Principles of Design / part two /

Balance Contrast Movement, Direction 4) Economy 5) Emphasis 8 PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN Balance Contrast Movement, Direction 4) Economy 5) Emphasis 6) Proportion 7) Rhythm 8) Unity & Variety

SCALE – OVERALL SIZE OF THE WORK In Bed, Ron Mueck, 2005

SCALE – OVERALL SIZE OF THE WORK Mount Rushmore Two Women, Ron Mueck, 2005

PROPORTION – RELATIVE SIZE OF OBJECTS WITHIN THE WORK Personal Values, Rene Margitte, 1952

RHYTHM – is the repetition of visual movement: colors, shapes or lines. Variety is essential to keep rhythms exciting and active, and to avoid monotony. Movement and rhythm work together to create the visual equivalent of a musical beat. http://www.understandingduchamp.com Nude Descending a Staircase, Marcel Duchamp, 1912

Campbell Soup, Andy Warhol RHYTHM Campbell Soup, Andy Warhol

Target Store Advertising

Pattern – uses the art elements in planned or random repetitions to enhance visual surfaces. watch the commercial  

American Gothic, Grant Wood, 1930 UNITY & VARIETY Unity is a sense of oneness, of things belonging together and making up a coherent whole. Visual Unity (based on color, shape, line, etc.) American Gothic, Grant Wood, 1930

Palais de Cristal, Joseph Cornell, 1945. Assemblage. UNITY Conceptual Unity (various shapes, objects, etc. are unified through a unity of ideas) Palais de Cristal, Joseph Cornell, 1945. Assemblage.

Unity can be a matter of concept. The purpose of the object unifies the design.

HOW TO ACHIEVE UNITY? GESTALT THEORY Gestalt – a school of thought developed by German and Austrian psychologists to study how our mind perceives and processes visual input. Gestalt Theory – a set of rules for artists on how to balance visual information, combine distinct parts or elements to form a whole.

The Flagellation of Christ, Piero Della Francesca, 1455 The principle of proximity: Group objects to make them appear as if they belong together. The Flagellation of Christ, Piero Della Francesca, 1455

Use continuity. A more subtle method of unifying a work involves the continuation of line, edge or direction from one area to another. The Tub, Edgar Degas, 1886

Have an underlying structure. Example: use a similar grid, composition, etc.

Use repetition and variety. Repeat colors, shapes, textures or objects to tie a work together. Add some variety to make it more interesting. Versace Collection

Exercises

Composition & Balance: Symmetrical, Asymmetrical, etc.

Emphasis and Visual Movement

Visual Flow / Movement – How Do You Read This Work? Poster designed by Cassandre, 1924

Scale. How does it affect your perception of the piece? “Cupid’s Span” by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, was built in 2003 along the Rincon Park area. It resembles cupid’s bow and arrow with the arrow implanted in the ground.

Proportion. How does it affect your perception of the piece? “The Enigma of Hitler”, Salvador Dali, 1939