LINE
Design Elements Design Principles
SHAP
E BALANCE
COLO VARIETY
R
MOVEMENT
VALU
CONTRAST
E
EMPHASIS
TEXT
URE PROPORTION
SPAC UNITY

Elements of Design
Are the seven basic building blocks of art & design.
 Without these building blocks the principles are meaningless.
 Without the principles the elements can not be used to their best ability.

Design Elements
LINE
SHAPE
COLOR
VALUE
TEXTURE
SPACE
FORM

Line
A mark. Lines have thickness, direction, and
movement; they can be interrupted and can show
emotion in an artwork.

Line

Line
Contour lines- outline the
edges of forms or shapes
Gestural lines- indicate
action and physical
movement

Shape
When line curves or corners around and crosses
over itself it becomes a shape.

Shape
SHAPES CAN BE DESCRIBED AS:
GEOMETRIC
square, triangle, rectangle, rhombus, circle, cone
ORGANIC
free form shapes, shapes in nature for example:
leaves, trees, clouds, animals

Color
Color has three main properties:
1. Hue
2. Value
3. Intensity

Color
Color has three properties:
1. The first is HUE.
(this is the name of the colors)
2. The second property of color is
value, which refers to the
lightness or darkness of a hue.
3. The third property of color is
intensity, which refers to the purity
of the hue (called “chroma”)

Neutral Colors
These colors are made by adding a complimentary
color (opposite on the color wheel) to a hue.
Neutralized hues are called tones.

Tints and Shades
Tints-adding the color white.
Shades- adding the color black.

Warm and Cool Colors

Value
The lightness or darkness of a hue.

Value
Value contrasts help us
to see and understand a
two-dimensional work of art.
Value describes form and
value defines space.

Texture
The quality of a surface: Smooth, rough, bumpy,
hairy, etc.

Hatching and Cross Hatching
Line can be used to create
value and textures
Hatching
Cross Hatching

Texture
Textures are all around us in our environment.
Actual texture – texture that you can feel with your sense of
touch.
Implied texture – texture that has been simulated in drawing and
painting on a smooth surface to appear as if it is textured.

Space
The amount of depth in both 2D and 3D artworks.
Around, above, inside, outside, help describe
space

Space
The feeling of space in a drawing
or painting is always an illusion.
Artists combine the use of light
and dark value with other
techniques. Some of these are:
simple overlapping, ladder
perspective, linear
perspective, and atmospheric
perspective.
Linear perspective
“Snow in New York”

Form
In 3D artworks it is the quality of the shape.
Ex. Cubes, spheres and cones

Form
Form describes volume and mass, or the three-dimensional
aspects of objects that take up space.
Forms can be realistic, abstract, geometric, organic etc…
Form is considered three-dimensional showing height, width
and depth. It can be illustrated or constructed.

Principles of Design
The basic rules of aesthetics that guide in the
organization of elements in a work of art.

Design Principles
Balance
Emphasis
Variety
Movement
Proportion
Contrast
Unity

Balance
An appearance of evenness in an artwork.
There are two kinds: Symmetry & Asymmetry

Balance
Balance refers to the distribution of visual weight in a work of art
This is an example of This is an example of
symmetrical balance in which asymmetrical balance
the design is the same on both because the object is not the
sides of the center axis. same on both sides.

Balance
An appearance of evenness in an artwork.
There are two kinds: Symmetry & Asymmetry

Symmetry
In composition it is an arrangement of elements
using order or disorder.

Vertical symmetry
A composition with identical or similar elements
arranged on both the right and left halves of an
image.

Vertical symmetry

Horizontal symmetry
A composition with identical or similar elements
arranged on both the top and bottom halves of an
image.

Horizontal symmetry

Radial symmetry
A composition with a center point from which the arrangement
of elements radiate around in a circular format.
Imagine:
Cut a piece of “pie” out of an empty circle. Create a design on
the piece of pie.
Repeat the pie piece to finish off the “pie.”

Radial symmetry

Asymmetry
A composition with a heavy and light amount of elements.
Asymmetry uses disorder to create balance.

Asymmetrical

Contrast
A large difference between elements. Green and
Red, dark and light, large and small, thin and
thick, bright and dull.

Contrast
Contrast refers to differences in values,
colors textures, shapes and other elements.

Emphasis
Where an artist draws attention to one or more
parts of a design.

Emphasis
Emphasis is used by artists to create dominance and focus
in their work. Artists often use focal areas (centers of interest)
to place emphasis on the most important aspect of art.

Movement
The path the viewer’s eye is directed to take by the
artist’s choice of elements such as line.

Movement
Visual movement is used by artists to direct viewer
through their work, often to focal areas.

Variety
The differences in any element in a work of art give
it variety.
Ex: A variety of shape sizes or a variety of the
same hue

Rhythm
Rhythm is repetition of visual movement of the elements-colors
shapes, lines, values, forms, spaces, and textures. Movement
and rhythm work together to create the visual equivalent of a
musical beat..

Pattern
Pattern uses the art elements in planned or random
repetitions to enhance surfaces of paintings or sculptures.

Unity
A sense that all of the parts belong together as one
piece of artwork.

Unity
Unity provides the cohesive quality that makes an art work
feel complete and finished. All the principles work together
to create unity and therefore a successful design.
Salvador Dali Andy Warhol

Proportion – aka – Scale
The relationships of size in artworks in relation to
how they are normally viewed.
Ex. A perfectly drawn person in proportion or a perfectly drawn
person with a tiny head

Proportion
This picture uses the idea of proportion to illustrate
the size difference between the fish and the boat.

Proportion – aka – Scale