The Creative
Practice.

A model for
creating and responding
to art.

VCE Art Creative Practice uses an eight-stage model to support students and organise stages of the creative process of artmaking from conception to the realisation of their ideas. They may be asked to critique and reflect on their own practical work in examination questions that reference any of the eight stages. The Creative Practice is also used to frame responses to questions about how artists work in art analysis tasks.

The first is to engage the attention of an audience. This is often done by creating a hook that stands out. Grabbing a viewer’s attention can be done with an image, type, colour, shape or other visual devices.
The second aim is to enable the clear and cohesive communication of ideas and information to the audience. To communicate effectively, designers build visual consistency, so the viewer’s journey through a presentation is seamless, read clearly and with ease. In the same way, as is used for the hook, consistency is created by type, colours or other stylistic elements.
The third is to create a tone or feeling in the presentation. Depending on the client and target audience, a designer may use a chaotic layout or a formal layout. The aesthetic tone of a layout is a communicative component of design.

Application of principles of design

VCE Visual Communication Design identifies eight principles of design. These are; balance; symmetry and asymmetry, contrast, figure-ground, cropping scale, proportion, hierarchy and pattern; repetition and alternation.

Whilst these principles of design are great starting points, there are other approaches to design (also called principles of design) that involve the use or combination of one, two or more of our Principles of Design. I will refer to them as Principles of Layout.

Composition

The term composition refers to the arrangement of components of an artwork in the visual arts, including; painting, sculpture, print-making and photography. The arrangement of components, including the Principles of Art and Design, are integral parts of Visual Language and instrumental in the communication of ideas. However, the techniques of composition are not restricted to the Fine Arts and are also used by communication designers to underpin the communication of messages in visual communications.

Consider this image. The three components of each image are the ground, the sky and a soldier. Each of the three pictures at the right contains the same components, yet they have been composed differently. In the first, the horizon is high. In the second, it's low. And in the third, the soldier is cut by the edge of the format, as if he is moving out of the frame. Examine each image. Consider the power the soldier seems to have in each. Oh, and by the way, the second and third images from the left are known as closed compositions, and the one on the right is an open composition. Can you guess why?

task

1.1 investigate layout

Raid some old magazines in the art room. Find three examples of visual communications (could be separate pages or ads) that use a different layout structure. See if you can find ones that have a different tone or feel to them. (See 'Aims of Layout' above). Stick them into your visual diary and annotate them.

1.2 investigate composition

Using the graphic above as a reference, grab your phone and a friend and shoot three images. Using the same background, aim to show your friend as powerful in the first, powerless in the second and dynamic in the third. You may change the composition, point of view and camera angle to achieve each effect. Print your images, stick them into your visual diary and annotate them.

Principles of layout

There are many principles of art and design. Different educators nominate similar yet different lists. For Target Learning, the Principles of Layout include the VCE Visual Communication Design eight Principles of Design and several additional principles of design, frequently referred to as the Gestalt Principles of Design. I include these here as, whilst this is not the Target Learning page on the Principles of Design, these additional Gestalt Principles of Design are essential for understanding, explaining and producing effective visual communications.

CAUTION

VCE VISUAL COMMUNICATION Principles of DESIGN

Please note; I recommend learning additional principles of design for the production of visual communications but not for the analysis of them. Students will not be awarded marks for referring to Principles of Design that are not in the VCE VCD list when they are answering written examination questions.

Additional principles of design

According to GCFLearnFree.org layout-and-composition, there are five basic principles of composition. These are proximity, white space, alignment, contrast and repetition.

According to Shillington university's graphic-design-basic-principles, there are also five fundamental principles. These are Alignment, repetition, contrast, hierarchy and balance, including balance using tension.

Each of these lists can be read in conjunction with and alongside the VCE VCD list of Principles of Design available
here.

Let’s examine some of these exciting principles of design. Watch the video at right.

All GCFGlobal.org® content is available for free at edu.gcfglobal.org. Used with permission from GCFGlobal.org

Principles of layout

Raw materials – no principle

I begin with this image as it represents information that might be brought by a client to be used to communicate an idea or information. Without the use of any principle of design it is unclear what is to be read into this image. Where should one look first? Second? It is a disorganised mess.

Alignment

The simplest way to make the reading of information clear is to align components with each other. Text can be aligned with text. Images with images. Text with images and images with text. See how these nine dots have become more cohesive now.

Balance

Balance Symmetry

The concept of alignment in creates a question, how should the alignment be set? Should components be left, right or centre aligned? Should any elements be aligned in ways that make them more (or less) prominent in the design? The choice of balance is strongly related to the aesthetic constraints and the function of the visual communication being designed.

For more information on VCD Balance click here.

Symmetrical balance is preferred when a more formal tone or the communication of instructions, information or advice is needed.

Balance Asymmetry

Asymmetrical balance is used when a client desires a reaction or response from an audience, such as engagement or action.

Contrast

It is through contrast that components of a design are seen. Contrast is also used to draw attention to more important components. Contrast is the difference between two or more components of a design. Contrast is typically achieved through colour, shape, texture, type forms and images.

For more information on VCD Contrast, click here.

Hierarchy

Hierarchy is used to organise the order in which components are to be read in a visual communication. Designers establish an order in which they want a viewer to navigate through a visual communication and then manipulate the components using their position and contrast in scale, colour, type forms, etc to create emphasis and sub-ordinance.

For more information on VCD Hierarchy click here.

Proximity

Composition is about establishing relationships between components in a layout. Related items should be grouped to assist with clear reading. Items that are not related should be separated to emphasise relationships and the lack of relationships between certain items.

White space

White space goes hand in hand with proximity and is a result of grouping related items together and separating unrelated ones. Space between groups of items helps to emphasise them. Rather than making content bigger, it is sometimes better to give it more space to increase it in the hierarchy. Items that are separated into their own space are more commanding.

Repetition

Repeating text styles or colours creates a consistent message in a visual communication. Designers choose typeface families and colour schemes to ensure the reader has a smooth passage through a visual communication.

Worked example

In the example below, I designed a simple poster from a picture I took of an amazing spy plane in America. Read to see how I worked from the raw image and copy, then applied each of the principles of layout to create a clear and informative poster about the plane.

task

Principles of Design and layout

2.1 investigate principles of design

Make a couple of internet searches for the 'Principles of Design'. Note down all of the ones you find. Create an informal chart based on your research. Using manual or digital methods, create a simple graphic to illustrate each principle, then compose your poster using a grid layout structure. Use colour to emphasise the VCAA VCD Principles of Design and the Gestalt Principles of Design.

2.2 identify and describe principles of design

Find two different ads for fast food. Choose online or print visual communications. Print them and identify instances of four of;

alignment
balance
contrast
hierarchy
proximity
white space
repetition

Describe how each of the four Principles of Design has been created and how they function in the visual communications with short annotations beside each image.

2.3 demonstrate principles of design

These two images demonstrate that hierarchy can operate in different ways. In the left image, the reading order is; title, the image, then price and in the right, the order is; the image, title, then price.

Create thumbnail (small, line only) layouts to demonstrate four of the following principles of design in two different ways. Use a consistent group of components such as a simple title, an image and a price (as shown above).

alignment
balance
contrast
hierarchy
proximity
white space
repetition

Place each thumbnail design layout in your visual diary and annotate each to describe how you have achieved each Principle of Design and the effect this has on the tone and the communication of ideas and information.

Before we get into the discussion of formal grids as architecture for design, I want to show you four organic methods of progressing with our learning about composition for layout. Here are a series of widely accepted names given to different approaches to a layout. I have re-created the same SR-71 spy plane poster using the;

circus or scrapbook layout
multi-panel or Mondrian layout
picture in window layout
big type layout

Circus layout or scrapbook layout

The elements are arranged irregularly in a Circus layout. It is energetic and chaotic and is considered effective for younger audiences and informal purposes like school year books and entertainment posters. It is also used when designers want to show value for money in a product.

A circus layout.

(https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/ 2c506610706277.56030797bc222.jpg)

A circus layout.

Multi-panel layout or Mondrian layout

In the multi-panel layout the elements are arranged formally to resemble a grid based on a painting by the artist Piet Mondrian. Although this is based on the painter’s work exploring proportion, it is also influenced by the split screen credit sequences seen in movies in the 60s. Contemporary multi-panel layouts, especially for the web involve layering of panels into the ‘z’ axis. It is for a design conscious audience and displays information clearly.

A very cool multi-panel layout. Marcell Bandicksson, Art Director and Visual Artist, Eskilstuna, Sweden

(https://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/cmsdata/slideshow/3441966/ 11._Brooklyns_Finest.jpg)

A multi-panel layout.

Picture in window layout

This kind of layout also dates from mid-century when design became more minimal and corporate. It usually favours asymmetrical balance in the horizontal or vertical plane and full bleeds to the picture. The asymmetrical balanced relationship between image and type create an engaging visual communication. Perhaps due to the liberal use of white space, this style is often associated with high-end or expensive consumer products like watches.

A picture in window layout

(https://i0.wp.com/www.graphic-design-institute.com/wp-content/uploads/ 2020/07/picture-window-layout-poster.jpg?w=813&ssl=1)

A picture in window layout

Big-type layout

Another typographic layout influenced by mid-century Swiss Typographic style, the big-type layout uses an oversize type and sometimes contrasts with an image to deliver a strong message. The shapes of type forms can be fully appreciated and enjoyed. Visual devices such as a ‘drop-cap’ can be used in this typographic layout. This style is associated with magazine layout and is suitable for a more mature, design-conscious audience.

A big-type layout. A reconstruction of a 1971 ad. Apologies to the unknown designer.

A big-type layout

task

Collaborative task - 'Jigsaw'/ 'Experts' routine

The following task is set as a group task to promote interest and collaboration. It can easily be done individually in a senior class. For more information on how to run this thinking routine, please visit this page.

Divide the class into groups based on the four layout techniques shown above.

3.1 Research

Research one of the layout techniques allocated to your group. Collect images, print images that illustrate and explain the conventions related to your layout technique.

3.2 Create assets

Decide on a topic in your group. Collect or make a range of resources for a poster. These include; heading/ title, a sub heading, a paragraph of information, 4 interesting facts, 4 - 6 photos, a logo, perhaps a silhouette (as I made for my plane).

3.3 design layout

Design your layout using the inspiration you have collected from your research on an A3 portrait piece of paper. Use pencil lines to divide the space.

3.4 paste up your layout

Scale and print each of your assets to paste up. (This is how posters were made before computers). Stick all of the components onto the pasteboard. This will be a manual presentation.

3.5 Present

Now you are an expert on one layout technique, make a brief presentation that explains to your class the approach to the layout you took. Refer to the conventions of the layout technique you learnt.

Whilst the examples shown above are solutions to layout problems, the methods used for determining the scale and proportions of components are quite arbitrary. That means I (the designer) made things bigger or smaller and moved them closer or further away according to my sense of aesthetics. The single fact we know is that dividing space by halves does not lead to compositions that are engaging or pleasing to the eye. So, is there a better, more scientific way to create successful relationships between spaces?

Some history

For thousands of years, artists have been trying to create scientific rules that could define aesthetic principles, including proportion. One such example is 'Vitruvian Man' by Leonardo da Vinci c1487. In this picture, Leonardo explores proportion as it relates to the human form. It was part of an ongoing search where artists looked to God for explanations for what is seen. Artists were engaged in the search for perfection in proportion. Mathematics and art intersect in the definition of the ‘Golden Rectangle’ published by Luca Pacioli in 1509. Also known as the ‘Golden Ratio’ (1:161), the Golden Rectangle relates to the Fibonacci Sequence. In this numerical sequence, each number is the sum of the previous two. This section will explore the concept of the 'perfect' or at least, pleasing proportion.

'Vitruvian Man', Leonardo da Vinci, c1487.

(https://www.leonardodavinci.net/the-vitruvian-man.jsp)

The Golden Rectangle and Fibonacci Sequence

A perfect rectangle?

Scientists and artists looked to the human form in search of the perfect proportion because Man was said to have come directly from God. They found that the human arm and hand create a ratio of 1:1.161. They called this the Golden Ratio. Here is a trace of my arm.

The Golden Ratio can be used to create a rectangle known as the Golden Rectangle. It has an aspect ratio of 1:1.161

An arc can be added within a square made by the height of the rectangle.

Pleasing proportions

The rectangle with an arc is rotated 90 degrees clockwise and reduced to fit into the remaining rectangle and repeated. This creates a Fibonacci Spiral, also seen is sea shells.

Circles within the squares have a consistent relationship in scale.

This enlarging – reducing relationship can be used to set type sizes or grid columns in an aesthetically pleasing way.

The Fibonacci Grid

The proportions explored in the orange circles above are used to create columns.

The same proportions can be used to create rows.

The columns and rows are combined to form a grid for composition.

Rule of Odds, Rule of Thirds

One of the principles of art and design is the ‘rule of odds’. This means that an odd number of components is considered aesthetically pleasing. Another way of looking at it is to consider that the human mind is capable only of seeing up to three of something. Once we see four of something, our mind changes the view into two pairs of two things! There is no centre, no focal point. We don’t know where to look.

The Rule of Odds

Three units are considered to be attractive. There is a kind of natural focal point in the middle and some framing beside the centre unit.

Four units seem confusing. The natural focal point seems to have disappeared.

Our minds seem to want to separate the four units into two pairs of two. But still there is no focal point.

The Rule of Thirds

The rule of Thirds has been used in art and photography for a long time. Using the support of the rule of odds shown above, the rule of thirds creates a picture that has nice proportions, a focal point and framing elements. Take a look at the photo of my house that I took, composing it carefully using the Rule of Thirds.

Shooting with the Rule of Thirds requires the photographer to find and create imaginary lines dividing areas of the composition. This is done by aligning objects in the field to the imaginary divisions in the camera.

The Rule of Thirds Layout Grid

A page can be divided into nine sections. But it’s not very usable for a layout yet.

Reduce the size of the grid by adding some margins.

Then some flow lines and alleys to separate images and text.

task

4.1 Discuss proportion

Consider a range of questions, including;

What is the meaning of 'proportion' in composition? Why is it important?
Is there such a thing as a perfect or divine proportion?
Can mathematics be used to define aesthetic beauty?
Do you prefer to look at odd or even numbers of things?

4.2 rule of thirds - photography

Grab your phone or a camera and take a shot of architecture using the Rule of Thirds in your composition. Try it in landscape and portrait orientation and see which works best for RoT compositions. Print one of each shot, stick it into your visual diary and find the lines dividing the space into thirds. Annotate your images.

4.3 rule of thirds - design

Get a large (A2 or A1) sheet of paper. Place it in portrait orientation. Divide it into nine equal parts, as shown in the Rule of Thirds grid above. Use lightly ruled lines. Collect, or create some text and images on one topic or theme. Scale them to create a nice hierarchy. Past them up on the sheet, aligning your text and images to the dividing lines. Don't forget, you can have white space too. Hang them on the wall and evaluate each other's work.

The most widely used structure for layout used in print and screen-based communication design is a grid. There is a huge amount of information available on the internet explaining every part of a grid and every kind of grid in detail. Search them up. The purpose of this page is to simply introduce students to grids and how they are made. Using all of the principles of design and layout shown previously, students will be able to create professional presentations if they underpin their work with the structure of a grid.

Structure for print and web

A newspaper column grid mock-up layout diagram by [email protected]

A website grid mock-up layout diagram by [email protected]

Components of a grid

A grid layout is a layout that is designed over a formal structure of spaces made from vertical and horizontal lines. The lines usually repeat with regularity.

There are two main types of grids. Column grids and modular grids. The column grid has columns alone, and the modular grid has columns and rows. A grid can have any number of columns and rows. This is dependent on the purpose and the size of the presentation. Advanced grid construction references the typeface and type sizes that are used, when specifying column width and row height. This is to enable optimum line lengths of 40 - 70 characters (cpl) or 10 - 13 words (wpl) per line.

Terms given to the components of a grid layout.

Margins and bleeds

Don’t forget, all page layouts have margins. Margins have a purpose in printing as pages are guillotined post printing so keeping text and image away from the edge of the page prevents errors should the cutting be a little off.

Pictures that flow right to the edge of a page are called a bleed. A full bleed refers to a picture that flows off the page in all directions. A bleed is like a negative margin in that it extends 3mm outside the margin of the page.

Unpacking the grid layout

Begin with a sheet of A4 paper or file in Adobe Illustrator or InDesign.

Set a margin top, right, bottom and left. 10mm is good for A4.

Create columns inside the margins. Leave spaces between columns to separate text.

Create rows. These also have spaces between them.

The spaces between columns are called alleys or gutters.

The spaces between rows are set with Flow Lines. These can be the blue guides in Adobe Illustrator or InDesign.

The areas created by the intersection of a column and row are called modules.

Larger areas for type or image made by combining modules are called spatial zones.

Here is a close up of how to create a Grid Layout in Adobe InDesign.

A worked example

Read through this step by step guide on how to create a professional looking presentation using a modular grid correctly.

Let’s learn how to make a poster like this using a modular grid.

Plan your work carefully by drawing thumbnail layout sketches freehand. At this stage you need to know what your hierarchy will be. Plan it and make it work. Note: the layout on the left is done correctly, the one on the right is not. Read about the differences. Learn how to do it. It’s not about neatness, it’s about doing it right.

Using Adobe InDesign, set up margins, columns, rows, gutters and flowlines according to your design sketch.

Place all of your content in position roughly to establish relationships and begin to create the intended hierarchy.

Style the type adjusting by leading, tracking, kerning and size until it fits the grid modules – EXACTLY as you intended. Note how my SR-71 heading fits exactly between the left margin and the boundary of the second column?

Then work on your images and the body type until it fits in each column and extends right to the edges of each module.

For components like these, use the distribute function of Adobe Illustrator or InDesign to ensure that they are evenly spaced.

Here is the completed poster on screen before export.

Modular grid tasks

Analyse a grid

Here is a typical set up for a newspaper page.

Age newspaper. P15, Saturday November 3, 2002.

I have inserted a scan of the page into an InDesign file. Note the margins around the content and the way the content is organised into columns. Even the pictures and ads run in multiples of columns.

Age newspaper. P15, Saturday November 3, 2002.

Here I have identified the modules and spatial zones.

Age newspaper. P15, Saturday November 3, 2002.

tasks

5.1 identify components of a grid

Photograph or scan a page from a newspaper. Do this manually or place the image in a file in Adobe Illustrator or InDesign.

Margins, Columns, rows

Locate margins, columns and rows with flow lines (rulers) on the page.

Modules, spatial zones

Locate modules and spatial zones on the grid with coloured rectangles set to an appropriate transparency.

5.2 reflective thinking

Reflect on the role of the grid in presenting the information. Write a paragraph to explain the structure you examined (using grid layout terminology) and how that structure was used to support the communication of information clearly in the composition.

Construct a typographic poster

Here is a page of initial layout sketches by student Zoe Blair-Holt. What she is seeking here is to create a balance between components of the design.

Another page of layout sketches. Wonderful divisions of space. Building on the previous thumbnail layouts.

The finished poster. Can you spot the underlying grid structure. Working in only two colours is a nice touch. Creating a simple effect draws your attention to the type.

tasks

In this task students will make a poster to promote a typeface. The brief stipulates the use of black, white and one colour and the emphasis of design and layout principles.

6.1 choose and research typefaces

Choose a typeface and do some research about it. Collect some information about its history.

6.2 visualisation drawings

Create a page of visualisation drawings (layout thumbnails) seeing how many ways you could structure a layout for a poster to promote your favourite typeface.

6.3 develop ideas

Take one of the ideas you did in exercise 3.4 and develop the use of design and layout principles in another page of layout thumbnails. Don't forget to show margins, columns and other components of the grid.

Annotate your sketches to explain which ones of the design and layout principles you are emphasising.

6.4 presentation

Open an A3 portrait file in Adobe Illustrator and compose the grid you have planned in the previous steps.

Complete your poster layout using only back, white and one colour.

Put your
knowledge
to the test

Think you know what this page is about?

Take a shot at the quiz to see if you understand it well enough. Your results will be displayed once you complete the quiz.

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The Creative Practice.

A model for creating and responding to art.

Jump to

A model for art making

Layout

Aims of layout

Application of principles of design

Composition

task

1.1 investigate layout

1.2 investigate composition

Jump to

Principles of layout

CAUTION

VCE VISUAL COMMUNICATION Principles of DESIGN

Additional principles of design

Principles of layout

Raw materials – no principle

Alignment

Balance

Balance Symmetry

Balance Asymmetry

Contrast

Hierarchy

Proximity

White space

Repetition

Worked example

task

Principles of Design and layout

2.1 investigate principles of design

2.2 identify and describe principles of design

2.3 demonstrate principles of design

Jump to

Space, placement and hierarchy

Four approaches to layout

Circus layout or scrapbook layout

Multi-panel layout or Mondrian layout

Picture in window layout

Big-type layout

task

Collaborative task - 'Jigsaw'/ 'Experts' routine

3.1 Research

3.2 Create assets

3.3 design layout

3.4 paste up your layout

3.5 Present

Jump to

Proportion in composition

Some history

The Golden Rectangle and Fibonacci Sequence

A perfect rectangle?

Pleasing proportions

The Fibonacci Grid

Rule of Odds, Rule of Thirds

The Rule of Odds

The Rule of Thirds

The Rule of Thirds Layout Grid

task

4.1 Discuss proportion

4.2 rule of thirds - photography

4.3 rule of thirds - design

Jump to

Grid layout

Structure for print and web

Components of a grid

Margins and bleeds

Unpacking the grid layout

A worked example

Jump to

Modular grid tasks

Analyse a grid

tasks

5.1 identify components of a grid

Margins, Columns, rows

Modules, spatial zones

5.2 reflective thinking

Construct a typographic poster

tasks

6.1 choose and research typefaces

The Creative
Practice.

A model for
creating and responding
to art.

Put your
knowledge
to the test