1. Chapter One Defining the Language of Design Principles and Elements of Design

2. Objectives
Understand design as a visual language built on fundamental principles and elements.
Learn how the primary principles of unity, variety, hierarchy (dominance), and proportion affect the design composition as a whole.

3. Objectives (cont.)
Learn how the supporting principles of scale, balance, rhythm, repetition, economy, and proximity affect internal relationships of the elements within a design composition.
Discover the uses of shape, space, line, size, color, texture, and typography as compositional content.

4. Primary Principles Affect the design as a whole Unity Variety
Hierarchy
Proportion

5. Unity An overriding principle Served by all other principles
Controls variety

6. Variety Creates visual interest Balance of visual contrasts
Combination of elements

7. Hierarchy An arranged order Principle functions of hierarchy Dominance
Influence of one element over another
Emphasis
Stressing one element over another

8. Proportion Size relationship or ratio
Outer dimensions have a relationship to internal divisions and alignments

9. Support Principles Affect the interaction among elements Scale Balance
Rhythm
Repetition
Proximity

10. Scale Size comparison of internal parts
Comparison based on a known constant such as human scale
Helps establish hierarchy

11. Balance Visual distribution of elements Symmetrical Asymmetrical
Physical balance
Radial symmetry

12. Rhythm
Alternating occurrence of form and space
Creates eye movement

13. Repetition Regular pattern of elements
Principle function of repetition
Pattern
Configuration of distributed elements

14. Proximity
Relative position of elements
Creates visual tension

15. Elements of Design
Shape
Space
Line
Size
Color
Texture
Typography

16. Shape
Figure or mass
Form is shape with volume
Geometric
Organic

17. Space Area activated by visual elements Shape/space relationships
Figure/ground
Form/counterform
Positive/negative

18. Line
Moving path of a point
Line as type
Line as edge
Line implied

19. Size Physical dimensions Serves scale and proportion
Size is contextual/relative

20. Color Hues found in light and pigment Convey mood
Enhance pictorial space
Heighten emotion
Transmit cultural meaning

21. Texture Quality and characteristic of surface Tactile texture
Visual texture

22. Typography
Letter and word forms
Type functions as
Line
Texture
Shape

23. Summary
The principles and elements of design function as a visual vocabulary.
Learning to use them is like learning a new language.
Study them individually at first and gradually learn to combine them in more complex ways.
Study the work of contemporary designers and design through the 20th century.
Chapter exercises stress one or two main principles, limiting the elements used to solve them.
Once you have mastered the vocabulary of any language, you can communicate in that "tongue."

24. Summary (cont.) Visual language is complex and fluid.
Influenced by cultural, social, and technological change.
Using it is an ongoing learning process.
The principles and elements do not change.
When you have gained a working knowledge of them, you possess the means to powerful communication.