Presented by Eileen MacAvery Kane Rockland Community College, Art DepartmentJanuary 7, 2016
Agenda
• Design Principles• Design Elements• Layout• Fonts• Color Palette• Images
Design Principles
Focal PointRhythmUnity
An area of interest that attracts the viewer
May be the smallest area or only area of color
May be created with proportion = relative size of an object as measured in comparison to another
Focal PointRhythmUnity
Engaging the senses: the rhythm of artwork creates a sensation, evoking sight, sound, touch, motion
Charles Burchfield. The Insect Chorus. 1917. Opaque and transparent watercolor with ink and crayon on paper, 1’ 7 7/8”x 1’ 3 7/8” (50 x 40 cm). Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute. Museum of Art, Utica, New York (Edward W. Root Bequest), 58.104.
Albert Renger-Patzsch. Buchenwald in Herbst (Beech Forest in Autumn). 1936. Silver gelatin print, 8 3/4”x 6 3/8” (22.2 x 16.2 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Warner Communications, Inc., purchase fund, 1980; 1980.1063.1.
Philip Guston. Transitions. 1975. Oil on Canvas, 5’6” x 6’81/2” (167.6 x 204.5cm). Smithsonian Amercian Art Museum, Washington, DC. Bequest of Musa Guston.
Hiroshi Sugimoto. U.A. Play House. 1978.
Used to different type of feelings:
• Symmetrical: classicism, stability, formal
• Asymmetrical: dynamism, movement, casual
Focal PointRhythmUnity
Unity = visual harmony is achieved with whatever elements are used
Design Elements
Line
Shape
Pattern
Texture
Value
Color
Space
Motion
Biomorphic shapes –Abstract shapes that allude to natural, organic forms such as plants or the human form, convey emotion or reference. Over the Circle (Frankenthaler)
Texture makes the object feel like it has a surface quality.
Add color and you can change the tone and message completely
Create interest by interrupting the repetition (image by San Mung, Prism)
Figure / Ground relationships
(Ascending and Descending by M.C. Escher)
Sue Hettmansperger. Untitled Drawing. 1975. Watercolorand pencil, 1' 11" x 2' 1" (58 x 64 cm). Collection of North Carolina National Bank.
Use value to create form
James Turrell. Meeting. 1986. Warm and cool colors for simultaneous contrast
The use of space supports color as a focal point
Motion dominates this image
Layout
Careful control of visual hierarchy is a key aspect of the design decisions we have to consider.
1. Most Important
2. Least Important
3. Everything else in between
Poster by Rebecca Foster
Fonts
Limit your font choices to 3and use fancy fonts for headlines only
Color Palette
Limit your color palette to 3
You’ll tend to get a more pleasing final result if you stick to three colors in your color scheme.
Many of the masters’ paintings use very limited palettes
If more colors are needed, try using tints or shades of a color
Choose colors that are appropriateand be aware of cultural differences
In some countries, yellow has very different connotations. In Egypt, for example, yellow is for mourning. In Japan, it represents courage, and in India it’s a color for merchants.
Images
Use the rule of thirds
Horizontal horizontals
Framing
Fill the frame
Try different angles
Avoid harsh sunlight and zoom in
Uncluttered background
Use visual metaphorsand Puns
Clean up your messClean Designs Reduce the
Effort Needed to Find Information
Consider Alignment, Size, Contrast, and Extras
Best Practices
• Create a layout with strong visual hierarchy
• Use the power of 3:
- Layout
- Fonts
- Color Palette
• Image cropping and positioning
• Unity is the ultimate goal
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