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Principles of Design
1. The Principles of Design
Autumn Rhythm (Number 30) (1950) Jackson Pollock
2. The Principles of Design
Ways to combine the elements of art to make a
more powerful composition
3. The Principles of Design
Ways to combine the elements of art to make a
more powerful composition
Emphasis
4. The Principles of Design
Ways to combine the elements of art to make a
more powerful composition
Emphasis
Balance
5. The Principles of Design
Ways to combine the elements of art to make a
more powerful composition
Emphasis
Balance
Unity
6. The Principles of Design
Ways to combine the elements of art to make a
more powerful composition
Emphasis
Balance
Unity
Contrast
7. The Principles of Design
Ways to combine the elements of art to make a
more powerful composition
Emphasis
Balance
Unity
Contrast
Movement/Rhythm
8. The Principles of Design
Ways to combine the elements of art to make a
more powerful composition
Emphasis
Balance
Unity
Contrast
Movement/Rhythm
Pattern/Repetition
9. EMPHASIS
or Focal Point
The emphasis, or focal
point, is the area of the
artwork to which the eye
is first drawn.
Artists create focal points
through myriad
methods, including the
use of color or contrast.
La Paysan (1891) Paul Cézanne
10. BALANCE
Balance is a sense of
visual stability within a
piece of art.
symmetrical balance
(mirror image)
asymmetrical balance
(placing similar or
opposite size/weight/
color objects to balance
each other out)
Festival de las flores (1925) Diego Rivera
13. UNITY
Unity occurs when all of
the elements work
together to make a well-
balanced whole. In other
words, the individual
elements support the
overall theme/object of
the work.
Seated Figure with Hat (1967) Richard Diebenkorn
14. In a successful painting everything is integral… all the parts
belong to the whole. If you remove an aspect or element you
are removing its wholeness.
- Richard Diebenkorn
15. CONTRAST
Most often, people think
of contrast as pertaining
to value (the range of
light and dark) in
artwork. However,
contrast can also be
created using color,
shape, or any other
element that provides a
sense of visual discord.
Girl With a Peal Earring (1665) Johannes Vermeer
16. MOVEMENT
Movement can be a
literal representation, or
implied through
repetition of shape
(rhythm) or the
alternation of lights and
darks.
The Scream (1893-1910) Edvard Munch
17. PATTERN/
REPETITION
An element (color, shape,
form, etc.) that occurs
over and over in a piece
of art.
It is more visually
appealing to vary the
repetition to some
degree.
Metamorphosis II (1940) M.C. Escher
18. Using the Principles of Design in
Visual Compositions
Keeping in mind the basic elements of art and how
they fit together using design principles can help you
construct a more aesthetically pleasing work of art.
However, these are not hard and fast rules – there is
always room for experimentation!
Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is
knowing which ones to keep. - Scott Adams
19. The Principles
✤ Emphasis
✤ Balance
✤ Unity
✤ Contrast
✤ Movement/
Rhythm
✤ Pattern/
Repetition
Starry Night (1889) Vincent van Gogh
For the next 10-15 minutes, analyze this work of art in
terms of the principles you see.
