Written reflection on the reading "Mini course in Design Principles"
The reading is an introduction to design principles, basic design and visual elements (lines, squares, type, photographs and illustrations) and how they work together to create different types of compositions.
The only 2 elements analysed in the reading through a different series of exercises, are squares and lines, however the same principles apply to all visual elements, including photographs, illustrations and type.
The two main compositions we can create with these elements are static and dynamic compositions, depending on what elements we use and how we place them in the given space.
The main design principles that define space are:
- depth (different sizes, dimension, thickness of the elements)
- scale (different sizes)
- value
- contours
- placement of the elements if they are close, distant, overlapped)
- ground and shape (manipulating ground through changing the contours of the shape, which then creates ambiguity, and thus tension, between the two).
- tension (can relate to colours, illustrations, shapes, or any other design element; tension is about relationship between 2 elements: it's point where we cannot say whether two elements are one or 2 distinct ones. Ambiguity and integrity are 2 forms of tension).
- activation of the ground through the shape
- creation of multiple planes
- visual intervals
Another important aspect which this reading deals with is to always establish priorities, scale and placement before creating an image, so that the final composition will be an ordered, visually correct and interesting composition.
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