinsic direction) becomes a volume.
 It has position in space and is bound by planes.
 In two-dimensional design, volume is illusory

Form is the primary identifying

characteristic of a volume.
2. visual elements

a) Shape
b) Size
c) Color
d) Texture
A. Shape
• Any self-contained area with
defined outline
• Shapes can be created by
enclosing line, or by color and
value changes which define
edges
Types of shapes
• Geometric - Create a feeling of
control or order.
• Organic- produce a natural feel
• /rectilinear
B. Size

• scale & proportion

• Scale and proportion are related terms: both
basically refer to size
scale
• Scale is essentially another word
for size. “Large scale” is a way of
saying big, and “small scale”
means small. Big and small,
however, are relative. What is
big? “Big” is meaningless unless
we have some standard of
reference. A “big” dog means
nothing if we do not know the
size of an average dog. This is
what distinguishes the two
terms.
proportion
• Proportion refers to relative
size—size measured against
other elements or against some
mental norm or standard.
C. Color

• value on picture • Color has 3 characteristics: hue,

value and intensity
• Color is a property of
light.
• If all wavelengths of light are
absorbed, we identify the
color as black, if all
wavelengths of color are
reflected, we see white.
•
• Show the full dimension of
perceived color relationship
• Hue: The colors of the spectrum or
color wheel
• Value: The relative lightness or
darkness of a color
• Intensity (or chroma): the relative
saturation of hue perceived in a
color
• Primary colors are hues from which all other colors
can be made: red, yellow, blue.
• Secondary colors are made from mixing equal
parts of the Primary colors: orange, green, violet.
• Tertiary colors are those colors between Primary
and Secondary colors: yellow-orange, red-orange,
etc.
• Complementary colors are colors that are opposite
each other on the color wheel: red-green, orange-
blue, yellow-violet.
• Analogous colors are colors that are adjacent (side
by side) to each other on the color wheel.
• Monochromatic colors are variations in value of
one color by adding either white to make tints or
black to make shades
Color Temperatures
• Reds, Oranges and Yellows are
hot colors..
• Greens, Blues, and Violets are
cool colors..
• Cool colors tend to be calm and
restful. They recede into the
distance and make objects seem
smaller.
D. Texture
• visual feeling of the
picture
• Texture refers to the surface
characteristics of a shape or
object
types
• Visual texture is a quality of the
surface that you can ‘see’, but
not necessarily ‘felt’.
• Actual texture is a quality of the
surface that you can both ‘see’
and ‘feel’.
Texture may be :
• rough/smooth,
• wet/dry,
• hard/soft,
• shiny/matte (dull),
• slick/sticky,
• slippery/abrasive,
• coarse/porous ...
3) relational elements

• Direction • Space
✓ way a design is facing ✓ Negative/Positive un-filled
• Position v.s filled
✓ spot where the object is • Gravity
placed in the design ✓ makes the objects stable or
unstable
4) practical elements

• Representation • Function
✓ trying to represent ✓ makes the viewer want the
object
something to your viewer
(Representational, abstract,
& non-objective)
• Meaning
✓ when your design has a
message behind the art
 ELEMENTS
Conceptual visual Relational Practical
a) Shape a) Shape a) Shape a) Shape
b) Size b) Size b) Size b) Size
c) Color c) Color c) Color c) Color
d) Texture d) Texture d) Texture d) Texture
 ELEMENTS

Conceptual visual Relational Practical

Point Shape Direction Representation

Line Size Position Meaning
Plane Color Space Function
Volume Texture Gravity
End of lecture 5