The Principles of Art

The Design.

Design is the over all arrangement of all the visual elements of a work of art.

Designing is a skill that takes some careful study to master. Like any other skill, some designers are better than others. Some artists are conscious of the Principles of Design and some are not. These art also terms used when critics describe the qualities of an artwork.

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tHE PRICIPLES OF dESIGN

-Art principles are created by combining art elements which are the building blocks that go together to produce visual principles such as Unity, Harmony, Variety, Balance, movement, emphasis, proportion, and rhythm.

•The Harmony

Harmony refers to a way of combining similarities. Visual harmony is achieved when all of the art element within an art work is blended together. This can be accomplished by using similar types of shapes, lines, or colors within a work of art. 

•The Balance

All artist must pay attention to how a work of art is balance. It refers to the way in which visual weight is distributed throughout a composition, this can be Symmetrical, Asymmetrical, or Radial Balance.

•Symmetrical balance: it refers to a composition in which the visual weight is perfectly and evenly distributed each side of the artwork. A symmetrical composition can be divided down the center and each side will be close to a mirror image of the other.

•Asymmetrical balance: refers to those compositions in which the visual weight is not evenly distributed to both side of the work of art. This will have a dominant side which the majority of the visual weight is placed.

•Radial balance:  
occurs when objects are positioned around a central point. The daisy, with its petals from the center of the flower, is a good example. Notice how the stained-glass window was designed using radial balance.



•The Rhythm 
•Rhythm refers to the use of visual repetition within a work of art. Repeating visual elements can create visual energy and interest.


•The Variety
•Variety is a way of combing elements in involved ways to create intricate and complicated relationships. Variety is accomplished by using differing lines, shapes, and colors within an artwork to make key areas stand out.



•The Movement
 •Movement refers to how the designs direct our eyes when looking at it. 
It does not refer to a depiction of movement within an artwork. Because of this, movement can be referred to as visual movement.



•The Emphasis
•Emphasis refers to the need of an artist to create a focal point within a composition. The focal [point is the most important part of a work of an art and the viewer's eye
should be drawn to the area.
Emphasis can be achieve by using a combination of element to the focal point. Using contrasting colors can also help to emphasize a focal point.


•The Proportion.
•Proportion is concerned with the relationship of certain elements to the whole and to each other. Artists must make sure that the relative sizes if items within a composition make logical sense.