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Design Elements and Principles.

VCD UNIT 1 AOS 2

What's design
made from?

This task is from the field of communication design.

You will research illustrations from the 1950s and 60s - sometimes referred to as the great age of illustration. This was a time before iPads and digital programs. It was a time when commercial artists were valued professionals. A time when commercial art or 'finished art' was a trade who worked beside graphic designers. Illustrators from this period had a keen eye and beautiful, slick brush work. We will use their work as inspiration to power our ideas.

The presentation format for this Outcome will be to create an illustration to depict our favourite meal, in the style of the illustrators we research. Think about your family's cultural background. What does your mother, father or do your grandparents like to make best? What do you love to eat when you visit them?

However, the true purpose of this task is for you to learn how to identify, describe and use the Design Elements and Principles in visual communications. That's the 'take away' you'll need Year 12 and exams.

outcome

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ON COMPLETION OF THIS UNIT THE STUDENT SHOULD BE ABLE TO
  • select and apply design elements and design principles to create visual communications that satisfy stated purposes.

(VCE VCD Study Design, p. 14)

Jump to
Design elements and principles
Visual analysis
Features and functions of elements and principles
Aesthetic and functional factors
Purposes for visual communications
Using Elements and Principles in designs
Legal obligations
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learning intentions

Learning intentions should be set at the commencement of each unit, then at regular intervals during the task. Read through the content on this page. Discuss what you think the topics are and form them into three ‘Learning Intentions’. Use noun sentences like, ‘I will learn about making 3d drawings, or I will learn about media codes. Write your three learning intentions.

For advanced learning intentions, go with 3 different levels.

  1. What you will learn. (For example, the media code of camera describes the techniques camera operators use to record a scene)
  2. How what you will learn can be used to create meaning or communicate information. (For example, camera techniques are combined with sound and/ or editing to create suspense).
  3. How could your understanding of the learning be extended or related to other learnings. (For example, the use of camera has changed over the years and the invention of digital formats have allowed anyone to become cinema photographers)
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success criteria

Success criteria can be negotiated between students and their teacher. The class group can agree on how a skill can best be demonstrated. Identification of success criteria is done at the commencement of each unit, then at regular intervals. Now that you are familiar with what you will learn in this task (Learning Intentions), it's time to lock in how you will be able to show that you know it or can do it. Write three success criteria, using verb sentences like in the examples below:

I will demonstrate that I have mastered the learning by;

  1. I Can identify all of the camera techniques used in the selected clip.
  2. I can use a camera to film clips in the ways I have identified.
  3. I can explain how camera is combined with other codes to create meaning in a narrative.
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Design Elements and Principles.

The Elements and Principles of Design are major components of the language designers use to communicate ideas and information to audiences. This language is known as 'Visual Language'. Humans have been making meaningful communications using Visual Language for thousands of years. We record, depict and imagine with images. This section breaks down visual communications into the parts from which they are made. The Elements and Principles of Design.

key knowledge

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key knowledge points for this outcome
  • key features and functions of design elements such as point, line, shape, form, tone, texture, colour and type
  • key features and functions of design principles such as figure-ground, balance, contrast, cropping, hierarchy, scale, proportion and pattern (repetition and alternation)
  • aesthetic and functional factors that influence the selection and application of design elements and design principles

(VCE VCD Study Design, p. 18)

Elements and principles as Atoms of design

Although not everyone would agree, these two mice (shown below) do essentially the same job. However, look at how the industrial and communication designers have both worked with visual language to give them different aesthetic qualities. What really, are the components of design that have been changed between these two very similar products? And why have they? This is the part the Elements and Principles of Design play in visual communications. This is the area that this page will explore.
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A Roccat gaming mouse.
(https://au.roccat.com/products/kone-aimo-remastered)
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Apple Magic mouse.
(https://www.apple.com/au/shop/product/MK2E3ZA/A/magic-mouse...)

In detail

Let's begin by forming a clear understanding of the design elements and principles and their role in communication design.Below are the design elements and principles for Visual Communication Design. Look through them then commence the tasks below.

Design elements

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Colour - subtractive.
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Colour -additive.
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Line.
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Shape.
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Tone.
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Texture.

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Form.

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Point.
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Type.

Design principles

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Balance - symmetry.
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Balance - asymmetry.
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Contrast.
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Figure-ground.
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Cropping.
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Hierarchy.
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Scale.
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Proportion.
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Pattern - repetition.
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Pattern - alternation.
Jump to
For further information on the Elements and Principles of Design click the links at right.
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Design Elements
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Design Principles

task

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1.1 Define
Looking at each of the icons I have made to depict each of the Elements and Principles of Design, write a one or two sentence description that defines each one.
1.2 Evaluate
Now visit my pages on the Elements and Principles of Design (liked above). Compare your definitions with mine. Modify your definitions where you have to.
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Create

In this stage students will make a cool poster for the study wall to represent the Elements and Principles of Design. I raided pictures I took camping in the mountains and travelling in America for mine. See what you can come up with just by searching through your phone pics.
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Design Elements poster.
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Design Principles poster.

task

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1.3 Capture
Shoot or gather photos that demonstrate a very clear understanding of each of the Elements and Principles of Design. Crop them in Photoshop then create a pair of wall charts in Illustrator. Print and hang in your study for future reference.
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1.4 Demonstrate

The activity below refers to the three shapes shown above. In this task, you will be asked to redraw them to emphasise one Element and one Principle of Design. In each example, you may decide if you use one, two or three or repeat any of these shapes. Create an A3 sheet with 8 rectangles on each. You will use these to complete your designs.

Using the shapes above, draw a design emphasising one Design Element and one Design Principle. For example, you could emphasise colour and contrast. You will have used each once when you have made eight separate designs.

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Visual Analysis.

Visual analysis refers to the skill of identifying components of design, describing how they are used and explaining how they create visual effects. The next part of our learning is to become competent in discussing the characteristics and function of the Elements and Principles of Design.

key knowledge

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key knowledge points for this outcome

The following Key Knowledge points continue from above;

  • key features and functions of design elements such as point, line, shape, form, tone, texture, colour and type
  • key features and functions of design principles such as figure-ground, balance, contrast, cropping, hierarchy, scale, proportion and pattern (repetition and alternation)
  • aesthetic and functional factors that influence the selection and application of design elements and design principles

(VCE VCD Study Design, p. 14)

Features and functions

How on earth do we respond to a concept such as the ‘key features and functions’ of the Elements and Principles (components) of Design? This is indeed a big job so let’s break it down.

Features

Beginning with ‘features’, would it be ok to say that colour is colourful and line is liney? Well, not really. The features of the Elements and Principles of Design includes their visual characteristics. That is, one should describe them to discuss their features. Students are encouraged to make a detailed examination of the kinds of language used to discuss each Element and Principle of Design. Some examples of the language needed are included on my pages linked above. For example; when one discusses colour, one needs to be equipped with terms such as warm, cool, contrasting, analogous, complimentary, high/ low key, saturated, pastel, etc. Through such an examination student should learn to eliminate the use of incorrect terms in visual analysis, such as ‘bright and dark’ when they are referring to colour as these are used to describe tone. Generally speaking the Elements of Design create visual effects and/ or instances of Principles of Design. For example; colour and/ or shape can be used to create contrast. In addition, certain Principles of Design are also used to create higher order Principles. An example of this is when scale is used to create hierarchy. To explain the key features of the Elements of Design, one should describe them. To explain the key features of the Principles of Design, one should identify the principle and explain how, or what components have been used to create this particular instance.
Features of Design elements
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This illustration uses analogous colours. The houses are a group of adjacent warm colours. The background, a group of adjacent cool colours.
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The line in this illustration is white, even and continuous.
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This is a fully geometric sans-serif character. Each part is formed by geometric shapes. The letter has a consistent stroke width.
Features of Design principles
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Contrast is created by colour and shape.
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Balance is created by tone.
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Hierarchy is created by scale.

Function

So how do the Elements and Principles of Design function in communication design? Like, how do they work? I feel that they work in two different ways. I consider these to be, first; emotionally and second; optically. By emotionally I am referring to the use of the components of design as signs. These include symbols that convey ideas through cultural, social and historic associations. The use of signs is culturally dependent – meaning that the intended reading of signs is a learnt experience that is dependent on one’s cultural experience. For example; red connotes passion and danger. Pink means both feminine and salt and vinegar chips! By optically, I am referring to the actual visual effect created by the Elements and Principles of Design. By actual, I mean effects that are not dependent of prior experiences. For example, a line around an object separates it from the background and makes it clearer to see. Warm colours in a sign contrast with a blue sky making it more visible. Hopefully, effects like these, work equally well in anyone’s language, anywhere.
Features of Design elements and principles
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Colour functions emotionally to indicate warmth in the house. Symmetrical balance is used to place the red door in the centre, this functions to emphasise the statement.
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Colour functions as a sign to refer to different flavours of chips. Asymmetrical balance functions to creates a dynamic feel - like the flavours of the chips.
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Colour functions optically to create a contrast between the sign and the landscape. This makes it easy to read.
Jump to
For further information on how components of design function in visual communication visit my page on Visual Language. Click the link at right.
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Visual language

task

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2.1 Features

Collect a range of images where you can be sure that you have an example of each Element and Principle of Design. You don't have to collect 16 images as some images will include the use of several Elements and Principles. Put them on a sheet of paper and check off that you have covered them all.

Now, annotate the images by describing the features of each Element and Principle of Design. Refer back to my pages linked above.

2.2 Function
Collect two different images that are used in industrial contexts. These could include instruction manuals, safety or hazard signs, construction equipment company logos or road signs. Identify two Elements and two Principles of Design and explain how they function within the visual communications.
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Aesthetic and functional factors

This section explores the reasons why designers select specific Elements and Principles and how they apply them differently for different audiences, purposes and contexts.

reasons for selection and application

In the previous section, we have seen that the Elements and Principles of Design have certain features and functions in various ways to support the intention of visual communications. In this section, we explore the reasons that influence designers’ choice of Elements and Principles and, more importantly, how they apply them. I make the point ‘more importantly, to illustrate that, as we know, most (if not all) designs use colour and shape and achieve some kind of balance and contrast within their parts. Therefore, all designs contain similar selections. However, they all use (apply) the Elements and Principles of Design differently. To develop an understanding of this concept, students are required to ‘reverse engineer’ designs to discover the reasons for both the selection and the application – the ways they have been used and manipulated to achieve certain desired visual effects in designs.

There are many factors that influence the how designers use Elements and Principles of Design. Factors are like drivers or motivators that cause certain behaviours. This section discusses aesthetics and function as factors influencing the selection and application of components. Further information and definitions of these terms can be found on the page linked below.

Aesthetics and function
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A beautiful illustration by Australian illustrator Sarah Allen.
(http://sarahallen.com.au/illustration-folio)
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An eye test poster.
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Royal Australian Airforce roundel (aircraft identification insignia).
Jump to
For further information on the aesthetics, function and other factors click the link at right.
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Factors influence design

task

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Each of the questions below refer to the three images above.
2.3 Aesthetics
Identify and describe the aesthetic quality (visual effect) that has been required in each of the images above.
2.4 Function
Identify and describe the function that each image above is required to do.
2.5 Analyse
Identify and describe two Elements and two Principles of Design used in the images above. Discuss why they were selected and explain how they were used to support both the aesthetics and the function of each image.
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Purposes.

In addition to the function served by visual communications, our subject has a list of purposes for each. This section will briefly explore purposes for visual communications.

key knowledge

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key knowledge points for this outcome

  • purposes of visual communications such as to advertise, promote, depict, teach, inform, identify and guide

(VCE VCD Study Design, p. 15)

Purposes

There are seven purposed identified in Visual Communication Design. Each one is explained in detail in the page linked below.
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Advertise.
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Promote.
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Identify.
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Depict.
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Teach.
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Inform.
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Guide.
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For further information on the Purposes click the link at right.
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Purposes

task

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3.1 Understand Purposes
Visit my page on Purposes for visual communications. Make a list and define each purpose.
3.2 Recognise purposes
Collect one image that illustrates each of the purposes for visual communications. Annotate it to describe how it fulfils its purpose.
3.3 analyse and explain
Choose one of the seven images you selected in Task 3.2. Consider the visual communication carefully. Identify two Elements and Two Principles of Design that are prominent in the graphic. Explain how they have been used to support the purpose you identied.
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Using Elements and Principles in designs.

The assessment task for this outcome will involve students creating visualisation and presentation drawings that demonstrate considered selection and use of the Elements and Principles of Design. Before beginning on the task let's look at how each stage will unfold in relation to each Key Knowledge point.

key knowledge

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key knowledge points for this outcome
  • drawing methods to visualise ideas and concepts
  • design elements and design principles and their use in the generation of ideas and development of concepts in the design process
  • different manual and digital drawing methods, media and materials for exploring and applying design elements and design principles
  • presentation drawing methods for the purpose of refining conceptual designs using drawing methods, including manual and digital methods
  • techniques for generating and reflecting on ideas
  • copyright obligations when using the work of others in visual communications.

(VCE VCD Study Design, p. 15)

Drawing methods for Visualising ideas

Designers and illustrators use different freehand sketching methods to visualise shape and form. Three methods using pencil, pen and coloured pencils are shown below.
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Contour drawing is used to depict the outline and emphasises the shape of things.
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Cross-hatching is used to build up form with shade without the support of outlines. This is good for depicting the structure of form.
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Cross-hatching with coloured pencils creates shape and form. Line is used to emphasise outlines of objects where tone is light.

Annotations

A Critical Thinking technique use to audit a student's use of the Elements and Principles of Design is to identify and describe the ones they have used in annotations. Identify each one used, describe it using adjectives then explain how it functions in the drawing.
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A suggestion for annotation of the Elements and Principles of Design in visualisation drawings.

Digital method for developing elements and principles

Students will need to show that they have used each of the Elements and Principles of Design with both manual and digital methods. This illustration shows a suggestion for how students can demonstrate the use of each Element and Principle of Design. It may seem strange, and even counter-intuitive at first, but pushing one-self to using only one Element will develop ideas in unexpected ways. The same will need to be done for each Principle.
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Using a digital-based method with the media of Adobe Illustrator to develop ideas by emphasising each Element of Design.

Digital method for refining elements and principles

Students will need to show that they have used each of the Elements and Principles of Design with both manual and digital methods. This illustration shows a suggestion for how students can demonstrate the use of each Element and Principle of Design. It may seem strange, and even counter-intuitive at first, but pushing one-self to using only one Element will develop ideas in unexpected ways. The same will need to be done for each Principle.
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Using a digital-based method with the media of Adobe Illustrator to develop ideas by emphasising each Element of Design.
Jump to
For further information on the these topics click the links at right.
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Design process
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Creative Thinking strategies
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Critical Thinking strategies

task

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4.1 Visualise ideas
Use observational drawing to support your visualisation of ideas. Draw a piece of fruit using three different methods of manual drawing. Use outlines, cross-hatching for tone and coloured pencils.
4.2 practise annotations
Identify and describe two Elements and two Principles of Design in your page of observational sketches.
4.3 develop and refine ideas
Create one A3 page using one digital-based method to develop one of the drawings you made of a piece of fruit.
4.4 Generate and reflect on ideas
Refresh your understanding of the role of Creative Thinking in generating ideas and Critical Thinking in reflecting on them by revisiting this Key Knowledge block on Unit 1 Outcome 1 page.

KEEPING IT LEGAL...

In VCE Visual Communication Design, we must work in ways that observe laws concerning intellectual property and copyright. The 'right to copy' remains with the artist or designer when an art or design work is made. They own the work and have the right to determine how it is used. (There are exceptions here, but we are not going into them now.) As students and designers, we need to respect the legal right of creators. Failing to do so is illegal and is a kind of stealing. Very simply, no art or design work that has been created by another person can be used as part of another person's. So how will we use these images others make in our visual diary? Fortunately, one exception regarding copying copyright content exists for the purpose of 'study'. We may copy and print a design work only if we acknowledge the designer and the site from where we found it. The actual laws regarding copyright are much more complex than this, but if you always acknowledge others' work in your study, you're working legally.

CAUTION

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Did you know?

When you, or anyone else paints a picture or designs something they don't have to register it to have it protected. The Australian copyright laws automatically protect your work from being copied. Everyone, artists, musicians, writers, photographers and designers work is 'copyright' from the moment it is made.

Yes that's right, even your work!

task

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4.5 Copyright
Reflect back on the work you have done this Unit. Check that you have referenced all images or work from other sources properly. If in doubt ask your teacher.
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