Intro to Design Design Elements Design What is design? to create something that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing to bring order from chaos and randomness Design Is design important? 1
Design Graphic Design Visual Communication The process of taking ideas and giving them visual form so that others can understand them A designer uses imagery, symbols, type, form and color to represent an idea that must be conveyed Designers understand the fundamentals of form & composition and apply those fundamentals to Evoke emotion create relationships between different elements Control the pacing of material and informational hierarchy Build a user s personal engagement with content Design What is good design? 2
Williams, R. (2008) The Non-Designer s Design Book Peachpit Press design is the deliberate arrangement of & & form space Form = lines, points, planes, shapes, textures, colors, values, words, pictures, etc. unity rage conflict architecture technology dissolution protection Evokes a feeling/message Timothy Samara. (2007). Design Elements - A Graphic Style Manual. Rockport Publishers, Inc. 3
arrangement style treatment surface texture PROTECTION Evokes a feeling/message protection Form = lines, points, planes, shapes, textures, colors, values, words, pictures, etc. protection Form = lines, points, planes, shapes, textures, colors, values, words, pictures, etc. 4
protection Form = lines, points, planes, shapes, textures, colors, values, words, pictures, etc. protection Form = lines, points, planes, shapes, textures, colors, values, words, pictures, etc. protection Form = lines, points, planes, shapes, textures, colors, values, words, pictures, etc. 5
LINES Form = lines, points, planes, shapes, textures, colors, values, words, pictures, etc. Repetition LINES TEXTURE Form = lines, points, planes, shapes, textures, colors, values, words, pictures, etc. protection TEXTURE Form = lines, points, planes, shapes, textures, colors, values, words, pictures, etc. 6
TEXTURE Form = lines, points, planes, shapes, textures, colors, values, words, pictures, etc. Geometric Organic Timothy Samara. (2007). Design Elements - A Graphic Style Manual. Rockport Publishers, Inc. Form Geometric & Organic 7
Space Positive space Negative space Timothy Samara. (2007). Design Elements - A Graphic Style Manual. Rockport Publishers, Inc. Form and Space come together to create meaning and message http://www.noupe.com/design/a-graphic-design-primer-part-1-the-elements-of-a-design.html 8
http://www.noupe.com/design/a-graphic-design-primer-part-1-the-elements-of-a-design.html Static space Dynamic (active) space Static space - State of rest form and space optically equal Dynamic space convey movement overlapping, bleeding edge, changing intervals or rhythm between elements Timothy Samara. (2007). Design Elements - A Graphic Style Manual. Rockport Publishers, Inc. Static space Dynamic (active) space Static space - State of rest form and space optically equal Dynamic space convey movement overlapping, bleeding edge, changing intervals or rhythm between elements Timothy Samara. (2007). Design Elements - A Graphic Style Manual. Rockport Publishers, Inc. 9
When both the positive elements and the space around them is non-uniform creates many interesting shapes within the design http://www.vanseodesign.com/web-design/active-space-examples/ Intro to Design Design Principles i Identifying Design Elements & Concepts Robin Williams. (2008). The Non-Designer's Design & Type Books. Deluxe Edition. Peachpit Press. 10
Design Principles The fundamental concepts that guide the arrangement of design elements within a composition 1. Unity 2. Balance 3. Dominance Unity Unity: The relationship between the individual design elements and the whole composition Unity in design exists when all elements are in agreement Unity exists when design elements look like they belong together Achieved through manipulation of: Proximity Similarity Repetition Unity Proximity Grouping or clustering elements together Elements in close proximity become one visual unit Physical closeness implies a relationship 11
Unity Similarity Elements similar in size, color, shape, position or texture are seen as related Alignment - elements that line up with one another appear related (similar) Every element in a composition should have a visual connection with the other elements in the composition Aligned elements create unity Unity Unity Aligned elements creates unity 12
Unity Repetition Repetition of size, color, shape, position, texture or spatial relationships create unity. Simple repetition without variation can become boring find a balance and be conscious of the value of contrast Unity Unity 13
Balance Balance: the state of equalized tension within a composition Symmetrical (formal balance) Elements are visually equivalent on both sides of a composition Elements are evenly distributed around a central vertical or horizontal axis Asymmetrical (informal balance) Elements of differing size, shape, tone are arranged in a composition in a way that balance each others visual weight http://www.digital-web.com/articles/principles_of_design/ Balance Balance Symmetrical (formal balance) 14
Balance Asymmetrical (informal balance) Balance Symmetrical & Asymmetrical Dominance (emphasis) Dominance: the varying degrees of emphasis in a composition Stages of dominance: Dominant (focal point), Sub-dominant (middle ground - secondary), subordinate (background - least visual weight) 15
Dominance (emphasis) Dominant (focal point), Sub-dominant (middle ground - secondary), subordinate (background - least visual weight) Dominance (emphasis) Dominance or emphasis can be created through the use of: Contrast (type, color, size, line, thickness, shape, space) The juxtaposition of dissimilar graphic elements Placement -Isolation Proportion differences in the scale of objects differences in proportion can draw attention to the object 16
Dominance (emphasis) Dominance or emphasis can be created by use of: Contrast Placement Proportion * Lack of dominance among elements forces competition among them Dominance (emphasis) Active space through Contrast Placement Proportion (size) scale http://www.vanseodesign.com/web-design/active-space-examples/ 17
Dominance & Hierarchy *Lack of dominance among elements forces competition among them (no hierarchy created) Dominance & Hierarchy Dominance (contrast, placement, proportion) helps to create a hierarchy hierarchy (order of importance) of elements helps move the reader through h the composition most important least important all remaining information equally important (often unclear what the significant difference is between middle level material) Dominance & Hierarchy 18
Dominance Varying degrees of emphasis created through contrast in: color, size and shape Form and Space come together with the fundamental design Concepts of Unity Balance Dominance Fundamental Design Concepts Unity Balance Dominance 19
What are the Fundamental Design Concepts at work in this site? Identifying Design Elements & Concepts Once you are conscious of the elements and principles of design, once you can name and identify them then you are in control & can implement them into well designed compositions both in print media and electronic media Identifying Design Elements & Concepts Robin Williams. (2008). The Non-Designer's Design & Type Books. Deluxe Edition. Peachpit Press. 20
Robin Williams. (2008). The Non-Designer's Design & Type Books. Deluxe Edition. Peachpit Press. Identifying Design Elements & Concepts Robin Williams. (2008). The Non-Designer's Design & Type Books. Deluxe Edition. Peachpit Press. Things to consider Take closer look at the things around you Find composition that are pleasing to you Identify the design concepts being used Find compositions that are not working so well Determine what could be done to improve the design 21
Graphic Design To design is much more than simply to assemble, to order, or even to edit; it is to add value and meaning, to illuminate, to simplify, to clarify, to modify, to dignify, if to dramatize, to persuade, and perhaps even to amuse. Paul Rand Graphic designer, From his book Design, Form, and Chaos Yale University Press, New Haven, 1993 22