Introduction to Design PowerPoint Notes: First Quarter Introduction The Beginners Mind Is free of preconceptions or habitual patterns Is open-minded

inded Has an intense desire to explore new ideas Has no reputation to defend Is willing to make the mistakes that are so essential to learning

Design defined as a verb To plan, delineate, or define, as in designing a building To create a deliberate sequence of images or events, as in developing a film storyboard To create a functional object, as in product design To organize disparate parts into a coherent whole, as in composing a brochure

Design defined as a noun A plan or pattern, such s the layout for a garden An arrangement of lines, shapes, colors, and textures into an artistic whole, as in the composition of a painting or sculpture

To design is to endow optical meaning or images- with meaning. The mind does this constantly. It refuses to perceive the outside world as a chaotic jumble of meaningless sensations. Instead, it quickly registers all incoming stimuli and assigns them some orderly meaning. Design is deliberate. Rather than hope for the best and accept the result, artists and designers explore a wide range of solutions to every problem, then choose the most promising option for further development. Joseph Albers, a famous designer noted: To design is to plan and to organize, to order, to relate and to control. Two-dimensional compositions are constructed by arranging the elements of art using the principles of design. Refer to the handout passed out the first day of class for specifics. Let the designing begin!

Line: A Moving Point The aesthetic definition of line is the visual connection between two points. Actual lines can describe complex forms simply and eloquently. Continuous line defines both the inner and outer edges of objects. Implied lines suggest connections. Gestural lines capture action rather than detail. Calligraphic lines add energy to a drawing or design. Organizational lines create a skeleton on which a composition can be built. Line Quality Each line has its own distinctive quality. This quality is largely determined by the lines 1. orientation 2. direction 3. physical characteristics 4. character. Line orientation refers to the lines horizontal, vertical, or diagonal position. a. A horizontal line implies quiet and repose. b. A vertical line has more potential for activity. c. A diagonal line most strongly suggests motion. Line direction controls eye movement. a. Generally, a swelling line suggests forward or outward movement while a shrinking line suggests inward movement. b. Line weight is often used to accentuate direction. Physical characteristics a. Line continuity can enhance the flow of the line. b. Lack of continuity can inhibit flow as in an implied line. c. Types of lines include, but are not limited to, straight, curved and angular. Character a. The personality of emotional quality of the line is rooted in the nature of the medium chosen.

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Shape Shape is a flat, enclosed area that stands out because of A defined boundary An implied boundary A difference in texture A difference in value A difference in color

Shape Types Actual shapes have exact limits. Implied shapes require your eyes to form edges optically. Negative shapes are those other than the positive ones. The artist pays attention to these but the viewer usually does not. Shapes can be amorphous subjective (or imaginary) objective (derived from observable phenomena) biomorphic geometric curvilinear (shapes with curved edges such as circles, ovals or organic irregular shapes) rectilinear shapes (shapes with straight edges)

Shapes are the building blocks of art structure.