Design Principles

February 05, 2024

Design Principles - Task 1 / Exploration

13.2.2023 - 22.2.2023 (Week 2 - Week 3)
Chong Hui Yi / 0363195
Design Principles / BDCM
Task 1 / Exploration

LECTURES

Introduction

ELEMENTS OF DESIGN (Individual “building blocks”)

Point
A point, the simplest element of design, evolves into a line when used repetitively. As the point moves in space, it gives rise to the creation of various 2D & 3D figures and forms.

Line
Lines, whether active or static, convey various qualities such as direction, shape boundaries, volumes, motion, and emotion. They can be grouped to depict light and shadow qualities, as well as form patterns and textures.

Shape

Shape refers to the space within an outline, visible when lines enclose an area or when there's a change in value, color, or texture. Shapes can be GEOMETRIC (precise and regular, like circles and squares) or ORGANIC.

Form
Form is the 3D counterpart to 2D shape. When a form encloses space, it is referred to as VOLUME.

Texture

Texture in design refers to the tactile qualities of surfaces or their visual representation, experienced through touch or visual suggestion. Two types include ACTUAL (touched) and SIMULATED (created to look like real texture).

Space

Space is the undefined, surrounding emptiness in our environment. In visual arts, we see the surface space at once, defined by its edges. Despite these boundaries, countless spatial qualities can be suggested within.

In three-dimensional space: Outside ⇾ Mass; Inside ⇾ Volume.

Colour

Hue, Value (lightness/darkness), Intensity (purity of a hue)
Monochromatic (single hue), Analogous (same pure hue), Complementary (opposite)

INSTRUCTIONS

Task 1: Exploration

Requirement

Recap the design principles listed below:

Gestalt theory
Contrast
Emphasis
Balance
Repetition
Movement
Harmony & Unity
Symbol
Word and Image

Pick and briefly describe one goal from the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG).
Select an existing art/design work that revolves around that goal of your choice. Beneath the image, include the credit line of the art/design work (title of art/design work, artist’s/designer’s name, year, size, medium, source link). Some works may not have all these but provide as complete as possible.
Explain, in about 100-150 words, why you chose that design in relation to the UNSDG goal and list the design principles you observed in that design.

Gestalt Theory

Fig. 1.0 Gestalt principles' visual interpretation from Pinterest

Gestalt principles/laws are rules explaining how the human eye organizes visual elements, simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and perceiving them as a unified whole.

Principle of Similarity (similar design elements)
Principle of Continuation (continuous flow)
Principle of Closure (filling in missing visual information)
Principle of Proximity (related design elements)
Principle of Figure/Ground (the foreground or the background)
Law of Symmetry & Order (symmetrical elements group together)

Contrast

Contrast is the deliberate arrangement of strongly dissimilar visual elements to enhance meaning, create intensity, and prevent monotony in the visual experience.

Contrast can created from: Complementary colours, Light & dark, Contrasting sizes

Fig. 1.1 Contrast in colour

Fig. 1.2 Contrast in size

Balance
Balance in design is the even distribution of visual weight, creating a sense of equilibrium in the elements for an overall balanced appearance.

⭢ Symmetrical balance: Equal weight on both sides of a central point, creating bilateral or radial balance. Approximate symmetry involves similar but not identical forms around the central axis.

Fig. 1.3 Symmetrical balance

⭢ Asymmetrical balance: Unequal visual weight, with a dominant element on one side countered by lesser focal points on the other. Creates dynamism, modernism, and evokes feelings of movement and vitality. Offers visual variety but can be challenging due to complex element relationships.

Fig. 1.4 Asymmetrical balance

⭢ Radial Balance: Spirals provide an effective means of achieving radial balance, drawing the eye towards a central focal point. Radial Balance found commonly in nature, like within seashells and water ripples, spirals often evoke a calming and hypnotic effect. (https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/types-of-balance-in-art)

Fig. 1.5 Radial balance

# The Golden Ratio (phi): A mathematical concept associated with perfect beauty, found in nature and used as a guide for visual balance in architecture and art. Designers and artists utilize it to bring harmony, balance, and structure to their work.

Fig. 1.6 The Golden Ratio

# Rule of Thirds: A guideline for dynamic composition by dividing the image into thirds and placing the subject at the intersections or along the lines.

Fig. 1.7 Rule of Thirds

Emphasis

Emphasis creates dominance and focus in design, using elements like colour, shapes, or value for visual impact.

Fig. 1.8 Emphasis

Repetition

Adds activity to design through repeated elements, creating rhythm and pattern. Variety is crucial for excitement and avoiding monotony, while patterns enhance visual interest.

Fig. 1.9 Repetition

Movement

The pathway guiding the eye within a composition, influencing its journey in, around, and through the design. Visual motion arises when objects appear to move within the image, shaped by the use of forms, lines, and curves.

Fig. 1.9 Movement

# Hierarchy: Organizing content in a composition to guide viewers, directing attention to the most important information first.

Fig. 2.0 Hierarchy

# Alignment: Placing elements so edges align in rows or columns, or bodies along a common centre. Creates unity, cohesion, and perceived stability, guiding viewers through the design.

Fig. 2.1 Alignment

Harmony

Selecting elements with a common trait for unity. Variety is essential to prevent monotony. It's the cohesive fit of design elements under a shared theme, style, or mood.

Unity

Repetition of elements (colours, shapes, materials) throughout the design for a cohesive look. Achieved through balanced composition, creating a sense of oneness and a cohesive theme.

Fig. 2.2 Claude Monet: Sunset on the Seine at Lavacourt, Winter Effect

# Scale: Relates to the size of ONE object in comparison to others in the design or artwork. Size and dimension of figures/forms relative to a specific unit of measure.

Fig. 2.3 Scale

# Proportion: Involves the size relationship between PARTS of an object. Relationship of two/more elements in a composition, comparing size, color, quantity, degree, setting, etc.

Symbol

An element, shape, or object employed to represent another concept. In design, symbols convey information equivalent to sentences of text or even entire stories.

Fig. 2.4 Symbols, image taken from PPT

⭢ Pictorial Symbols: Image-related & simplified pictures.

⭢ Abstract Symbols: Represent objects with minimal details.

⭢ Arbitrary Symbols: No resemblance to represented objects or ideas, often invented with meanings based on shapes and colors.

Fig. 2.5 Pictorial symbols, Abstract symbols, Arbitrary symbols (organize from Canva)

Word and Image

Imagery is crucial in design, creating relatability and resonance. Choosing suitable and relevant images is essential. Pairing the right words deepens the design's meaning. Typography, the design and arrangement of text, contributes to visual hierarchy and balance.

Fig. 2.6 Word & image

Goal 13: Climate Action

In the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG), I have chosen Goal 13: Climate Action. The primary objective of this goal is to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. This includes strengthening climate change education, enhancing adaptability, promoting the formulation and implementation of climate-related policies, and making concerted global efforts to achieve climate goals.

Climate change is an ongoing issue that is constantly occurring, primarily caused by human activities. It leads to rising temperatures, warming oceans, loss of species, food shortages, and other problems. I feel that the weather in Malaysia is becoming increasingly hot, indicating that climate change is taking place. This is one of the reasons why I am concerned about this issue. I also hope to raise awareness about this problem and encourage people to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate climate change.

Fig. 2.0 Overview of goal 13

Fig. 2.1 "The Cost of Cool" by Victo Ngai, week 2 (21/2/2024)

Title of art: The Cost of Cool

Artist’s name: Victo Ngai

Year: 2012

Medium: Digital Illustration

Source link: https://victo-ngai.com/political

Why I chose this artwork？

Heat is the first impression I get from this artwork. Despite an overall orange tone, the blue breeze from the air conditioner creates a COMPELLING CONTRAST. Besides that, The painting is rich in detail. In front of the air conditioner, there are relaxed figures, while behind it, there's a big fire, leaving only tree trunks in the forest and people running. I'm particularly drawn to the central woman emerging from the flames, her expression capturing a fascination with coolness, just like modern people, including myself, seeking comfort. Sometimes, we enjoy the cool comfort of air conditioning without thinking about the hidden risks it may bring. This artwork symbolizes those potential dangers behind the comforting coolness. (115 words)

The design principles used in the artwork include:

Contrast

In terms of color, the predominant orange contrasts sharply with the smaller areas of blue green. Regarding size, the engulfed giant woman contrasts vividly with the small figures in the scene, and the burning forest stands in stark opposition to the relaxed people in front of the air conditioner.

Fig. 2.2 Contrast in the artwork

Emphasis

This painting emphasizes the giant woman holding an air conditioner through the use of size and color contrast, making her the focal point.

Repetition

This artwork uses many repeated wavy lines and circles to depict a hot temperature. Additionally, they fill empty spaces, adding richness to the composition.

Fig. 2.3 Repetitive lines

Movement

The designer creates a natural sense of movement and flow by guiding the gaze along the curves of the woman's body, leading to her expression, and then directing towards the air conditioner.

Fig. 2.4 The focal point & movement in the artwork

Harmony & Unity
The painting uses a unified, low-saturation colour scheme, with mostly adjacent shades of orange for overall harmony. The giant woman holding an air conditioner creates a circular shape, making it easily arranged into a single entity, into a whole.

Fig. 2.5 Colour scheme

Fig. 2.6 Circular composition

FEEDBACK

Week 3:

If there are references to other people's viewpoints, include a reference link. Explanations can also incorporate images, with the possibility of including simple sketches and annotations during visual analysis. Additionally, while the designer may not necessarily adhere to the golden ratio in their artwork, I can use the golden ratio to explain why this painting is intriguing.

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Chong Hui Yi (0363195)