1. 1.10 Understanding Design Elements
Lesley Pearce
National Coordinator Technology
Auckland University

2. Learning intentions
To analyse the teaching and learning strategies to support students understanding of the design elements
Developing literacy strategies to support the report writing

3. What is design?
“A plan for arranging elements in such a way as to best accomplish a particular purpose”
Charles Eames

4. A design is created with elements – line, shape, colour, value, and texture – that are put together using principles – unity, variety, emphasis, balance and scale
Although design can be divided into elements and principles for the sake of discussion it is only when these elements and principles work together to form a whole that a design is considered successful

5. Bauhaus (Founded in 1919 in Germany)
Developed a form of analysing forms:
Elements of design = words and punctuation
Principles of design = rules of grammar

6. In designing products designers choose which elements to use and how to put them together to best communicate their thoughts and ideas.

7. The elements of design are….
The components, the building blocks of design
Elements are like the ingredients of a recipe (Faimon and Weigand, 2004)
The parts of a machine (Evans and Thomas, 2004)
Or notes of music
On their own they do little but put together they create a cake, a car, a handbag, a chair

8. The principles of design are guidelines used for putting elements together to create the look of a product.
The elements are the “what”
The principles “how”

9. . Design elements
Design elements are the building blocks or basic units in the construction of a visual image
Point
Line
Shape
Value
Texture
Color

10. Point
The point serves as the focus of a visual, highlighting or drawing attention to important information.
A series of points can attract attention, especially as they move closer together.

11. Line
A line can be thought of as points so close together that they lose their individual identity and form a new entity.
Thick lines are more powerful than thin lines.
They also equate to power and strength.
Horizontal lines symbolize rest and relaxation.

12. Shape
A shape is defined as an area that stands out from the space next to or around it due to a defined or implied boundary, or because of differences of value, color, or texture.
Simple shapes are remembered and understood more easily than complex shapes.
Shapes can vary endlessly and can suggest physical form and direct eye movement.

13. Value
Value is the relative degree of lightness and darkness in a design element.
Line, color, texture, and shape all need value contrast in order to be seen.
Dark areas tend to denote: gloom, mystery, drama, menace
Light areas tend to denote: Happiness, Fun, Gaiety, Warmth, closeness

14. Texture
is defined as the surface characteristics of a material that can be experienced through the sense of touch or the illusion of touch.
Texture can be used to accent an area so that it becomes more dominant than another.

15. Colour is the part of light that is reflected by the object we see.
The colour wheel is created when the primary and secondary colours are placed in a circle.

16. Orange and blue are complementary colours
Colours directly across from each other on the colour wheel are called complementary colours.
Orange and blue are complementary colours
Complementary colors used together provide extreme contrast.

17. When complementary colors are used together the resulting image is difficult to look at for any length of time.
Less contrast is achieved by using every other color on the color wheel, such as blue, red, and yellow and orange, green, and violet.

18. More harmonious effects can be achieved by using colors that are close together on the color wheel.
Another way to organize color is by color "temperature." Colors are either "warm" or "cool."

19. Using Deceptive Design Elements to Emphasize Product Features
deception that promotes and extends the appearance of certain features so that they appear better
a smart way to design products as it will make your products seem better than they actually are, all done artificially through appearance rather than function

22. Design is usually a balance of aesthetic and functional components
Design is usually a balance of aesthetic and functional components. Successful design balances the right amount of aesthetic value with functional requirements

23. Subjective
An individual Judgements about aesthetic design value are often a reflection of personal taste.
This can be based on the senses, the emotions or intellectual opinions
They can be affected by desire, culture, preferences, education, history, values, beliefs, fads and fashions

24. Good aesthetic design is usually interesting and stimulating at the same time.

26. Learning: deep and surface approaches
SOLO is a hierarchic taxonomy—increasing quantity and quality of thought.
SOLO is powerful in creating variety in the difficulty of curriculum and cognitive challenge.
SOLO level depends on assumed ‘Givens’—the prior knowledge and tools available to students.
Both Surface and Deep questions are needed, not one is better than the other

27. Literacy activity Discuss together the design element handout.
What does it mean to your area? Are they all applicable?

28. Telephone Whispers
In groups of four each has a different set of words related to the design elements.
First person writes the definition, then folds to hide given word
Second person reads definition and adds a word. Then fold over the definition
Third person adds the word. Fold over definition
Fourth person adds the word.
The pass back to first person and open.
Purpose: recall of meanings plus shared understanding

29. Group activity Read achievement standard
Develop questions to go on A3 sheet
What questions will allow students to reach excellence?

31. Aesthetics Questions Draw the object.
Can you see any natural shapes and forms?
How does it look? Do you like the way it looks?
Can you describe it?
Where has the designer got their inspiration from for the design?
Does it look new or old?
Do you think it is modern? Why?
Is it outdated or old-fashioned? Why? Do you dislike it? Why?
Is it comfortable? Does the shape remind you of anything else? What colour is it?
Does it have a pattern or is it plain? Are there any graphics, writing or images on it?

32. Function Questions
What is the object? Is it obvious what it is? What is it for?
Who was it designed for? How does it work? Why was it designed that way?
What does it do? What are the drawbacks? What are the problems?
Would you use it? How is it assembled? Does it fit together well?
Does it have safety in mind? When is it used?
Can you see a recycling symbol?
Does it open? If so how?
What are some possible solutions?
How would you rewrite the instructions?
What are the fastenings and how effective are they?
Can you see the name of the designer?
What information does the object give us?
Can you see instructions for use?
Are the instructions easy to follow? Try following them and see.

33. Writing frame

34. Excellence example
Annotate where you see the evidence

35. Evaluation – thank you