Design Elements and Principles

[transgression]

Here is a quick dot point overview of the design elements and principles. Once again, it is important to know these and to use correct terminology when applying these elements and principles. They will be on the exam, and are easy marks to pick up.

DESIGN ELEMENTS

•   Point
-   A dot is a point that when larger becomes a circle shape
-   If the mark is used to highlight a particular piece of information or it is used in a decorative manner then we can assume it is a point
-   Commonly found on maps
-   Example:  include ©

•   Line
-   Used to enhance meaning, clarity and quality of visual communications
-   When analyzing the purpose and quality of a line, specific terms are used
      * Dimension lines: lines with arrow heads
      * Weight: the thickness of the line
      * Style: whether the line is curvy, straight, irregular, jagged, wavy or angular
-   Lines can also represent a mood or emotion in a visual communication. Eg. Wavy lines are relaxing than jagged lines
 
•   Shape
-   Geometric shapes
-   Organic shapes (natural)
-   Must be two dimensional

•   Form
-   Created by joining shapes to make a three-dimensional object
-   Can be either organic or geometric
-   Form can be filled but that fill must be a flat fill and not include tone if it is to be considered and analyzed as form

•   Tone
-   High or low tonal key
     * High tonal key is where there is a strong separation between highlights and shadows
     * Low tonal key: little separation between the two
     * When photographing, a low tonal key is generally used to ensure the details are not lost
-   Graded tone
     * The transition from one tonal value to the next (from light to dark)

•   Texture
-   Where there is a sense of the representation’s textural qualities.
-   Eg. Wood, wool, brick, metal, plastic, glass
-   Gets the audience to ‘feel’ rather than see
-   Evoke different responses

•   Colour
-   Colour can be described as Bold, warm, cool, monotone, complementary, triadic, analogous
-   Red can be interpreted as hot, dangerous, exotic
-   Blue: calm, cool, airy

•   Letterform
-   Many products use letterform to identity the maker of the brand
-   Letterform can be used as a purely decorative element
-   Serif
     * Has the ‘feet’ at the end of the letters
     * More conservative, traditional
-   San serif
     * With the feet
     * More contemporary
     * More relaxed and is preferred for communicating with the young


DESIGN PRINCIPLES

•   Figure-ground
-   The figure is what you are meant to notice/see
-   This could be an image, or word
-   The ground is where the figure is placed on
-   It is known as the negative space (the ground)
-   Strong figure demands attention – is dominant

•   Balance
-   Symmetrical balance
     * There is equal weight of visual information on both sides of a dividing axis
     * Can be symmetrical vertically, horizontally or diagonally
-   Asymmetrically balanced
     * There is more weight on one side than the other

•   Contrast
-   A way of creating tension within a visual communication
-   Examples: large and small, dark and light, solid and opaque, shiny and matte, soft and hard, narrow and wide, thick and thin
-   Contrast helps leads the viewer to information in a planned manner
-   It can also convey a message (for example, an old person and a newborn)

•   Cropping
-   By showing part of a total image or word, you are drawn to focus on it encouraged to fill in the missing detail
-   It leaves you wanting more

•   Hierarchy
-   Can determine the order in which a viewer sees or reads visual information
-   Can be formed using a range of design elements and other design principles
-   Contrast, letterform, figure-ground, point and lines help develop a hierarchy of information

•   Scale
-   Refers to the size of an object
-   The object can be scaled up or scaled down
-   Can be referred to large vs. small compared to its natural size

•   Proportion
-   Alters the appearance of an object
-   It can be stretched or flattened or elongated or narrowed

•   Pattern
-   Repeating of an element to reinforce a message
-   Ordered patterns create stability while a pattern that has less distinct repetition of parts can create a sense of visual excitement
-   Related sequence, pattern repetition
-   Organic sequence, pattern alternation

[hard]

urgh don't remind me of VCD! but great work trangression.

[misskaraleah]

Was this out of Leading Edge? It seems very familiar. lol

[transgression]

Nope, it was from Guthrie. Read through the book and summarised the key points. The Leading Edge and Guthrie would have said the same thing though (hence the reason why it sounds familiar). The Leading Edge is a good book to have; it has detailed explanations.

[becky]

was sans serif ment to be without feet?

[Munkea]

was sans serif ment to be without feet?

"Sans" means "without". Serif's being the little flicks that you see added onto the typeface, so yes.