1. Principles of Design

2. What are principles of design?
The guidelines for  Harmony
organizing the  Variety
elements in order to
satisfy the artist’s  Balance
expressive intent.  Proportion and Scale
They describe  Dominance
relationships of  Rhythm/Movement
elements to one
another.  Economy

3. I. Harmony
 A related quality of
visual elements of a
composition. Ex:
repetition, rhythm,
continuity.
 Elements are
combined to accent
their similarities and
create wholeness in
an artwork.
Andy Warhol. 200 Campbell Soup Cans.

4. II. Variety
 The use of contrasting elements in a
composition to add individualism and interest.
Ben Jones. Black
Face and Arm
Unit. 1971.

5. Visual weight refers to the
III. Balance apparent “heaviness” or
“lightness” of the forms
arranged in a composition.
 Feeling of equilibrium
in weight attention or  Types of balance:
attraction of various
 Symmetrical (formal)
visual elements.
 including Relieved
 Means of
 Asymmetrical (informal)
accomplishing
organic unity.  radial

6. Symmetrical Balance
 Implied center gravity is the vertical axis—an
imaginary line down the center of the composition
 Forms on either side of the axis correspond to one
another in size, shape, and placement
 Perfect symmetry is when the two sides “mirror”
each other.
 Relieved symmetry is when the two sides nearly—
but do not exactly—“mirror.” This occurs more
often.

7. Perfect or relieved symmetry?
O’Keefe. Deer Skull with Pedernal. 1936. Kahlo. The Two Fridas. 1939.

8. Asymmetrical Balance
 The two sides of the composition do not match
 The visual weights in the two sides are very
similar
 The viewer perceives the relationships between
the elements in the two sides—and, in turn, the
composition’s balance
It’s much like balancing a seesaw with
differently sized people.

9. Asymmetrical Balance (cont.)
1. A large form is visually heavier than a
smaller form.
2. A dark-value form is visually heavier than
a light form of the same size.
3. A textured form is visually heavier than a
smooth form of the same size.
4. A complex form is visually heavier than a
simple form of the same size.
5. Two or more small forms can balance a
larger one.
6. A small darker form can balance a larger
light one.

10. Klimt. Death
and Life.
1915.
Here, the
darker,
smaller
form of
Death
balances
the lighter,
larger form
of Life.

11. Mondrian was
concerned
with formal
design
principles,
and his
Composition
with Red,
Yellow, and
Blue is a
classic
example:
What size of a
blue area was
needed to
balance the
red and yellow
areas?

12. Radial Balance
 Elements in a
composition
radiate outward
from a central
point.
(like the sun or your tire rims)
 More common in
architecture and
the crafts. Baptism of Christ and Procession of Twelve Apostles. c.520

13. IV. Proportion
and Scale
 Proportion—the
comparison of
elements to one
another in terms of
their properties of
size, quantity and
degree of emphasis
 Scale—size in relation
to a standard or
“normal” size.

14. Magritte. Delusions of Grandeur II. 1948.
El Greco. Resurrection. C. 1600-1605.

15. Oldenburg and van Bruggen. Flying Pins. 2000.

16. V. Dominance (also called Emphasis)
 When some elements
assume more importance
than others in the same
composition.
 Created by contrasts in
size, color, value, etc.
 Also created by line
direction
Klimt. Serena Lederer. 1899.

17. Caravaggio. The
Calling of St.
Matthew.
What is
emphasized
here?
How?

18. Goya. Executions of the Third
of May, 1808. 1814-15.
How about this one?

19. VI. Rhythm/Movement
 An illusion created by
the placement and
configuration of the
visual parts or
elements.
Here, repetition creates a
strong, steady rhythm.

20. Repetition of
shapes and
colors are given
great variety
through
placement and
size differences.
This gives an
irregular and
lively rhythm.
Mondrian. Broadway
Boogie-Woogie. 1942-43.

21. Here, the artist wanted to
capture every miniscule
movement of a body as it
went from one place to
another.
How was that effect
achieved?
Duchamp. Nude Descending a
Staircase, No. 2. 1912.

22. Balla. Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash. 1912.

23. VII. Economy
 Process of breaking a composition down into
it’s most significant essentials: eliminating
elaborate details to provide greater legibility;
often a component of abstraction.

24. Matisse. The Dance. 1909.

25. Kenneth Noland.
Split. 1959.

26. Economy was all-important to the
Minimalists.
They wanted to see how many
elements of art could be taken out of
a piece and it still be considered art.
Donald Judd. Untitled. 1969. Brass and colored fluorescent plexiglass.

27. Information and images for this presentation were provided by:
Getlein, Mark. Gilbert’s Living with Art, 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 2002.
Gilbert, Rita. Living with Art, 4th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1995.
Harden, Mark. Artchive. http://artchive.com/core.html 2005.
Hext, Bob and Kristi Hext. Lecture notes 2004-2005.