THE PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

AND OTHER ART PRINCIPLES

…....
 THE PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

• The principles of design are the ways that artists

use the Elements of Art to create a great
composition.
 BALANCE

• Balance is the distribution of the visual weight of

objects, colors, texture, and space. If the design was a
scale these elements should be balanced to make a
design feel stable.
 THE THREE MAJOR FORMS OF
BALANCE

• Asymmetrical balance: where equilibrium is achieved by the balance differences in

the art elements within a composition.
• Symmetrical balance: where the art elements in a composition are balanced in a
mirror-like fashion (it does not have to be exact but close).
• Radial balance: the elements are arranged around a central point and may be
similar.
 WHAT KIND OF
BALANCE IS
ILLUSTRATED IN THIS
PAINTING ORIENTAL
POPPIES, BY GEORGIA
O'KEEFE?
 WHAT TYPE OF
BALANCE IS SHOWN
IN THIS PAINTING,
ARRANGEMENT IN
GRAY AND BLACK:
PORTAIT OF THE
PAINTER'S MOTHER
(COMMONLY KNOW AS
WHISTLER'S MOTHER),
BY JAMES WHISTLER?
WHAT TYPE
OF BALANCE
IS SHOWN IN
THIS STAINED
GLASS ART
WORK, ROSE
WINDOW?
 CONTRAST

•A design principle that emphasizes

differences between the art elements.
 EMPHASIS

• Emphasis is the part of the design that catches the viewer's

attention. Usually the artist will make one area stand out by contrasting
it with other areas. The area could be different in size, color, texture,
shape, etc. Movement is the path the viewer's eye takes through the
work of art, often to focal areas.
EMPHASIS
 VARIETY

• Variety is the use of several elements of design to hold the

viewer's attention and to guide the viewer's eye through
and around the work of art. Unity is the feeling of harmony
between all parts of the work of art, which creates a sense of
completeness.
 UNITY/HARMONY

• Unity is the principle of design that unifies all

other principles within a piece of work,
allowing each individual element to coexist with
one another to form an aesthetically pleasing
design.
 PROPORTION

• Proportion is one of the principles of art and design that organizes and
arranges their structural elements, together with balance, unity,
rhythm, and emphasis. The relationship between parts is the main
issue in proportion, which is often discussed in terms of context and
used standards.
 RHYTHM

• Rhythm is a principle of design that suggests movement or

action. Rhythm is usually achieved through repetition of lines,
shapes, colors, and more. It creates a visual tempo in artworks
and provides a path for the viewer's eye to follow.
 MOVEMENT

• Movement is the path the viewer's eye takes through

the work of art, often to focal areas. Such movement
can be directed along lines, edges, shape, and color
within the work of art.
 PATTERN

• A principle of art and the universe itself, a pattern is an

element (or set of elements) that is repeated in a piece of
work or an associated set of works. Artists use patterns as
decoration, as a technique of composition, or as an entire piece
of artwork.
 REPETITION

• Repetition works with pattern to make the work of art

seem active. The repetition of elements of design creates unity
within the work of art. Proportion is the feeling of unity
created when all parts (sizes, amounts, or number) relate well
with each other.
THE PRINCIPLE • THE PRINCIPLE OF DESIGN ARE THE
OF DESIGN IN WAYS THAT ARTISTS USE THE
REVIEW ELEMENTS OF ART TOCREATE
SUCCESSFUL COMPOSITION
• BALANCE
• EMPHASIS
• UNITY/HARMONY
• RHYTHM
• PATTERN
• CONTRAST
• VARIETY PROPORTION
• MOVEMENT
• REPETITION