Design Principles - Task 1 EXPLORATIONS

3/02/25 – 17/02/25 / Week 1 – Week 3 

Yong Sun Lu 0376945

Illustration & Visual Narrative / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media 

Task 1: Explorations 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Instructions
• Lectures
• Task 1 Explorations
• Feedbacks

INSTRUCTIONS

LECTURES

Lecture 1:

 Contrast And Gestalt Theory

Contrast

• Contrast is the juxtaposition of strongly dissimilar elements.
• Contrast can provide visual interest, emphasize a point and express content. 
• Without contrast, visual experience would be monotonous.

Fig. 1.1. Law Of Pragnaz (https://id.pinterest.com/pin/65513369573167812/)

As we see in the image above, there are many miniature bat logos contrasting a figure which is the legendary Heath Ledger playing as the Joker.

Gestalt Theory

• The human brain is wired to see patterns, logic, structure.
• “Gestalt” refers to “shape” or “form” in German. 
• PRINCIPLE OF SIMILARITY: The human eye tends to perceive similar elements in a design as a complete picture, shape, or group, even if those elements are separated.
• PRINCIPLE OF CONTINUATION: The human eye follows the paths, lines, and curves of a design, and prefers to see a continuous flow of visual elements rather than separated objects.
• PRINCIPLE OF CLOSURE: The human eye prefers to see complete shapes. If the visual elements are not complete, the user can perceive a complete shape by filling in missing visual information.
• PRINCIPLE OF PROXIMITY: The process of ensuring related design elements are placed together. Any unrelated items, should be spaced apart.
• PRINCIPLE OF FIGURE/GROUND: Objects are instinctively perceived as being either in the foreground or the background.
• LAW OF SYMMETRY & ORDER: This law states that elements that are symmetrical to each other tend to be perceived as a unified group.

PRINCIPLE OF SIMILARITY

Fig. 1.2. Roman Muradov (2014) (https://id.pinterest.com/pin/71283606590764105/)

In the figure above we can see multiple lines crossing each other, the ones that is coming from the right side represents the rain while the left side represents the body of the woman standing but there is a third one which both lines crossed paths representing a shadow from the umbrella.

PRINCIPLE OF CONTINUATION

Fig. 1.3. Les Fees du rhin by Jacques Offenbach (2019 (https://id.pinterest.com/pin/149392912634175285/)

The figure above shows a ladder going down indefinitely towards an empty void, continuously going down without limit to an unknown end.     

PRINCIPLE OF CLOSURE

Fig. 1.4. London 2012 by Unknown (2012) (https://id.pinterest.com/pin/38280665578204052/)

In this image despite the missing torso the excess space makes up for it and forming the uniform for the athlete.

PRINCIPLE OF PROXIMITY

Fig. 1.5. Jacques Kahn, Jr (1960) (https://id.pinterest.com/pin/55591376642347379/)

In the image above it shows multiple words squeezed together to form a shape of a Coca Cola bottle.

PRINCIPLE OF FIGURE/GROUND

Fig. 1.6. Air pollution by Yonathan Agena (2021)(https://id.pinterest.com/pin/6685099433572202/)

The figure above shows primary objects like the smokes from the building creating pollutions and a silhouette of a person suffering from it.

LAW OF SYMMETRY & ORDER

Fig. 1.7. Unknown (https://id.pinterest.com/pin/158681586865579909/)

Lecture 2
Balance and Emphasis

BALANCE

• Balance refers to the distribution of visual weight in a work of design.
• Balance can be symmetrical or asymmetrical. 
• SYMMETRICAL BALANCE: Has equal “weight” on equal sides of a centrally placed fulcrum.
• ASYMMETRICAL BALANCE: Unequal visual weight on each side of the composition.
• THE GOLDEN RATIO: Has been used for centuries as a guide to create visual balance in architecture and paintings.
• RULE OF THIRDS: It is a composition guideline to create more dynamism to a work of design/photography/film/painting. 

SYMMETRICAL BALANCE

Fig. 2.1. Scanners - Mexico EP (2013) (https://id.pinterest.com/pin/68046644364857870/)

ASYMMETRICAL BALANCE

Fig. 2.2. Unknown (https://id.pinterest.com/pin/1001206560909215322/)

THE GOLDEN RATIO

• The golden ratio, also known as the golden number, golden proportion, or the divine proportion, is a ratio between two numbers that equals approximately 1.618.

Fig. 2.2. Monalisa by Leonardo Da Vinci (1503)

(https://id.pinterest.com/pin/192528952820011302/)

RULE OF THIRDS

• a compositional technique in photography and other visual arts where an image is imagined as divided into thirds, both horizontally and vertically, creating a grid of nine equal parts, and important elements are placed along these lines or their intersections

Fig. 2.3. Wheat Field with Cypresses by Vincent Van Gogh (1889) (https://id.pinterest.com/pin/333829391140187491/)

Emphasis and Dominance

• Emphasis is used to create dominance and focus in a design work. 
• Various elements can be used to create emphasis, such as colour, shapes or value, to achieve dominance. 

Fig. 2.4. Emphasis – A Principle Of Art by Ashley Hurst 

(https://id.pinterest.com/pin/975170125571624817/)

In the picture above The green tomato is mixed into the red tomatoes but does not get lost in the group.

Lecture 3

Repetition and Movement

Repetition

• Repetition could make a work of design seem active.
• The repetition of elements of design creates rhythm and pattern within the work.  

Fig. 3.1. Andy Warhol - Marilyn Monroe (2016) 

(https://www.widewalls.ch/magazine/repetition-in-art-artists-photography)

Movement

• The way a design leads the eye in, around, and through a composition - the path the eye follows.
• Motion or movement in a visual image occurs when objects seem to be moving in a visual image.  

Fig. 3.2. Photo by Alan Schaller (2023) 

(https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-movement-in-art-definition/)

Lecture 4

Harmony and Unity

Harmony

• Harmony involves the selection of elements that share a common trait.
• Harmony is the sense that all of the elements of your design fit together. They may fit the same theme, aesthetic style or mood.  

Fig. 4.1. The Promenade, Woman with a Parasol by Claude Monet (1875)

(https://finearttutorials.com/guide/harmony-in-art/)

Unity

• Unity occurs when these elements are composed in such a way that they are balanced and give a sense of oneness, creating a theme. 

Fig. 4.2. Unity by Tom Mossholder (2020)

(https://medium.com/illumination/unity-46e4bbcabc93)

Lecture 5

Symbol, Word and Image

Symbol

• In design, symbols can provide or convey information, equivalent to one or more sentences of text, or even a whole story
• PICTORIAL SYMBOLS: Image-related and simplified pictures
• ABSTRACT SYMBOLS: Abstract symbols can look like the objects that they represent but have less details.
• ARBITRARY SYMBOLS: Arbitrary symbols have no resemblance at all to the objects or the ideas they represent.  

Pictorial Symbols

Fig. 4.3. Pictorial Symbols (2013) 

(https://rebekaheisenman.wordpress.com/2013/06/06/pictorial-symbols/)

Abstract Symbols

Fig. 4.4. Abstract Logo by ebaqdesign (2024)

(https://www.ebaqdesign.com/blog/abstract-logo-design)

Arbitrary Symbols

Fig. 4.5. Playstation Logo (1994)

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_%28console%29)

Word and Image

• Imagery is a vital part of design, be it print or digital. Users and viewers are able to relate to a concept or a brand if the right images are used in a work of design. It is therefore important to use suitable and relevant images when designing.  

Fig. 4.6. brain rot (2024)

(https://corp.oup.com/word-of-the-year/)

Task 1 Part B

Tittle Art work : Woman with a Parasol

Artist Name : Claude Monet (French, 1840 - 1926)

Size : overall: 100 x 81 cm (39 3/8 x 31 7/8 in.) 

       framed: 119.4 x 99.7 cm (47 x 39 1/4 in.)

Medium : Oil on canvas

source : https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.61379.html

The art work I picked is called “Woman with a Parasol – Madame Monet and her son” made by Claude Monet, a French artist in 1875. As for the reason why I chose this art because of its peaceful atmosphere its given, from the skies, colors, simple yet it gives off a very calming vibe that soothes the heart  and not only that, there is also a story behind it, the wife of the artist stands on a hill with his son behind her and Monet quickly recorded the moment sketching the skies in strokes of blue and gray, a more dense painted grass in blue, green, and brown and multiple slashes of white on her back and not to mention the details of the strikes towards the dress. It is completed in a single outdoor session. The artist intended the work to convey the feeling of a casual family outing rather than a formal portrait.

Principles of Design within the art

Contrast: The white lines contrast with the blue sky

Emphasis: The parasol Emphasizes the shadow within the grasses

Movement: The wind blowing the dress of the artist's wife

Harmony: The elements in the art is giving off a soothing atmosphere