Principles of Art

• Principles of Design refer to the visual strategies used by artists, in conjunction with the elements of arts – for expressive purposes (Fichner-Rathus, 2008).
• Principles of design draw and hold the viewer’s eye on certain parts of a work
• Principles of art brings visual stability and add visual interest to a

  composition
• How we apply the principles of design determines how successful we are in creating a work of art.
• Harmony in visual design means all parts of the visual image relate to and complement each other. Harmony is the use of related elements.
• Harmony might be similar colors, shapes, sizes of objects, etc. It’s about repetition and a relationship between elements.
• Harmony is one of the most important aspects when it comes to principles of art
• Harmony creates a sense of connection between the objects, creating a sense of flow.
• Harmony is the visually satisfying effect of combining similar or related elements.
• Rhythm is organized movement, a beat, a repetition.
• Rhythm is often the use of regular, evenly distributed elements – they could occur in slow, fast, smooth or jerky intervals, and this tells you something about the feelings invoked.
• in the visual arts, the viewer perceives rhythm by grouping elements such as color, line and shape.
• Rhythmical patterns help the eye to move easily from one part of the room to another or from one part of a design to another (Sanchez, et al., 2009).
• Regular repetition means of creating rhythm in which elements of a

  composition are duplicated at orderly or fixed intervals.
• Regular repetition is the easiest and most precise way to create rhythm.
• Rhythm is a core property of Minimalist artists, of which Flavin was one.
• Donald Judd’s sculpture in particular was based on the repetition of simple geometric shapes mounted on walls or set on the floor in a steady, evenly spaced pattern.

  
• Dan Flavin. Untitled (to Jan and Ron Greenberg), installation view at the Dan Flavin Art Institute, Bridgehampton, NY. (1972–73) Fluorescent light

  (96”x96”).

  
• Alternating Rhythm is a type of rhythm in which different elements in a work repeat themselves in predictable order.

  
• Progressive Rhythm is a minor variations in rhythm can add interest to a

  composition.

  • the rhythm of elements of a work of art such as shape, texture, or color change slightly as they move, or progress toward a defined point in the composition.

  
• Balance is the concept of visual equilibrium, and relates to our physical sense of balance. It is a reconciliation of opposing forces in a composition that results in visual stability.
• Balance in a three dimensional object is easy to understand; if balance isn't achieved, the object tips over.
• To understand balance in a two dimensional composition, we must use our imaginations to carry this three dimensional analogy forward to the flat surface.
• In architectural works like the United States Capitol– the house in which the laws of the land are created – repetition and symmetry can imply

  rationality and decorum, tying the structure of the building to a certain symbolic ideal.

  
• Leonardo da Vinci. Study of Human Proportion: The Vitruvian Man (1492) Pen and Ink drawing (13 ½” x 9 ¾”). [Balance]

  
• Most successful compositions achieve balance in one of two ways: symmetrically or asymmetrically.
• Symmetrical balance is the type of balance in which the elements of a work are balanced by similarity of form or arrangement on either

  side of a dividing line or plane, or to correspondence of parts, as in size, shape, or position.
• Symmetrical balance can be described as having equal "weight" on equal sides of a centrally placed fulcrum. It may also be referred to as formal balance.
• When the elements are arranged equally on either side of a central axis, the result is Bilateral symmetry.
• Asymmetrical balance is the type of balance in which there are more than slight differences between the divided areas of a work, yet

  there is an overall sense of balance.
• Emphasis

  • All emphasis is no emphasis
  • Is an extension of these first two principles: it is when contrast, placement, size, color, or other features are used to highlight one object, area, or other elements of the artwork.
• Emphasis is used to draw attention – a focal point – or accentuate a feature.

  
• Emphasis by directional lines is lines that lead the eye to a focal

  point. Oskar Schlemmer Bauhaus Stairway

  
• Emphasis by isolation - Take the repetition of the same object over and over and have just one of these off by itself. Pablo Picasso. Family of Saltimbanques

  
• Emphasis by weight is the repetition of important words and phrases or the thoughtful arrangement of words to give them extra weight and prominence 

  
• Unity

  • Unity is a powerful concept.
  • In art, unity implies harmony. It suggests that the parts of a composition are there by happenstance; rather, they fit together to form a meaningful whole (Fichner- Rathus, 2008).
• Not to be confused with harmony, unity is the overall cohesion of the work.
• Unity is powerful, but, as the British writer Aphra Behn said, “Variety is the soul of pleasure.” Without variety, life would comprise a bland sameness, a cookie-cutter existence from which we all shrink.
• Variety in art, as in life, is seductive. It demands our attention, turns the

  predictable on edge (Fichner-Rathus, 2008).
• Variety is a sense of the difference between elements of an artwork – the opposite of unity, or harmony.