INSTRUCTIONS: Read the following material COMPLETELY. If you see a "hyperlink" (Words that are in color and underlined), click on the word and BE CERTAIN to review any illustrations or related materials.
This unit will discuss design, composition, and elements of design. Design touches upon so many facets of our lives. Homes are designed, machines are designed, as well as thousands of other items. However, the design that we will explore is the area of visual design.
Visual design is the use of design elements and compositional skills to create graphics used for visual communications. The first evidence of visual communication with graphics was in the cave paintings created by early man. Today, graphics are created by tools or computers for publication in printed and electronic materials. In order to create designs professionally, students must be trained in the basics of design theory and demonstrate a knowledge of basic composition. There are two basic types of design: two-dimensional (2-D) design and three dimensional (3-D) design. Two dimensional design is done on a flat surface, such as paper or a computer screen. Three dimensional design includes such arts as jewelry making and sculpture. Some designers create the "illusion" of 3-D objects on a 2-D surface. It is accomplished by using special skills or computer software. This has become a very lucrative area of design for computer illustration, games and the Internet.
What is composition?
Composition is the term used to describe the arrangement of items on a page. If we look at an advertisement, screen printed shirt, or web page, we are observing a "composition". This means that a graphic artist, screen printer or web designer "composed" or put together the design we are looking at. If it is a pleasing design or we like the way that it looks, then we say that it has good composition. If we do not like the way it looks or if it looks "unbalanced" or disorganized (or downright UGLY!), then we say the composition is poor.
How does an artist or designer create a composition?
An artist or designer creates a composition by using skills that are learned in a technical school or college. Design is studied just like any other area, and it is the student who studies and learns as much design theory as possible, that will become a good designer. The designer uses elements of design, such as color, line and form to create visual images. Then the rules of design (called "design principles") are used to create the composition or placement of items on the page.
Learning to Design
The first step to learning to design (or learning to become a BETTER designer), is to learn about the basic elements that are used to create designs. These basic design elements are "line", "color", "value", "space", "mass", "form", and "texture". By using some or all of these elements, designers create the basic parts of a composition. These are discussed in more detail below. Review each carefully before proceeding to the next section. You can click on any colored, underlined text ("hyperlinks") to view any supplemental illustrations or definitions.
Line
A simple line is not very interesting.
____________________ However, when we change the direction of a line, it can be more
interesting to look at. /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ It may still be
the same width, but as it changes direction, it takes on a different personality. Lines
are probably the MOST basic beginnings of all design. Line is also the basis of creating
letters as well.
Letters, are no longer lines, but are now creating "letter forms".
Changing the width of lines, can also create "contrast" or different looks. That
is what makes one line more interesting to look at than another. Look at the illustration
by clicking HERE.
Line defines the shapes we use in design. Lines can be straight or
curved, light or bold. They may be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. Their directions can
suggest movement, mood, or emotion.
Color
Color has three basic properties, "hue", "value", and
"saturation". Hue refers to a particular color such as red,
blue, or yellow. The hue of an apple is red. Value refers to the
lightness or darkness of a color. Some colors, such as yellow or orange, are light in
value. Some colors, such as purple or brown, are dark in value. We can lighten the value
of a color by adding white (called a "tint") or darken it by adding black
(called a "shade"). Saturation, also called "chroma",
refers to the purity of a color. To decrease the saturation of a color, you can dull it by
adding other colors.
Colors also have other important qualities. They can effect a person psychologically. This effect is seen in the production of signs, especially safety or warning signs. Colors can affect our emotions. Some colors make us feel happy and excited. Other colors make us feel sad. We surround ourselves in our homes with the colors we like. Those which contain yellow or red are warm colors. They seem to be solid, advance toward us, and expand in their size. Cool colors are those which contain blue. They seem to be spacious, withdraw from us, and contract in size.
Value
Value is the amount of light reflected by a surface. If there is little
contrast in the amount of light reflected from surfaces near each other, the eye has
difficulty in distinguishing them. A sharp contrast of light and dark values is necessary
to attract attention. A drawing or any type of design in one color requires careful
consideration of light and dark values.
Space
When we look at the size of an object it takes up "space".
Whether the space is on a flat piece of paper or in the corner of the room you are sitting
in, it can be filled with both 3-D and 2-D objects. "Layout space" is the area
that a designer works in. For a sculptor, his sculpture takes up space in the room. For a
computer illustrator, the creations take up space on the computer screen. Considering the
placement of objects in a space is most important in design.
Mass
A 2-D object can only have "mass" when it is filled or uses a 3-D
"perspective" to create the illusion of mass. Outlined objects in a coloring
book would have no mass. That is because there is strictly the use of line. We create mass
by combining line with forms and solids. Mass occupies more visual space than line,
unless the line is very large and repeated many times.
Form
There is form in all objects. The form is defined as the "outline" of
the object. Form helps to define "positive space". Positive space is the mass of
an object. Negative space is the area that surrounds the object or the background of the object.
Texture
In 2-D design, "texture" is the illusion of a surface other than
the flat surface of a paper or computer screen. Although texture is something you would
normally associate with the "feel" of an object, our eyes can imagine the way a
surface might feel. Texture can be created through the manipulation and repetition of line
and form.
You have completed the first chapter in this unit. You must now take a quiz to verify your completion of the reading. It is very important that you review and study this material before taking the quiz. You should go back and study now. When you are ready to take the quiz, see your instructor. You will be provided with the quiz on disk.
After the quiz is taken, you will have the grade recorded, and print out the quiz for your notebook. You will be given instructions for the next chapter in this unit AFTER the quiz has been completed.
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