3D Design: Elements & Principles of Design

Overview

The Elements of Art and Principles of Design are the building blocks used to create a work of art. Thee Elements can be thought of as the things that make up a painting, drawing, design etc. good or bad - all paintings will contain most of if not all, of the Elements of Art. The Mid-term will require proficient knowledge of this information.

Line: A continuous mark that spans a distance between two points, taking any form along the way (vertical, horizontal, diagonal, zigzag, curved, thick, thin, implied). As a line may be used to define shape in two-dimensional work, a line may also be 3 dimensional, such as wire. Implied line is the path that the viewer’s eye takes as it follows shapes, colors, and form along a path, but may not be continuous or physically connected, such as the line created by a dancer’s arms, torso, and legs when performing an arabesque.

Shape: A 2-dimensional space that can be defined by edges, setting one flat specific space apart from another. Shapes can be geometric (e.g.: square, circle, triangle, hexagon, etc.) or organic (such as the shape of a puddle, blob, leaf, boomerang, etc.

Form: A 3-dimensional shape having volume and thickness (e.g.: cube, pyramid, sphere, cylinder, etc.). It is the illusion of a 3-D effect that can be implied with the use of line or light and shading techniques. Unlike shapes, forms can be viewed from many angles.

Value: The degree of lighting and shade in an image. It is the contrast between black and white and all the tones in between. Value can be used with color as well as black and white. Contrast is the extreme changes between values. Lines and texture can also be used to create value.

Texture: Is about surface quality either tactile or visual. Texture can be real or implied by different uses of media. It is the degree of roughness or smoothness in objects.

Principles of Art

Principles of Design or Principles of Art

Certain qualities inherent in the choice and arrangement of elements of art in the production of a work of art. Artists "design" their works to varying degrees by controlling and ordering the elements of art. Considering the principles is especially useful in analyzing ways in which a work is pleasing in formal ways. How any work exhibits applications of these principles can further or modify other characteristics of a work as well.

Some principles overlap or oppose others, and some are viewed as more important, more ideal, more relevant or irrelevant (or even undesirable) than others. So it is understandable that various authorities' lists of principles differ one from another. Several authorities do not include the concepts marked here with an asterisk (*). The primary reason for this variation appears to be disagreement about whether principles are ideals — concepts found in the best designs / art — or design issues we benefit from understanding and considering in order to more thoughtfully produce, understand, and judge art and design. The trend is toward the second point of view. After all, there are needs for both the beautiful and the grotesque, the polished and the rough, and exceptions to many rules.

Balance: the two types of balance are formal (symmetrical) and informal (asymmetrical).

Symmetric balance occurs when the two sides are identical — they reflect each other: Latin syn meaning same is joined to metric meaning measure.

Asymmetric balance is different: the Latin prefix a- means not, so asymmetry lacks balance; it is off-kilter.

Radial balance is the kind found in another device: a gyroscope — essentially a spinning wheel.

Emphasis: an area in a work of art that attracts the viewers attention first. The element noticed first is called dominant; the elements noticed later are called subordinate. A way of combining elements to stress the differences between those elements and to create one or more centers of interest in a work. Often, emphasized elements are used to direct and focus attention on the most important parts of a composition — its focal point. Emphasis is one of the principles of design. A design lacking emphasis may result in monotony.

Rhythm: the use of repeated elements to create the illusion of movement. Visual rhythm is perceived through the eyes, and is created by repeated positive spaces separated by negative spaces. There are five types of rhythm: random, regular, alternating, flowing, and progressive.

Unity & Harmony: allows the viewer to see a combination of elements, principles, and media as a whole. Unity is created by harmony, simplicity, repetition, proximity, and continuation. For example, you could use the repetition of a color scheme to unify a composition. Another way to unify a composition is to simplify the color scheme by allowing one color to dominate the work. This is called tonality. Tonality does not have to be monochromatic, however, the overall effect appears to be of one color.

Movement: color can create a sense of movement. When the values in a work jump quickly from very high-key to very low-key, a feeling of excitement and movement is created. When all of the values are close together the work seems much calmer. When you want to create movement with color remember to use values of pure hues as well as those of tints and shades. Movement creates the illusion of action or physical change in position.