ELEMENTS OF DESIGN
Elements of Design!
The tools of design
Hands on - can be manipulated
1. Space
2. Form & Shape
3. Line
4. Texture
5. Pattern & Color
Space
The three dimensional expanse that a designer is
working with
*2 Kinds of Space!
Positive Space – the actual object takes up space
Negative Space – the space around an object
Space
*To help a small area feel spacious
If you hang a mirror in a
room it can help make a
room appear larger!
To help a small area feel spacious
Allow as much floor to
show as possible
Place large pieces of
furniture near walls
Furniture should be up
off the floor and not
bulky
To make a large area feel intimate
Place furniture
perpendicular to
walls
Group furniture
according to areas
of activity
Use large furniture
that sits directly on
the floor
Space
Space
*Shape
Two dimensional (2-D)
Made by connecting
lines
Circles, squares,
rectangles, triangles,
ovals, diamonds....
*Form
Three dimensional (3-D)
Encloses space
Spheres, cylinders,
cones, cubes, pyramids....
Difference between Shape
and form
Rectilinear Forms
Angular Forms
Circular Forms
Line
Long and narrow
Connects two points
Leads the eye from one
point to another
horizontal
curved
v
e
r
t
i
c
a
l
diagonal
Vertical Line
Communicates
strength and
formality
Creates feelings
of aspiration and
ascension
Horizontal Line
Calmness
Relaxing
Informal
Diagonal Line
Excitement
Active
Suggests movement
Curved Line
soft
feminine
Texture
The surface quality of an object or item
Tactile
How the object feels to the touch
Can feel the variation in the surface
Visual
An illusion - how the object appears to feel
Applied using line, color, & shading
Texture
VS.
Texture - Smooth
Make colors appear
lighter and brighter
Generally considered
more formal
Texture - Shiny
Reflective
Has more intense color
Texture - Rough
Make color look darker
and less intense
Generally less formal
Texture
Pattern
Repetition of line, shape,
form, texture and/or
color
Reflects the mood of the
elements used
Can be formal, informal,
calm, playful.....
Evaluating Pattern
The placement of emphasis
The character of the pattern
The color scheme
The scale of the pattern
Color
Reflected light
Most important element
Creates the most impact
We’ll cover this in depth
later in the semester!
Using the Elements of Design can make
things appear different than they really
are!
*Can you see things from a different
view?
If you take a look at the following picture , let me tell you ... it is not animated. Your eyes are
making it move. To test this, stare at one spot for a couple seconds and everything will stop
moving. Or look at the black center of each circle and it will stop moving. But move your eyes to
the next black center and the previous will move after you take your eyes away from it.... Weird
Are the purple lines straight or bent?
Which circle in the middle is bigger?
Do you see gray areas in between the squares?
Now where did they come from?
Just as an Optical Illusion can make things appear
different than they really are, so can using the
principles and elements of design.