Use of Shapes in Graphic Design

Use of Shapes in
Layout Designing
A Presentation by: ADMEC Multimedia Institute

Shapes in Layout Design
R
A Presentation by: Ravi Bhadauria
ADMEC MULTIMEDIA INSTITUTE
Leader in Animation & Digital Media Education
ISO 9001 : 2008 CERTIFIED
www.admecindia.co.in | www.graphic-design-institute.com
Phones: +91-9811-8181-22, +91-9911-7823-50

Preface & Acknowledgment
Dear Reader,
ADMEC Multimedia Institute is growing institute which is providing industry
oriented training to the world at large. Being a multimedia institute we offer training
for creating or designing content for information technology also.
This presentation is one of the best presentations from our study material for our
weekly workshops which ADMEC conducts every week at the center. We want to
share this with the world so that everyone can take benefits from our efforts.
This presentation contains very good information for “Use of Shapes in Graphic
Design”.
We express thanks to many books and websites, specially Google for making it one
of the best presentations of all the time.
Thanks
Ravi Bhadauria, Instructor (Web and Visual Designing)
Director ADMEC Multimedia Institute
http://www.admecindia.co.in

Tough Words of the Today's Workshop
Please make sure that you know the meaning of the following words to
understand this presentation properly.
● Evolution
● Stability
● Peacefulness
● Protection
● Infinity
● Feminine
● Masculine
● Rationale
● Trust
● Uniformity
● Rigidity
● Conformity
● Solidity
● Equality
● Security
● Strength
● Movement
● Aggression
● Spiritually
● Progression
● Direction
● Purpose
● Fertility
● Expansion
● Transformation
● Mystical
● Intention
● Projection
● Trinity
● Exudes

What are you going to learn today?
● What is the Shape?
● Meaning of Shapes
● Why Shapes are Important?
● Types of Shapes
● Use of Shapes
● Use of Line
● Projects

The Meaning Of Shapes
● What do you feel when you see a circle? A
square? A triangle? And A heart shape?

The Meaning of Shapes
● Are you affected the same
when seeing an object with
soft gentle curves as you
are when seeing another
object with sharp jagged
edges?

The Meaning of Shapes
● Shapes have very special
meanings and are an
important building block in
the visual grammar and
visual thinking.

The Grammar of Shapes
● Shape by definition is a portion of space
delimited by the perimeter.
● Shapes are two-dimensional areas with
a recognizable boundary.
● They can be open or closed, angular or
round, big or small.
● Shapes can be organic or inorganic.
● They can be free-form or geometric and
ordered.

How to Get a Shape?
● Shapes can be defined by their color or by the
combination of lines that make up their edges.
● Simple shapes can be combined to form complex
shapes. Complex shapes can be abstracted to make
simple shapes.

How to Get a Shape?
For Instance, following given basic geometric shapes
can be used to create many shapes. I have created a
girl.

How to Get a Shape?
Shapes are
powerful to give
universal
messages.

The Line
What is the Line?
Line is a section connecting 2 points.
Lines are the simplest yet the most important
element of Graphic Design.

An Use of Line
You would be amazed how
many things you can
communicate using just few
lines.
Arrangement of lines is
vital. It may help you to
lead the viewer to the
basic concept of the
work.

An Use of Arrow in Real Design

The Line Styles
Line can have variable width and styles such as solid
and dashed.

The Line Types and Patterns
A pattern is
something that
repeats in a
design.
Repetitive but
still interesting.

The Line Endings Type
The ending may be blunt, curved, and ragged.
Blunt
Curved
Ragged

Use of Line
Lines can be used to create textures and shapes.

Use of Line
Lines can be used in a design to manage the
followings:
● Connect
● Separate
● Organize
● Create Movement
● Provide Texture
● Convey a Mood or Emotion
● Define Shapes
● Provide Emphasis

Use of Line
Example of Separate:

Why Shapes are Useful?
● The different characteristics of a shape convey
different moods and meanings.
● Changing the characteristics of a shape alter how we
perceive that shape and make us feel differently about
a design.
● Shapes are a powerful way to communicate.

The Use of Shapes
Designers use shapes to:
● Organize information through connection and
separation
● Symbolize different ideas
● Create movement, texture, and depth
● Convey mood and emotion
● Emphasize and create entry points and areas of
interest
● Lead the eye from one design element to the next

Types of Shapes
There are 3 basic types of shapes
Or Natural

Want to become an expert designer???
- Contact -
Leader in Animation & Digital Media Education
ISO 9001 : 2008 CERTIFIED
- Visit Our Websites -
www.admecindia.co.in
www.graphic-design-institute.com
Phones: +91-9811-8181-22, +91-9911-7823-50

1. Geometric Shapes
Geometric shapes are what most
people think of as shapes.
Circles, squares, triangles,
diamonds are made up of regular
patterns that are easily
recognizable. This regularity
suggests organization and
efficiency. It suggests
structure. Geometric shapes
tend to be symmetrical further
suggesting order.

Geometric Shapes Real Examples

2. Natural/ Organic Shapes
They are irregular.
They have more curves
and are uneven. They
tend to be pleasing and
comforting. A good
example can be a
outline of tree leaf and
ink blob also a natural
Shape. All of shapes found in nature such as leaves, rocks,
and clouds are organic shapes and these shapes add
interest and reinforce themes.

2. Natural/ Organic Shapes
Often designers
use natural shapes
to improve and
enrich the view of
geometric shapes.

2. Natural/ Organic Shapes Real Example

3. Abstract Shapes
Abstract shapes have a
recognizable form, but
are not real. They are
stylized or simplified
versions of organic
shapes.
Icons are abstract shapes to represent
ideas and concepts.

The Meaning of Shapes as Abstract
There are truly an endless variety of shapes and
combination of shapes, each communicating its own
meaning and message.
Often the meaning behind shapes is cultural (a red
octagon as a stop sign), particularly as shapes are
combined.

The Meaning of Shapes as Abstract

Negative and Positive Shapes
Shapes can be either positive or
negative. They can be figure or
they can be ground.
Positive shapes occupy positive
space. The area around positive
shapes, the background, is
negative space. A solid piece of
layout occupies space, and makes
the space around it come to life.

Role of Negative and Positive Shapes
Positive and negative space play an important role in
determining the overall composition in a work of art.
By understanding positive and negative space and
applying your
knowledge, you can
become more
successful in
designing your
compositions.

What is Positive and Negative Space?
Simply, positive
space is best
described as the
areas in a work of art
that are the subjects,
or areas of interest.
Negative space is
area around the
subjects, or areas of
interest.

What is Positive and Negative Space?
Mostly
Positive
Space
Balance of
Positive
and
Negative
space
Mostly
Negative
Space

Lets Talk about few
Popular Shapes

Circle or Circular Shapes
Circles have no beginning or end. They represent the eternal whole
and in every culture are a certain type of form representing the sun,
the earth, the moon, the universe, and other celestial objects
between.
Circles are used to suggest familiar objects such as wheels, balls,
many kinds of fruit. They suggest well-roundedness and
completeness.

Circles can be used in...
Circles have free movement. They can roll. Circles are graceful and their
curves are seen as feminine. They are warm, comforting and give a
sense of sensuality and love.
Their movement suggests energy and power. Their completeness
suggests the infinite, unity, and harmony.

Circles can be used in Logos and Posters

Circles as a big logo getting all the attention to the studio’s name.

Big circles thumbs to show you a bit of Jarad’s work.

The logo is a circle and the same circular idea was used in the top left side
of the header to draw attention to the artist’s bio.

Beautiful circular elements all over the page. From foreground
and background to navigation buttons.

Real Examples of the Use of Circles

Rectangle and Square Shapes
Squares and rectangles are stable. They’re familiar and
trusted shapes and suggest honesty. They have right
angles and represent order, mathematics, rationality, and
formality. Rectangles are the most common geometric
shape encountered. The majority of text we read is set in
rectangles or squares.

Where can be Used
Squares and rectangles suggest conformity, peacefulness, solidity,
security, and equality. They are generally not attention getters, but can be
tilted to add an unexpected twist.
Every element on a web page is defined by a rectangle according to the
css box model. Web pages are rectangles made up of smaller rectangles
and squares.

Where can be Used
All most all the texts presented to us are
organized in squares and rectangles.

Squares and Rectangles can be used in
Two squares framing the main content.

Another good example of squared thumbs to organize content.

Big framed rectangle showing a nice image, getting the main
attention of the page.

Rectangles to organize and display content.

Different sized rectangles to better organize content.

Combination of rectangle thumbnails and hover effect to organize
the content and create a nice layout.

Elegant grid layout based on rectangle thumbnails.

Our eyes are drawn to the blocks because the shapes and the colors are
attractive and interesting. Shape can certainly be one of the strongest design
elements.

Triangle or Triangular Shapes
It expresses actions and dynamism. A triangle can convey either a sense
of strength or conflict. By definition, a triangle is a simple shape with
three sides and three points which exudes strength, movement and the
future.
Triangles can be stable when sitting on their base or unstable when not.
They represent dynamic tension, action, and aggression. Triangles have
energy and power. They are balanced and can be a symbol for law,
science, and religion.

Uses of Triangular Shapes
Spiritually they represent the religious trinity.
The strength of triangles suggests masculinity. Their dynamic nature make them
better suited to a growing high tech company than a stable financial institution
when designing a logo. Triangles can be used to convey progression, direction,
and purpose.
Triangle Suggests
FUTURISTIC
ACTION

Spirals
Spirals are expressions of creativity. They are often found in
the natural growth pattern of many organisms and suggest
the process of growth and evolution. Spirals convey ideas of
fertility, birth, death, expansion, and transformation. They
are cycles of time, life, and the seasons and are a common
shape in religious and mystical symbolism.

Use of Spirals
Clockwise spirals represent projection of an intention and
counterclockwise spirals the fulfillment of an intention. Double
spirals can be used to symbolize opposing forces.
Spirals move in either direction
and represent returning to the
same point on life’s journey with
new levels of understanding.
They represent trust during
change, the release of energy
and maintaining flexibility
through transformation.

Use of Spirals in Background Making

Crosses
Crosses symbolize spirituality and healing. They are seen as the
meeting place of divine energies. The 4 points of a cross represent
self, nature, wisdom, and higher power or being. Crosses suggest
transition, balance, faith, unity, temperance, hope, and life.
They represent relationships and synthesis and a need for
connection to something, whether that something is group,
individual, self, or project related..

Tips for Using Shapes
We use shapes to add interest in a design. Shapes of
different visual weight can be used to create focal points in a
design and direct the flow of a design. Shapes organize
elements by separating some and connecting others.

Tips for Using Shapes
Shapes that lean toward a protagonist appear to be blocking or stopping
progress. Shapes leaning away from the protagonist give the impression of
aiding progress by opening up space.
● Try to keep background shapes simple and large. Being large can help
attract attention and simplicity can put the focus back to the foreground.
● Try to use few shapes where possible. Don’t use 3 or 4 shapes to
communicate when one shape will do.
● Try to limit the number and size of shapes where possible for clarity in
conveying your message.
Click to Explore More Use of Shapes in Web Design
http://101webdesigns.com/2013/04/inspirational-examples-of-diagonal-web-design/

Projects on Use of Shapes in Designing
Theory:
● What are the shapes?
● Why shapes are so important for good designing?
● How many types of shapes are there? Please Explain with examples.
● What does a circle express and how it is useful for designers?
● Can you name out 5-5 brands' name using circles, rectangles, and
triangles especially?
● What are the differences between circle and triangle in designing?
● Collect 5-5 samples of design for at least 10 shapes.
Practical:
Create 3-4 Posters or Web Templates or Book Covers using at least 3-4
shapes. Don't forget to create all 3 layout phases.
Email me at: info@admecindia.co.in

Want to be an expert designer?
R
Contact Us
Want to read more on visual designing, please visit
http://www.graphic-design-institute.com
Helpline 1: +91 9811-8181-22
Helpline 2: +91 9911-7823-50
URL: http://www.admecindia.co.in

Use of Shapes in Graphic Design

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