1.3 Principles of Design

1.3 Principles of Design

Quick Answer: The Principles of Design—Balance, Contrast, Emphasis, Movement, Pattern, Rhythm, and Unity/Variety—describe how artists organize the Elements of Art to create a successful, cohesive composition.

If the Elements of Art (line, shape, color, etc.) are the vocabulary of the visual arts, the Principles of Design are the grammar. They represent the rules and guidelines for organizing visual elements into a complete, effective artwork.

Understanding the principles is crucial for the Praxis Art exam, as questions will frequently present an artwork and ask you to identify which principle is primarily responsible for its structural success.

1. Balance

Balance refers to the distribution of visual weight in a composition. Visual weight is the degree to which an element draws the viewer's eye. Dark colors, complex textures, and large shapes carry heavy visual weight. Proper balance ensures that an artwork feels stable; without it, the composition feels "heavy" on one side, causing visual discomfort.

• Symmetrical Balance (Formal Balance): Achieved when the elements on one side of a central axis correspond directly to the elements on the other side. This creates a mirror-image effect. Symmetrical balance conveys a sense of stability, order, formality, and sometimes rigidity. It is frequently used in religious and classical architecture.
• Asymmetrical Balance (Informal Balance): Occurs when the two sides of a composition are drastically different but achieve an overall equal visual weight. For example, a single large, dark shape on the left side of a canvas might be balanced by a cluster of several smaller, lighter shapes on the right. Asymmetry feels more dynamic, modern, and active than symmetry.
• Radial Balance: Elements radiate outward from a central point, much like the spokes of a wheel, a mandala, or a daisy. This draws the eye directly into the center of the artwork.
• Crystallographic Balance (Mosaic Balance): A uniform distribution of elements throughout the composition with no distinct focal point, resembling a repetitive pattern or an all-over grid.

2. Emphasis and Subordination

Emphasis is the principle used to attract the viewer's attention to a specific area of the artwork. This primary area of interest is known as the focal point. Artists guide the viewer's eye exactly where they want it to go by emphasizing certain elements.

Common ways to create emphasis include:

• Contrast: A single bright red apple in a bowl of green apples will command attention due to the extreme color contrast.
• Isolation: Placing one subject physically apart from a group of other subjects immediately draws the eye to the isolated figure.
• Placement (Location): Placing a subject near the center of the composition or using perspective lines to point directly at it.

Subordination is the necessary counterpart to emphasis. It involves minimizing or downplaying other areas of the composition so they do not compete with the focal point. Subordinate areas act as the supporting cast for the main subject.

3. Contrast

Contrast involves the juxtaposition of opposing or strongly differing elements to create visual tension and interest. Without contrast, an artwork can appear flat, dull, and monotonous.

Contrast can be achieved using any of the elements:

• Light values juxtaposed against dark values (chiaroscuro).
• Complementary colors placed side by side (red against green).
• Rough textures layered over smooth surfaces.
• Large geometric forms placed next to small organic shapes.

High contrast generally creates a dramatic, energetic mood, while low contrast feels subtle, calm, and atmospheric.

4. Movement

In visual art, movement is the path the viewer's eye takes as it travels through the composition. Artists intentionally design the artwork to lead the eye along specific paths, often directing it toward the focal point and then circulating it through the rest of the piece.

Movement is guided through the use of implied lines, the edges of shapes, and the repetition of colors or values. For example, a viewer might follow the sweeping curve of a river from the foreground into the background of a landscape painting.

This principle also applies to Kinetic Art, which is actual, physical movement in three-dimensional space, such as Alexander Calder's hanging mobiles.

5. Rhythm

Related to movement, rhythm is the regular or structured repetition of elements to create a sense of tempo or beat, much like in music. Rhythm guides the eye, but it does so through predictable, repeating visual cues.

• Regular Rhythm: Elements are repeated exactly in the same intervals.
• Alternating Rhythm: Two or more elements are repeated in an alternating sequence (A-B-A-B).
• Progressive Rhythm: The repeating element changes slightly each time, such as a shape gradually getting larger or changing color across the canvas.
• Flowing Rhythm: Created by undulating, wavy lines and continuous curves, evoking the movement of water or wind.

6. Pattern

Pattern is the exact, unvarying repetition of a specific visual element or motif over a surface. While rhythm implies movement and tempo, pattern is generally used for surface decoration and structure.

Patterns can be found in textiles, wallpapers, brickwork, and architectural facades. A pattern relies heavily on predictability; if the repetition breaks, the pattern is disrupted.

7. Proportion and Scale

While related, proportion and scale address different relationships of size.

• Proportion: Refers to the relative size of parts within a whole. In figurative art, this refers to the size of the head compared to the body, or the eyes compared to the face. The classical Greeks obsessed over perfect mathematical proportions (the Golden Ratio).
• Scale: Refers to the size of an artwork relative to its environment or relative to standard human dimensions. A mural painted on the side of a skyscraper is "monumental in scale," while a small miniature portrait is "intimate in scale." Hierarchical scale is an ancient technique where the most important figure in an artwork is drawn significantly larger than the others, regardless of actual physical reality.

8. Unity and Variety

Unity and Variety are the opposing forces that artists must balance to achieve a successful composition.

• Unity: The quality of wholeness and cohesion. When an artwork has unity, all of its distinct parts look as though they belong together. This is often achieved through proximity (grouping things together), repetition of colors or shapes, and continuation (lines flowing seamlessly from one object to another).
• Variety: The introduction of difference and change. If an artwork is completely unified but lacks variety, it will be incredibly boring. Variety prevents monotony by adding contrasting colors, changing sizes, or altering textures.

The ultimate goal of design is achieving unity with variety—enough cohesion to hold the piece together, with enough difference to keep the viewer engaged.