Principles of Design

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What this
lecture is

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about

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 We are all familiar
with this painting
by Leonardo,
The Last Supper.
This famous Renaissance art
will introduce you to the
principles of . . .
FORM AND
DESIGN
for example
 This is called BALANCE

The next one is called FOCUSING

 In this module,
you will likewise learn
the following:
Harmony
Variety
Symmetry
Organization
Dominance
Centralizing
Highlighting
 ARTISTIC FORM,
ORGANIZATION
OR DESIGN
…is about
answering
the “How are
question… the elements
put together?”
To achieve formal design,
the following principles
are applied

HARMONY
VARIETY
BALANCE
DOMINANCE
Harmony and variety are achieved by moderation.
Having just enough. Not much nor less.

LACK MODERATE EXCESS

Redundancy HARMONY Monotony

Monotony VARIETY Redundancy

Monotony and redundancy are the result of either

lack or excess. Having too much or too less.
 This design is MONOTONOUS

Because all the nine squares have the same color.

There is too much similarity and no difference.
 This design is REDUNDANT

Because all the nine squares have different colors.

There are too much differences and no similarity
 This design has HARMONY and VARIETY

Because the nine squares have three different colors

which are not more nor less.
 …is another
BALANCE principle of
design.

It is the EQUALITY in
attention or attraction
of visual elements in
the picture-plane
 Kind of balance according
to the division of picture-plane

Suggests
VERTICAL
Life

Suggests
HORIZONTAL Peace
and Rest

Suggests
RADIAL Movement
 Kinds of balance according
to the placement of elements
in the picture-plane

SYMMETRICAL ASYMMETRICAL

Same elements Different elements

on both sides on both sides
 Van Eyck
Arnolfini
Marriage

VERTICAL
BALANCE
Indicated
by the
downward
line of the
chandelier
Dali, Apparition of Face and Fruit Disk on a Beach

HORIZONTAL BALANCE
 RADIAL
BALANCE
Implies
movement
in the
painting

Titian
Bacchus
and
Ariane
 TRIANGULAR
COMPOSITION
Suggests
stability and
eternity like
the Egyptian
pyramids
Amorsolo
Girl with
Basket of
Fruits
Amorsolo
Girl with
a Jar
 El Greco
St. Martin
and the
Beggar

REST AND
MOVEMENT
David,
Oath of
Horatii

Three vertical divisions indicated by the columns.

Renoir Luncheon of the Boating Party

Genre and radial balance both indicate movement.

The vertical division means the social division of people
in the ancient Egyptian society.
Triangular
composition
is typical in
Florentine
paintings of
the High
Renaissance
period

Raphael
Madonna
of the
Meadows
The horizontal division in landscape paintings
suggest peace and rest.

Constable
The Hay Wain
 Castelfranco
Samson and
Delilah

SEMI-RADIAL
BALANCE
 The vertical
El Greco balance means
The Burial the division
of Count between
Orgaz heaven and
earth, between
the spiritual
and the
material.
 Picasso
Girl in a
Mirror

VERTICAL
BALANCE
Luna, Spoliarum, 1884 RADIAL BALANCE
 Amorsolo
The Sunset
 Leonardo
Madonna of
the Rocks
1496
Seurat, Sunday Afternon in the Island of Grande Jatte, 1888
Raphael, The School of Athens
Steenwyck
The Vanities of
Human Life
Botticelli, The Birth of Venus
Cezanne
Mount St.
Victoire
 Matisse
The Dance

The circular organization implies the rhythmic

movement of the dance.
Another
principle
of design
is. . .
DOMINANCE
It is a way of emphasizing
a particular element
over the others.
 THREE WAYS OF
PRODUCING DOMINANCE

CENTRALIZING
HIGHLIGHTING
FOCUSSING
 CENTRALIZING
Placing at the center of the picture plane
the part to be emphasized
 HIGHLIGHTING
Use of standing size or color
on the part to be emphasized

Highlighting by size
Highlighting by color
 FOCUSSING
Using elements to create movement directed
towards the part to be emphasized
CENTRALIZING
FOCUSING
 Seurat, Sunday Afternoon in
the Island of Grand Jatte

What way of producing dominance?

 Seurat, Sunday Afternoon in
the Island of Grand Jatte

HIGHLIGHTING BY SIZE
What way of producing dominance?
De Goya
The Third of
May, 1808
HIGHLIGHTING BY COLOR
De Goya
The Third of
May, 1808
 In Titian’s Bacchus and Ariande,
what way of producing dominance is applied?
The application of FOCUSING indicates the
act of movement in the painting
 The application
of focusing leads
the eye towards
the lips of the
woman.
HIGHLIGHTING
BY SIZE

In this Egyptian
painting, the bigger
scale of the pharaoh
means his superior
dignity than ordinary
people.
 Highlighting by Color

Highlighting by Size
Van Gogh, Wheatfield with Cypress, 1888

Highlighting by size and color

Botticelli, The Birth of Venus

CENTRALIZING
Landscape paintings usually have no dominance,
so that the eyes may feel relax.
NO DOMINANCE
Pollock, Black and White, 1952 NO DOMINANCE
The Afghan Girl
Cover of National
Geographic Magazine
June 1985
 What is
the
dominant
part?
THANK
YOU! Special thanks to
DR. ALLAN C. ORATE
Full Professor, Department of
Humanities and Philosophy
University of the East