Lecture Notes CPAR

Lecture #05
THE PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

OBJECTIVES:

1. Define what is design;

2. Identify the principles of design; and
3. Evaluate contemporary art forms based on principles of design. Show appreciation to various art forms found in
the Philippines through creating sample art forms.

DESIGN - It is the means by which the artist indicates and demonstrate the ideas and feelings they wish to convey.

- - It is also considered as the overall structure of an art form.

PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

- Describe the ways that artists use the elements of art in an artwork.

THE PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

1. Harmony (Unity)

- This refers to the wholeness of the design, the pleasing arrangement of parts, and the agreement between parts of a
composition, resulting in a united whole.

- Which means the parts of the composition will not clash with one another thus it wil show/represents the appearance
of oneness

- It is the principle of design concerned with combining related art elements to create appearance.

- take note that Harmony or Unity describes the feeling that all the elements in a work belongs together and make up a
coherent whole.

- Harmony pulls the pieces of visual image together.

- All parts of visual image relate to and complement each other through repetition and rhythm. By repeating patterns
in an interesting arrangement, in which the overall visual image comes together.

2. Variety

- It pertains to the assortment or diversity of a work of art.

- Which adds interest to a piece of art by combining contrasting art elements.

- Artwork with variety doesn’t feel repetitive, meaning that there is visual interest throughout the whole piece. There are
different colours, textures, lines, values, forms, spaces, and shapes that make the work feel complete.

- variety is about the varying or different elements and objects in the image of artwork, to avoid making them boring.
3. Rhythm

- It is the regular, repeated pattern in the elements of art.

- Which means that it is repetition of visual elements to establish a pattern.

- It is a flow, or feeling of movement, achieved by the distribution of visual units in time.

- Wherein the visual rhythm or movement of the pattern is predictable, it often tends to unify an artwork.

- Rhythm is created when one or more elements of design are used to suggest movement . wherein, it allows the eye to
move from one part of a design to another part.

- Rhythm can be created by: repeating a color, shape, texture, line, or space when designing.

EXAMPLE:

this is a painting of Vincent Van Gogh’s – entitled: Starry Night

- The elements used in this design suggest movements wherein It allows the eye to move from one part of a
design to another part of it.
4. Proportion
- Elements in a work of art should have a relationship with one another.
- which means it is the relationship of all parts of the design to each other and to the whole arts.
- It is also considered as a comparison of sizes, shapes and quantities.
EXAMPLE OF PROPORTION:

Distorted Proportion
Distorted proportion - wherein the art is changed or distorted for specific reasons

Pleasing proportion – the arts which represents the harmony that pleases the eye.

5. Balance

- Pertains to the even distribution of weight. It is the principle that deals with equality.
EXAMPLE OF BALANCE:

- the visual weight of objects, colors, texture, and space is distributed in balance within the work of art, such
movement might be guided along lines, edges, form, and color.

6. Movement

-Is a sense of action or dynamism (often created through the use of diagonal and curved lines). meaning it is the how
and where the artwork moves or directs the viewers eye.

- This image is an example of movement represented in an art work

( that the lines and curved lines used in the arts created an actions
of movement wherein it leads you where those lines will be going.)

- uses some of the elements of arts to produce or achieve the look

of actions (literal or actual movement) or to cause the viewer’s eye
to sweep over the artwork in a certain manner (compositional
movement). Wherein , it create an illusion of motion when the eye
follows a path also cause by repetition and rhythm used in an
artwork or design.

- This is an example of movement that uses diagonal and

curved lines which create an illusion of motion when the
human eye follows a path.
- In conclusion the principles of design is how the artists employ the aspects and or elements of art in their
creations.