Elements and Principles of Design

Learning about the elements and principles of design gives us the vocabulary and
understanding to talk scenic design as effective, aesthetically pleasing, or visually arresting.
The Elements of Design refer to the visible things we see in a design:
They are like building blocks. Elements may have sub-elements, as youll see below.
The Principles of Design are concepts that refer to the relationships of the elements of design
to each other and to the total composition. They guide how we arrange those visible elements to
make effective compositions: They include:

The Elements of Design

The Elements of Design (what we see):

Line
Shape
Colour
Texture
Space

Line
A linear mark on a page or screen, made with an instrument like a brush, pencil, pen, or mouse;
or, the line created by the meeting of two shapes. In scenic design, "line" could refer to the
contour of a set, an onstage structure against the cyclorama or linear effects as a result of
scenic painting.
About line

Lines have direction: vertical, horizontal, oblique

Direction evokes emotion: oblique lines and zigzags connote action, danger,
suddenness.

Line creates Shape.

Shape
Any self-contained area with defined form or outline.
About shape

Shape has size, which may connote significance or insignificance, strength or

weakness.

A coloured shape on a white back-ground is itself a positive shape creating a negative

shape (the background).

Color

The phenomenon created when the human eye reacts to the energy and frequency of light. The
ability of our brains to sort this information delivers the colours we live with and enjoy.
About color

Light is additive working towards white.

Paint or pigment is subtractive working towards black.

The admixture of light is a combination of red, blue and green light in different
proportion.

Mixing red blue and yellow can create any pigment color.

If you look through a prism (or see a rainbow) you see the main colors of the spectrum:
violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, red, orange.

Color is said to have value, which refers to the lightness or darkness of the color (hue).

Tint (color plus white) is high-value color, whereas shade (color plus black) is low value
color.

Hue, intense or saturated color, has nothing added.

Color may connote emotion (excitement, rage, peace) and stimulate brain activity
(action, relaxation, concentration).

Texture
The apparent or actual quality of the surface: grainy furry, bumpy.
About texture

Texture can be either felt (tactile), seen (visual) or both felt and seen.

In a drawing, texture can be created by varying light and dark strokes or lines which can
also imply depth.

Space
The distance between objects, or the dimensions of length, width and depth.
About space

A shape on a page is positive space and it creates negative space around it, which also
needs to be considered in design.

Proportion
The harmonious relation of parts to each other or to the whole.

The Principles of Design

The Principles of Design are concepts that refer to the relationships of the elements of design
to each other and to the total composition. They guide how we arrange those visible elements to
make effective compositions: They include:

Balance

Unity

Variety

Harmony

Movement

Rhythm

Emphasis

Balance
The state of equal relationship; the sense of stability when weight is distributed equally on either
side of a vertical axis; a pleasing arrangement of parts in a whole.
There are different kinds of balance:
1. Symmetrical balance wherein each side is the mirror-image of the other
2. Asymmetrical balance wherein there is a sense of balance achieved through careful
planning of elements; ex: three small objects on one side of a page may be arranged to
balance one large object on the other
3. Radial balance wherein the design elements swirl out from a central axis (star,
explosion)

Unity
The sense of oneness in a work of art; the sense that the design components or objects
belong together.
About unity

Unity is achieved by placing components close together (proximity), by repetition, or by

creating a sense of flow whereby the eye is led from one aspect of the work to another
using line, direction or colour.

Refer to the maquette for 7 Stories as an example of unity.

Variety
The use of different colours, sizes, shapes, etc. to create interest and avoid monotony.

About variety

Variety may be achieved by varying aspects of the same theme (see below).

Harmony
The sense of order or agreement-among the parts of a whole; aesthetically pleasing
relationships among parts of a whole.
For example:

The harmony of colour in a painting

Movement
The sense that static elements on a page or plane can seem to be in motion, possibly because
our brain understands that movement is about to happen or is actually happening.
For example

A dancer is balanced so delicately that he must move or fall over; or, running figures are
so blurry that our brain attributes speed to them.

Rhythm
The sense that our eyes are being carried from one part of the design or painting to another;
this may happen abruptly through the use of jagged lines, abrupt shifts of colour or shape, or in
a flowing circular way. Repetition of design elements also contribute to a sense of rhythm.
About rhythm

Repetition of line or other elements create rhythm, and also mood (calm, restful versus
unsettled or dangerous.)

Emphasis
The sense that our attention is being focused to a particular spot a centre of attention
achieved by :

Scale: a larger object dominates smaller objects

Color: one bright color against subdued colours catches the eye

Contrast: the juxtaposition of black and white, dark and light highlights differences

Position: an object placed in the foreground or the center of a work dominates, as does
one in isolation from other objects

Other Principles of Design include: tension, pattern, repetition