Presented by Eileen MacAvery Kane Rockland Community College, Art DepartmentJanuary 7, 2016

Agenda

• Design Principles• Design Elements• Layout• Fonts• Color Palette• Images

Design Principles

Focal PointRhythmUnity

An area of interest that attracts the viewer

May be the smallest area or only area of color

May be created with proportion = relative size of an object as measured in comparison to another

Focal PointRhythmUnity

Engaging the senses: the rhythm of artwork creates a sensation, evoking sight, sound, touch, motion

Charles Burchfield. The Insect Chorus. 1917. Opaque and transparent watercolor with ink and crayon on paper, 1’ 7 7/8”x 1’ 3 7/8” (50 x 40 cm). Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute. Museum of Art, Utica, New York (Edward W. Root Bequest), 58.104.

Albert Renger-Patzsch. Buchenwald in Herbst (Beech Forest in Autumn). 1936. Silver gelatin print, 8 3/4”x 6 3/8” (22.2 x 16.2 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Warner Communications, Inc., purchase fund, 1980; 1980.1063.1.

Philip Guston. Transitions. 1975. Oil on Canvas, 5’6” x 6’81/2” (167.6 x 204.5cm). Smithsonian Amercian Art Museum, Washington, DC. Bequest of Musa Guston.

Hiroshi Sugimoto. U.A. Play House. 1978.

Used to different type of feelings:

• Symmetrical: classicism, stability, formal

• Asymmetrical: dynamism, movement, casual

Focal PointRhythmUnity

Unity = visual harmony is achieved with whatever elements are used

Design Elements

Line

Shape

Pattern

Texture

Value

Color

Space

Motion

Biomorphic shapes –Abstract shapes that allude to natural, organic forms such as plants or the human form, convey emotion or reference. Over the Circle (Frankenthaler)

Texture makes the object feel like it has a surface quality.

Add color and you can change the tone and message completely

Create interest by interrupting the repetition (image by San Mung, Prism)

Figure / Ground relationships

(Ascending and Descending by M.C. Escher)

Sue Hettmansperger. Untitled Drawing. 1975. Watercolorand pencil, 1' 11" x 2' 1" (58 x 64 cm). Collection of North Carolina National Bank.

Use value to create form

James Turrell. Meeting. 1986. Warm and cool colors for simultaneous contrast

The use of space supports color as a focal point

Motion dominates this image

Layout

Careful control of visual hierarchy is a key aspect of the design decisions we have to consider.

1. Most Important

2. Least Important

3. Everything else in between

Poster by Rebecca Foster

Fonts

Limit your font choices to 3and use fancy fonts for headlines only

Color Palette

Limit your color palette to 3

You’ll tend to get a more pleasing final result if you stick to three colors in your color scheme.

Many of the masters’ paintings use very limited palettes

http://fstop2.photocrati.com/

If more colors are needed, try using tints or shades of a color

Choose colors that are appropriateand be aware of cultural differences

In some countries, yellow has very different connotations. In Egypt, for example, yellow is for mourning. In Japan, it represents courage, and in India it’s a color for merchants.

Images

Use the rule of thirds

Horizontal horizontals

Framing

Fill the frame

Try different angles

Avoid harsh sunlight and zoom in

Uncluttered background

Use visual metaphorsand Puns

Clean up your messClean Designs Reduce the

Effort Needed to Find Information

Consider Alignment, Size, Contrast, and Extras

Best Practices

• Create a layout with strong visual hierarchy

• Use the power of 3:

- Layout

- Fonts

- Color Palette

• Image cropping and positioning

• Unity is the ultimate goal