UNIT 3 – BASIC

DESIGN

BASIC DESIGN
ELEMENTS

1
In your opinion…
Why do you need to learn the element
and principle of design?

2
■ Sometime your friends seek for your opinion about any piece of their
design. It can be PowerPoint…brochure, artwork, logo, magazines etc.
– I like the design…because…?
– The design is not OK…but I don’t know…what’s wrong with it
■ We usually assess any design based on its appeal.
■ Therefore it is…important to know these principles.
■ But most importantly for you to create your design efficiently and
effectively
■ Efficient = cost and time saving
■ Effective = good impact to audience
■ Important tools for designer

3
4
ELEMENTS OF DESIGN
All designs have certain basics elements or building blocks chosen
to convey the message

5
 BASIC DESIGN ELEMENTS

POINT LINE SHAPE TEXTURE FORM COLOR VALUE SPACE

6
POINTS
Element of design

7
 POINT
■ A Point or Mark or Dot is the smallest and most basic element of design.
■ These can vary in size, value, regularity or irregularity, and can be used alone
or as a unit in group which forms a line or shape in the image.
■ A point also indicates a location.
■ It has no size; i.e. no length, no width and no depth.

8
Patterns using Points or Dots:

9
Patterns using Points or Dots:

10
LINES
Element of design

11
LINE
• Strokes that show motion and connect two points. May be vertical, horizontal or
diagonal, curved, straight, or zigzag.

• Used effectively, line expresses a variety of verbal and visual concepts. Line
works either by itself or in conjunction with other lines to communicate
messages and impact audience.

• A line is a series of marks, or points used to convey a mood.

• The closeness of these points causes them to “lose their individual identity and
form a new identity“. The direction, weight, and character of line convey many
different states and emotions.

12
 Lines in Design:
■ Line: It is a mark on a surface that
describes a shape or an outline.
■ It can create texture and can be thick
or thin.

13
Patterns using Lines:

14
Vertical Lines:
■ VERTICAL LINES
suggest strength and
power.
■ An example on line
direction is this grouping
of tall buildings, or a single
tall building - lines going
upwards, visually pulling
your eye up.

15
Designs using Vertical Lines:

16
Influence of Vertical Lines in Design:

Vertical Lines - lending to the feeling Vertical Lines - lending to the feeling
of height in a space motion in space
17
Horizontal Lines:
■ Symbolize tranquillity and
rest.
■ According to Charlotte
Jirousek, this state reflects
objects parallel to the earth
that are “at rest in relation to
gravity."
■ Examples of horizontal lines
are those in ocean waves or
in jirousek’s image of a
horizontal building:
18
Designs using Horizontal Lines:

19
Diagonal lines:
■ Diagonal lines convey a feeling of action or direction.

20
Designs using Diagonal Lines:

21
Designs using Curved Lines:

22
Lines

Thin lines They appear easy to break or knock over. They suggest frailty and
convey an elegant quality. They are delicate and give off an ephemeral
air.

Thick lines on the other hand appear difficult to break. They suggest strength and
give emphasis to nearby elements. Thick lines are bold and make a
statement.
Horizontal lines are parallel to the horizon (hence the name). They look like they’re lying
down, at rest, asleep. They suggest calm and quiet, a relaxed comfort.
Horizontal lines can’t fall over. They accentuate width. They’re stable
and secure. The convey an absence of conflict, a restful peace.
Horizontal lines by their connection to the horizon are associated with
earth bound things and idea.
Vertical lines are perpendicular to the horizon. They are filled with potential energy
that could be released if they were to fall over. Vertical lines are strong
and rigid. They can suggest stability, especially when thicker. Vertical
lines accentuate height and convey a lack of movement, which is usually
seen as horizontal.
They stretch from the earth to the heavens and are often connected with
religious feelings. Their tallness and formality may give the impression of 23
Lines

Diagonal lines are unbalanced. They are filled with restless and uncontrolled energy.
They can appear to be either rising or falling and convey action and
motion. Their kinetic energy and apparent movement create tension and
excitement. Diagonal lines are more dramatic than either horizontal or
vertical lines.
Diagonal lines can also appear solid and unmoving if they are holding
something up or at rest against a vertical line or plane.
Curved lines are softer than straight lines. They sweep and turn gracefully between
end points. They are less definite and predictable than straight lines.
They bend, they change direction. Curved lines express fluid movement.
They can be calm or dynamic depending on how much they curve. The
less active the curve the calmer the feeling.

Zig Zag lines are a combination of diagonal lines that connect at points. They take on
the dynamic and high energy characteristics of diagonal lines. They
create excitement and intense movement. They convey confusion and
nervousness as they change direction quickly and frequently. They can
imply danger and destruction as they break down.

24
SHAPES
Element of design

25
Shapes:
■ A Shape is an area contained within an implied line.
■ It has two dimensions: length and width, and can be geometric or free-
form.
■ Simple shapes are remembered and understood more easily than complex
shapes.
■ Design is the planned arrangement of shapes.

26
 Geometric
Types of Shape:

Freeform and Abstract

Shapes
27
Examples:

BULLRING SHOPPING CENTRE -

BIRMINGHAM
28
Shape:
Everything has a shape but the basic shapes of Circles, Squares,
and Triangles can be very effective in logo design, in part because
of their simplicity.

These shapes have certain sub-conscious meanings as well.

■ The circle is protective or infinite.

■ The square denotes stability, equality, and honesty.
■ The triangle suggests tension or conflict or action.
29
Meaning of Shapes: Circles
■ Represent the eternal whole and in every culture are an archetypical form
representing the sun, the earth, the moon, the universe and other celestial
objects.
■ Circle have no beginning or end and they suggest well-roundedness and
completeness.
■ Their completeness suggests the infinite, unity and harmony.
■ Circular shapes also suggest tenderness, love, friendship, care, support,
protection, affection and compassion.

30
Meaning of Shapes: Squares and Rectangles
■ Are familiar and trusted shapes that suggest honesty.
■ The right angles they possess represent order, mathematics, rationality
and formality.
■ They are the most common geometric shapes encountered and
everything text we read is set in rectangles or squares.
■ They suggest conformity, peacefulness, solidity, security, and equality.

31
Meaning of Shapes: Spirals
■ Are expression of creativity.
■ They are often found in the natural growth pattern of many
organisms and suggest the process of growth and evolution.
■ Spirals convey ideas of fertility, birth, death, expansion, and
transformation.
■ Clockwise spirals represent projection of an intention and
■ Counter clockwise spirals the fulfilment of an intention.

32
FORM
Element of design

33
 FORM:
■ The shape and structure of something as distinguished from its substance and
material. A FORM adds another dimension to Shape.
■ Basic forms are three-dimensional figures, including spheres, cubes, cylinders,
pyramids and cones. If an object has height, width and depth, it is a form.
■ A form can be a MAN-MADE, geometric shape that is mathematically precise in
all its angles and edges, or it can be a natural, organic form.
■ ORGANIC FORMS like lizards, dragonflies and apple trees are not
mathematically precise, but they are three-dimensional.
■ A form is Negative or Positive.
■ A brick-shaped indentation in a wall is a negative form while an exposed brick is a
positive form.
■ Form can also be static or dynamic. Static means still, so a ball resting on the table
is static. A dynamic form suggests motion such as a ball flying across the room.

34
Geometric Shapes & Forms:

35
Forms in Architecture:
Interesting forms can created to cater the functions and needs of space by
combining forms by means of union, intersection and subtraction.

36
Forms in Architecture:

37
Forms in Architecture:

38
COLOUR
Element of design

39
 COLOUR:
■ Color adds then magic element of a design.
■ They represent a common language of communication.
■ Each color has a mood, an emotion and different levels of significance.
■ Colors can reflect warm or cool, hard or soft, light or dark, passive or active, all of
which when used individually or in combination of one another greatly affects the
mood.

40
COLOR:
■ Color palette choices &
combinations are used to
differentiate items, create
depth, add emphasis, and/or
help organize information.
■ COLOR THEORY examines
how various choices of color
psychologically impacts users.
■ Every color says something
different and combinations can
alter that impression further.

41
 Color = Hue
■ Human eyes are sensitive to light which lies in
a very small region of the electromagnetic
spectrum called “Visible Light”.
■ The wavelength ranges between 400nm –
700nm
■ The visible colors range from Violet (shortest
wavelength) through to Red (longest
wavelength).
■ “White Light” is mixture of colors of the
visible spectrum.
■ “Black” is a total absence of light.

42
Colors and its Emotions:
WARM COLORS - are red, orange, and yellow;
they seem to advance or appear more prominent
in images.

COOL COLORS – are green, blue, and

violet; they appear to recede in images

43
Color and its Impact on Visualization:

Hue: May be Complimentary, Analogous, Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, or Part of a

color wheel.
44
 RED
■ Dynamic
■ Vital
■ Romantic
■ Commanding
■ Alert
■ Rebellious
■ Joyful
■ Visible
■ Hot
■ Fun

45
 RED COLOR:
■ It grabs attention, that’s why most marketers who know color psychology use Red for their
headlines.
■ It is extreme color which invokes passion, love and bravery.
■ Red stimulates appetite, so they want people to get hungry and ten eat and leave.

46
 ORANGE
■ Helpful
■ Burning
■ Cozy
■ Abundance
■ Warning
■ Festive
■ Active
■ Excited
■ Communicative
■ Inspiring

47
 YELLOW
■ Creative
■ Young
■ Visible
■ Bright
■ Cheerful
■ Curious
■ Playful
■ Nutritious

48
 GREEN
■ Patient
■ Natural
■ Adventure
■ Relaxed
■ Freshness
■ Cleanliness
■ Safe
■ Sharing

49
 BLUE

■ Technical
■ Deep
■ Free
■ Educated
■ Protective
■ Lonely
■ Peaceful
■ Cold
■ Authoritative

50
 PURPLE
■ Intelligent
■ Artistic
■ Luxurious
■ Royal
■ Fantastic
■ Fragrant
■ Feminine
■ Melancholic
■ Solemn
■ Aloof

51
52
 PINK
■ Caring
■ Tenderness
■ Self-worth
■ Love
■ Acceptance
■ Feminine
■ Innocence
■ Delicateness
■ Calming

53
Interesting fact about pink
■ Pink is used to calm violent prisoners in jails (Baker –Miller Pink)
■ Even if a person tries to be angry or aggressive in the presence of pink, he can’t – the
heart muscles can’t race fast enough

54
 BLACK
■ Authority
■ Power
■ Strength
■ Evil
■ Intelligence
■ Stylish
■ Timeless

55
About black…
Popular in fashion because it makes people appear thinner

56
SPACE
Element of design

57
 SPACE:
■ Actual Space is a three-dimensional
volume that can be empty or filled
with objects. It has width, height
and depth.
■ Space that appears three-
dimensional in a two-dimensional
painting is an illusion that that
creates a perception of depth.
■ Incorporating space into a design
helps reduce noise, increase
readability, and/or create illusion.
White Space is an important part of
your design.

58
Space:
■ By incorporating the use of space in our design, we enlarge or reduce the
visual space that communicates with us.

59
Positive & Negative Spaces & Shapes:

Positive & Negative Spaces Positive & Negative Shapes

60
TEXTURE
Element of design

61
TEXTURE:
■ It is about the surface quality either tactile or visual.
■ It can be real or implied by different uses of media.
■ It is the degree of roughness or smoothness in objects and helps in creating a more
three-dimensional appearance on a two-dimensional surface.

62
TEXTURE:

Texture assists in visually describing the detail of an object, and helps us to understand what an object
is made from. It can help us to recognize and understand the features of the environment in which an
object exists.
63
TEXTURE:

TEXTURE HELPS IN REVELAING THE NATURE OF THE

SURFACE 64
 TYPES OF TEXTURE:
TACTILE TEXTURE:
▪ It is defined as the tactile quality of a surface
such as rough, smooth, sticky, fuzzy, soft or slick.
▪ A real texture is the one you can feel actually
with your hand, such as a piece of sandpaper, a
wet glass, or animal fur.

65
 TYPES OF TEXTURE:
VISUAL TEXTURE:
▪ It is defined as the visual quality of a surface.
▪ It is the result of painting or drawing as the real
texture. It is thus an illusion of texture created by
an artist.
▪ Paint can be manipulated to give the impression
of texture, while the paper surface remains
smooth and flat.

66
HOMOGENEITY & HETEROGENEITY IN TEXTURE:
■ Textures are formed by repeating the entity or elements of design in
different scales, density, color and pattern.

HOMOGENEOUS TEXTURE: When the entities or elements are repeated

throughout the surface in an uniform scale or pattern, then the texture is called
a homogeneous texture.
HETEROGENEOUS TEXTURE: When the entities or elements are repeated
with scale, color, density or pattern that differs distinctly throughout the
surface then it is called Heterogeneous texture.

■ Interesting designs can be formed by blending homogeneous and

heterogeneous textures.
67
HOMOGENEITY IN TEXTURES:

HETEROGENEITY IN TEXTURES:

68
ARCHITECTURE AND TEXTURE:

69
ARCHITECTURE AND TEXTURE:

70
ARCHITECTURE AND TEXTURE:

71
VALUE
Element of design

72
VALUE:
■ It is defined as the degree of light and dark in color.
■ It is the contrast between black and white and all the tones in between.
■ Value can be used with color as well as black and white.
■ Contrast is the extreme changes between values.

73
VALUE:
COLOR VALUE: Values of color change by adding white or black to the pure
color.
TINT: When white is added to a pure color for getting a different value, it is called
a Tint of that color.
SHADE: When black is added to a pure color for getting a different value, it is
called a Shade of that color.

74
■ Values can be exercised in all colors, creating a wide range of colors called
“COLOR SPACE”.

75
■ A Tint increases lightness and a Shade reduces lightness.
TONE: A tone is produced by either by mixing a color with gray or by both tinting
and shading.

76
Effect of changing Value of Color:

⮚ The visual perception of matter greatly depends on Values.

⮚ Values help us perceive objects or matter, distance, size, nature,
color, stability, etc… visually.
77
THANKYOU…

78