THE PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

uNITY | VARIETY | BALANCE | FOCUS | RHYTHM | SCALE | PROPORTION

The principles of design hold together the components of a creative work.

The principles of design are the configurations, the arrangements or the ‘glue’ that hold together a creative work. They undergird the structure of a work of art or craft through arrangement of the parts.

Structure, hierarchy and flow result from the artist using design to strengthen the meaning of the concept he or she desires to express.

All of the design principles may exist literally in a work of art, or actually in an art experience.

The design principles may also exist as an illusion - as apparent, suggested, visual, implied or perceived.

DESIGN UNITY rose.jpg — UNITY

Unity may be a sense of wholeness, a feeling that all parts ‘go together.’
Unity may exist when all or most of the parts join to support the whole entity.
*Examples: A family unit, a set of screwdrivers, a pair of socks, a set of tires*

DESIGN VARIETY gold.jpg — VARIETY

Variety may be the presence of diversity, a sense that the parts are different from each other.
Variety may exist when the parts are different, yet still are connected in reference to the whole entity.
*Examples: A team of players, a toolkit, a bouquet of flowers, a salad*

DESIGN BALANCE olive.jpg — BALANCE

Balance may exist when items are of similar weight on two or more sides of an axis or center point.
Balance may involve a visual illusion of solid mass and empty space.
*Examples: A teeter-totter, a two-part scale, a merry-go-round, an octopus body*

DESIGN FOCUS teal.jpg — FOCUS

Focus may be a unified direction of attention.
Focus may be constructed by making one item different, causing attention to be pulled toward it.
*Examples: one red dot in black and white stripes, an orange construction cone on a gray highway*

DESIGN RHYTHM cool blue.jpg — RHYTHM

Rhythm may be a regular or irregular set of items.
Rhythm may be constructed by arranging similar items to occur near each other in space or in time.
*Examples: A sonic set of beats, a visual set of strokes, a spatial set of objects*

DESIGN SCALE violet.jpg — SCALE

Scale may exist as the comparison in 2, 3 or 4 dimensions of size, volume or weight between two entities.
Scale may be suggested by placing two similar objects or entities near each other, causing a comparison.
*Examples: Large alligator, small gecko*

DESIGN PROPORTION pink lilac.jpg — PROPORTION

Proportion may exist as the comparison of parts within the same entity in 2, 3, or 4 dimensions.
Proportion may be enhanced by changing the dimensions of parts of a known entity.
*Examples: Long legs and short torso on same animal, cartoon characters with large heads*

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