Chapter Five

Principles of Design

The "principles of design" are simply terms that describe how we make use of the "elements of design".  Conveniently, we have seven "elements" of design, and seven "principles" of design.  Remember, the "elements" are what we have to work with.  The "principles" are how we use them. You may find that my seven "elements" and my seven "principles" may differ slightly from your text or from other books.  Use my list.  It's better.

The seven "elements" of design (chapter 4) are:                                                 

· Line

· Shape

· Form (mass)

· Light (value)

· Texture

· Space

· Color

The seven "principles" of design (chapter 5) are:

· Unity (harmony)

· Contrast (variety)

· Balance (symmetrical and asymmetrical)

· Emphasis (focal point)

· Scale

· Proportion

· Rhythm (movement, pattern, repetition)  Notice that I do not include pattern ( as your text does) as a part of "texture" as one of the elements of design.  Pattern is simply a kind of repetitive shape, form, or line.  As such, it is a principle, not an element.

Artists who consistently create strong works of art are those who understand how to make use of these seven principles.  The most common mistake that weak artists make is in failing to use the right amount of contrast. 

Another vital ingredient, but not included as one of the principles of design, is emotional impact.  By using images that the viewer will associate with previous experiences, the artist has the power to elicit powerful responses to his work.  The artist must be careful, however, not to cross a line that will make the art seem silly, cheap, or tawdry.  How big and watery can you make a child's eyes before the painting seems "tacky"?  How much nostalgia and bright color can one use before the painting seems "cheesy"? How erotic can one make a young woman appear before the painting seems cheap?  You have to know where to draw the line.

Day of the Gods Gauguin Symmetrical Balance	Executions of the Third of May Francisco Goya Focal Point	Early Sunday Morning Edward Hopper Ryhthm	Hand, Face and Arm unit Ben Jones Unity
The Two Fridas Frida Kahlo Formal (Symmetrical) Balance	Death and Life Gustav Klimt Informal(asymmetrical) Balance	A Bar at the Folies Bergere Edward Manet Informal Balance	The Red Studio Henri Matisse Unity
Broadway Boogie-Woogie Piet Mondrian Rhythm	Deer Skull Georgia O’Keeffe Formal Balance	Jackson Pollock Extreme Unity	The Banjo Lesson Henry Tanner Focal Point
Minoan Culture (out of) proportion	Georgia O’Keeffe Torso Alfred Stieglitz (correct) proportion	Georgia O’keeffe and Friend	Georgia O’Keeffe
Yellow Orchid Georgia O’Keeffe Radial Balance	Georgia O’Keeffe	Cow’s Skull Georgia O’Keeffe Formal Balance	Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera
Diego On My Mind Frida Kahlo Formal Balance	Danae Gustav Klimt Informal Balance	Judith and Holofernes Gustav Klimt Informal Balance	Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer Gustav Klimt Informal Balance Unity Contrast Focal Point
Safety Pin Claes Oldenburg Scale	Screw Claes Oldenburg Scale	Knife Ship Claes Oldenburg Scale	Illusions of Grandeur Rene Magritte Proportion
Resurection El Greco Proportion	Study of Human Proportions Leonardo da Vinci Proportion	The White House Edward hopper Informal Balance Contrast	The Burning of the Houses of Parliament J.M.W. Turner Informal Balance