"Podcast #3 Principles of Design"

1. Define principles of design?

Concepts used to arrange the structural elements of a composition

2. What do the principles of design affect?

Expression content, or the message of the work

3. What is the principle of repetition?

Repeating some aspect or element of the design throughout the entire document

4. Describe ways that the principle of repetition helps the composition/audience?

It acts as a visual key that ties your piece together & it controls the reader’s eye and helps them keep attention on that piece. It helps the viewer navigate through the piece and helps unify separate parts

5. What are ways that you can incorporate repetition into your designs?

Bold font, thick line, certain bullet, color, design element, format and spatial relationship (anything that the viewer will recognize)

6. What should you avoid when working with repetition?

Not to repeat too much because it becomes overwhelming

7. What is the principle of proportion/scale?

Refer to the relative size and scale of the various elements in an object

8. What is the most universal standard of measure when judging size?

The human body

9. How can the principle of proportion/scale be used as an attention getter?

Unusual or unexpected scale

10. What is the principle of balance?

Distribution of heavy and light elements the page

11. Which kinds of elements/shapes visually weigh heavier/greater?

Irregular shapes are greater than regular shapes

12. What is another name for symmetrical balance?

Formal balance

13. Define symmetrical balance?

Occurs when the weight of a composition is evenly distributed around a central, vertical, or horizontal axis

14. What is another name for asymmetrical balance?

Informal balance

15. Define asymmetrical balance?

Occurs when the weight of a composition isn’t not evenly distributed around the axis

16. What is the principle of emphasis?

Stressing of a particular area of focus rather than the details

17. What happens to a design that has no focus?

Nothing stands out

18. What is a focal point and how is it created?

An area of interest, it is created by making one element dominant

19. How many components of a composition can be a focal point?

No more than one

20. What ways can emphasis be created in a design?

By contrasting the primary element with a subordinate or sudden change in direction, size, shape, texture, color, tone or line

21. What is the principle of unity?

The wholeness of a composition

22. What three ways can unity be obtained?

1. Put objects close to each other

2. Make things similar

3. Direct visuals by a line that travels around the composition

23. What is the principle of variety?

Pertains to differences and diversity, its what makes the work interesting

24. What ways can a designer add variety to a design?

By varying the colors, shapes, and by altering their contrast, tone and intensity

25. Why is it important to find the right balance between unity and variety?

Too much unity can be boring and to much variety can be chaotic

26. What is figure?

A form, silhouette or shape

27. What is another name for figure?

Positive space

28. What is ground?

Area surrounding the figure

29. What is another name for ground?

Negative space

30. When a composition is abstract (has no recognizable subject) what will the figure depend on? What does that mean?

It will depend on abstract relationships between elements

31. Why must a designer consider the composition as a whole?

Because the figure and ground space depend on each other

32. What is the principle of rhythm?

The organized movement in space and time

33. How is rhythm achieved?

Through orderly repetition of any element

34. What three ways can rhythm occur in a design?

1. When intervals between elements are similar in size and shape        

2. With more organic sense of movement

3. A sequence of shapes throughout steps        

35. How does rhythm help a composition/design?

It can help deliver the message by controlling the viewers eye movements

36. What is the principle of contrast?

Occurs when two related elements are different

37. How can contrast help a design?

It can draw the viewer’s eye to the piece and help guide the viewer through it

38. What is wrong with having too much or too little contrast in a design?

Too much similarity can be boring and too much contrast can be confusing

39. What is the key to working with contrast?

To make sure the differences are obvious

40. What are some common ways of creating contrast?

Creating differences in size, color, value, type, shape, alignment, direction and or movement