Design principles and elements

Visual design elements and principles describe fundamental ideas about the practice of good visual design.

As William Lidwell stated in Universal Principles of Design:

The best designers sometimes disregard the principles of design. When they do so, however, there is usually some compensating merit attained at the cost of the violation. Unless you are certain of doing as well, it is best to abide by the principles.

Design elements are the basic units of a painting, drawing, design or other visual piece and include:

Author Maitland Graves in The Art of Color and Design, 1951, McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc. defines the elements of design as: Line, Direction, Shape, Size, Texture, Value and Color - in that order. "These elements are the materials from which all designs are built."

The three primary hues which cannot be created by mixing are red, yellow and blue. In practice, however, a more practical set of "double primaries" is utilized to allow for creating more intense saturation of colors. One author recommending this double primary system of color mixing is Michael Wilcox in his book: BLUE AND YELLOW DON'T MAKE GREEN.

A shape is defined as a two or more dimensional 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. All objects are composed of shapes and all other 'Elements of Design' are shapes in some way.

Meaning the way a surface feels or is perceived to feel. Texture can be added to attract or repel interest to an element, depending on the pleasantness of the texture.

Most textures have a natural touch but still seem to repeat a motif in some way. Regularly repeating a motif will result in a texture appearing as a pattern.

In design, space is concerned with the area deep within the moment of designated design, the design will take place on. For a two-dimensional design, space concerns creating the illusion of a third dimension on a flat surface:

Form may be described as any three-dimensional object. Form can be measured, from top to bottom (height), side to side (width), and from back to front (depth). Form is also defined by light and dark. It can be defined by the presence of shadows on surfaces or faces of an object. There are two types of form, geometric (man-made) and natural (organic form). Form may be created by the combining of two or more shapes. It may be enhanced by tone, texture and color. It can be illustrated or constructed.

Principles applied to the elements of design that bring them together into one design. How one applies these principles determines how successful a design may be.

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