DESIGN AS ELEMENT OF ART HOW TO
DESIGN AS ELEMENT OF ART SOFTWARE

For example, the famous World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) logo makes use of the confusion between positive shape and negative space to create the image of a panda.Īuthor/Copyright holder: World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Some designs make use of negative space to create interesting visual effects. You can choose to see this as a blue ball set against a light blue rectangle - or, is it a light blue rectangle with a hole in it? Negative space, also called white space, is the empty area around a positive shape. Negative space is just as important as the positive shape itself - because it helps to define the boundaries of the positive space and brings balance to a composition. We should be aware that when designing positive shapes, we are also designing negative spaces at the same time. The relation between the shape and the space is called figure/ground, where the shape is the figure and the area around the shape is the ground. Negative space (also known as white space) is the empty area around a (positive) shape. For this reason, shapes are crucial elements that we designers use for quick and effective communication. We tend to identify objects by their basic shapes, and only focus on the details (such as lines, values, colours and textures) on closer inspection. We can form shapes using lines (as above), or by using differences in colour, texture or value. A shape has two dimensions: length and width. Shapes are self-contained areas, usually formed by lines (although they may also be formed by using a different colour, value or texture). The words “Interaction Design Foundation” form an implied semicircular line in our logo. In the logo of the Interaction Design Foundation, for instance, the words “Interaction Design Foundation” around the tree connect to create a semicircular implied line. Lines are simple, but can convey different emotions by using different properties.Ī line can also be implied: that is, suggested by forming an invisible connection between other elements. For example, lines can be thick or thin, straight or curved, have uniform width or taper off, be geometric (i.e., look like they are drawn by a ruler or compass) or organic (i.e., look like they are drawn by hand).

(In science, you can, but that’s another story.)Īlthough simple, lines can possess a large variety of properties that allow us to convey a range of expressions. Put it this way, you can’t strip down any lower than a one-dimensional object in the world of design. Copyright terms and licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0Ī line connects two points and is the simplest element of design. We can use them to create shapes, and when we repeat them, we can form patterns that create textures.Īuthor/Copyright holder: Teo Yu Siang and Interaction Design Foundation. Lines are strokes connecting two points, and the most basic element of visual design. These elements are the basic tools that we visual designers use in our daily work, and having a basic understanding of them is definitely a prerequisite for the job.

DESIGN AS ELEMENT OF ART SOFTWARE

Elements of Visual DesignĪny product - from software products such as websites and apps to hardware products such as toasters and hairdryers - can be broken down into fundamental elements of visual design, as described by Alan Hashimoto, associate professor of Graphic Design and Computer Art at Utah State University, and Mike Clayton, director and associate professor of Computer Graphic Arts at the University of the Incarnate Word, in their book, Visual Design Fundamentals: A Digital Approach. Here, we will also show you how you should consider placing these indispensable visual elements to make the maximum impact.

DESIGN AS ELEMENT OF ART HOW TO

Learning how to achieve unity, gestalt, hierarchy, balance, contrast, scale, dominance, and similarity will reward you time and again. While a close examination of each element is usually not necessary in your daily work as a designer, the principles of design - how to place the elements together to build pages and app screens optimally - play a crucial part in your role. Here, we’ll introduce you to the elements of visual design: line, shape, negative/ white space, volume, value, colour and texture. These elements and principles together form the building blocks of visual design, and a firm understanding of them is crucial in creating a visual design of any product. To create the aesthetic style of a website or app, we work with fundamental elements of visual design, arranging them according to principles of design. Visual design is about creating and making the general aesthetics of a product consistent.

Design as element of art