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PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA IN
GRAPHIC DESIGN
SUMMARY NOTES
MODULE 1
LESSON 2: THE ELEMENTS &
PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN
BREAK THE RULES IF YOU KNOW THEM
, TABLE OF CONTENTS:
3 FOUNDATION OF GOOD DESIGN
4 ELEMENTS OF DESIGN
SPACE
LINE
5 SHAPE
SIZE
TEXTURE
VALUE
6 COLOUR
9 HOW THE ELEMENTS ARE APPLIED
10 PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN
FOCAL POINT
11 CONTRAST
BALANCE
12 MOVEMENT
13 PATTERN
14 UNITY
15 GESALT
PROXIMITY
16 SIMILARITY
CONTINUITY
CLOSURE
17 BONUS PRINCIPLE: HIERARCHY
THE DESIGN CYCLE
BRIEFING
RESEARCH & BRAINSTORMING
18 THUMBNAILING
PRODUCTION
PRESENT
RECAP OF LESSON 2
BIBLIOGRAPHY
, 3 WWW.SHAWACADEMY.COM
Foundation of good design
Today, we will focus on the foundation of good design.
We refer to this foundation as the elements as well as the
principles of design and how to combine them into a visual
unity.
The elements of design are the building blocks of your design
and the principles are how you apply these building blocks.
To put it into simpler terms: imagine that you are in charge of
a large building project.
As the project manager, you will need the necessary building
material as well as a team of builders and architects to
construct your client’s dream home.
The building material we refer to as the design elements.
The team of people you will be working with we can refer to as
the principles when it comes to graphic design.
What this means is that the elements are the physical
ingredients or building blocks we use to construct our design.
The principles refer to how we apply these elements in an
effective manner.
The end result of successfully applying the elements (our
building material) and principles (our team) is a successful
building project which we refer to as an effective visual
hierarchy. Neither can exist without the other so both are
equally important.
As you are familiar with the elements we discussed in lesson 1,
can you recall what they are? Remember we had 7 elements
we referred to…they are space, line, shape, size, texture, value
and colour.
We will also focus on how to successfully apply these elements.
The principles of design consist of focal point, contrast,
balance, movement, pattern, unity and the very important
theory of gestalt.
Now, what happens if we do not successfully apply our
elements and principles of design?
We will have a failed building project. At the end of the day, it
doesn’t matter how well you know any of the design programs.
If you do know have a strong foundation (elements and
principles of design), your designs will not be effective and
won’t convey the correct message and that’s exactly why this
lesson is so important!
Professional Diploma in Graphic Design
, elements
4 WWW.SHAWACADEMY.COM
OF DESIGN
Lesson two is about the elements and principles of design and how to apply them. Starting with the elements of
design, which you are familiar with by now as I introduced them to you in lesson 1. Note that the elements might
differ from source, and you might get more or less elements, but at the end of the day, they all come down to
the same foundation.
1. Space
We will discuss all our elements and principles in
more detail starting with our very first element, space.
As implied, space is the area we use to design, it is
resembled by the empty areas on your design, which we
refer to as white or negative space. Note that we refer to
it as white space, since it resembles the white of a page.
I however prefer the term negative space as it is not
always white.
The elements that actually fill your page like images
and text are referred to as positive space. The closer
elements like images and text are to each other on a
design, the more difficult it is for your viewer to make
sense of. Space also helps to guide your viewer and will
make a piece more legible and comfortable to read.
Space is essential for legibility as well as aesthetics. It Figure 1: The elements of design
thus allows your design to breathe and provides your
viewer with a visual rest.
2. Line
We can refer to line as the primal element since all
other elements consist out of some sort of line (except
for space, of course). A line can be straight, curved, or
broken up, thick or thin, vertical, horizontal or diagonal.
As mentioned, lines are the basic forms of all designs,
but combining them creates a sophisticated design and
the illusion of an image.
We can even go as far and say that line can also be
implied, meaning that we do not necessarily need a
physical line to be present but consider that we type on
an imaginative line to make sure that all type lines up
horizontally. Even shape, which is our next element is
in fact line in a closed form! The type of lines used will
even evoke different emotions and convey different
meanings.
Professional Diploma in Graphic Design
PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA IN
GRAPHIC DESIGN
SUMMARY NOTES
MODULE 1
LESSON 2: THE ELEMENTS &
PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN
BREAK THE RULES IF YOU KNOW THEM
, TABLE OF CONTENTS:
3 FOUNDATION OF GOOD DESIGN
4 ELEMENTS OF DESIGN
SPACE
LINE
5 SHAPE
SIZE
TEXTURE
VALUE
6 COLOUR
9 HOW THE ELEMENTS ARE APPLIED
10 PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN
FOCAL POINT
11 CONTRAST
BALANCE
12 MOVEMENT
13 PATTERN
14 UNITY
15 GESALT
PROXIMITY
16 SIMILARITY
CONTINUITY
CLOSURE
17 BONUS PRINCIPLE: HIERARCHY
THE DESIGN CYCLE
BRIEFING
RESEARCH & BRAINSTORMING
18 THUMBNAILING
PRODUCTION
PRESENT
RECAP OF LESSON 2
BIBLIOGRAPHY
, 3 WWW.SHAWACADEMY.COM
Foundation of good design
Today, we will focus on the foundation of good design.
We refer to this foundation as the elements as well as the
principles of design and how to combine them into a visual
unity.
The elements of design are the building blocks of your design
and the principles are how you apply these building blocks.
To put it into simpler terms: imagine that you are in charge of
a large building project.
As the project manager, you will need the necessary building
material as well as a team of builders and architects to
construct your client’s dream home.
The building material we refer to as the design elements.
The team of people you will be working with we can refer to as
the principles when it comes to graphic design.
What this means is that the elements are the physical
ingredients or building blocks we use to construct our design.
The principles refer to how we apply these elements in an
effective manner.
The end result of successfully applying the elements (our
building material) and principles (our team) is a successful
building project which we refer to as an effective visual
hierarchy. Neither can exist without the other so both are
equally important.
As you are familiar with the elements we discussed in lesson 1,
can you recall what they are? Remember we had 7 elements
we referred to…they are space, line, shape, size, texture, value
and colour.
We will also focus on how to successfully apply these elements.
The principles of design consist of focal point, contrast,
balance, movement, pattern, unity and the very important
theory of gestalt.
Now, what happens if we do not successfully apply our
elements and principles of design?
We will have a failed building project. At the end of the day, it
doesn’t matter how well you know any of the design programs.
If you do know have a strong foundation (elements and
principles of design), your designs will not be effective and
won’t convey the correct message and that’s exactly why this
lesson is so important!
Professional Diploma in Graphic Design
, elements
4 WWW.SHAWACADEMY.COM
OF DESIGN
Lesson two is about the elements and principles of design and how to apply them. Starting with the elements of
design, which you are familiar with by now as I introduced them to you in lesson 1. Note that the elements might
differ from source, and you might get more or less elements, but at the end of the day, they all come down to
the same foundation.
1. Space
We will discuss all our elements and principles in
more detail starting with our very first element, space.
As implied, space is the area we use to design, it is
resembled by the empty areas on your design, which we
refer to as white or negative space. Note that we refer to
it as white space, since it resembles the white of a page.
I however prefer the term negative space as it is not
always white.
The elements that actually fill your page like images
and text are referred to as positive space. The closer
elements like images and text are to each other on a
design, the more difficult it is for your viewer to make
sense of. Space also helps to guide your viewer and will
make a piece more legible and comfortable to read.
Space is essential for legibility as well as aesthetics. It Figure 1: The elements of design
thus allows your design to breathe and provides your
viewer with a visual rest.
2. Line
We can refer to line as the primal element since all
other elements consist out of some sort of line (except
for space, of course). A line can be straight, curved, or
broken up, thick or thin, vertical, horizontal or diagonal.
As mentioned, lines are the basic forms of all designs,
but combining them creates a sophisticated design and
the illusion of an image.
We can even go as far and say that line can also be
implied, meaning that we do not necessarily need a
physical line to be present but consider that we type on
an imaginative line to make sure that all type lines up
horizontally. Even shape, which is our next element is
in fact line in a closed form! The type of lines used will
even evoke different emotions and convey different
meanings.
Professional Diploma in Graphic Design
