GRAPHIC DESIGN – VISUAL AND GRAPHIC DESIGN

 Exploring Design Elements And Principles

1. POINT
A point must display shape and size if it is to be seen. Points do not have to be circular;
they may be an arrow, letter, square, triangle or any other shape. The only stipulation is
that they must be of a size that is small when viewed in relation to the whole page. One of
the most common points found in a piece of graphics is the copyright symbol.
Design elements: points do not have to be circular; they may be an arrow, letter, square,
triangle or any other shape.

2. LINE
A line is a point that moves in space from one position to another. Lines can be thick, thin,
jagged or curved. They can be used to represent form through crosshatch rendering, they
can represent boundaries of shapes, or they can be used independently to show
direction.
Design elements: a line is a point that moves, in space, from one position to another.

3. SHAPES
Shapes can be represented as geometric, abstract or symbolic. They may represent
something visual or may exist merely as design. When three or more points are
connected, a two-dimensional shape is created.
Design elements: when three or more points are connected, a two-dimensional shape is
created.

4. FORM
Form is a three-dimensional unit such as an object. It is the element that most refers to
the volume of an object or product and can be seen as the result of combining two or
more shapes on a two-dimensional surface to represent three dimensions.
Design elements: form is a three-dimensional unit such as an object. It is the result of
combining two or more shapes on a two-dimensional surface to represent three
dimensions.

5. TONE
When light reflects off the surface of an object, the tone is created. The more light
projected onto the surface, the lighter the tone will be; and vice versa. Tone can enhance
both two and three-dimensional forms.
Design elements: when light reflects off the surface of an object tone is created.

6. TEXTURE
This is the description used to describe the visual or felt characteristics of a surface. It
may be created to emulate the finish or surface of materials.
Design elements: texture is the description used to describe the visual or felt
characteristics of a surface.

7. COLOR
It is important to learn and apply some of the known colour schemes. These include
complementary colours (those shown opposite each other on a colour wheel), analogous
colours (those existing together) and split complementary colours (a colour and the two
colours on either side of its complement). Colour can help to create a focal point and
organise hierarchies.
GRAPHIC DESIGN – VISUAL AND GRAPHIC DESIGN
Design elements: colour can help to create a focal point and organise hierarchies.

8. LETTER - FORM
Letters of the alphabet and numbers are present in most graphic design. The letterform
can be used to communicate information through blocks of text, and headings can also
be used to make a visual dynamic. Letterforms can be twisted, cropped, enlarged,
overlapped, scrawled and transparent.
Letterforms can be unique, such as signatures. They can be block plain shapes like Arial
(sans serif), or elegant thick and thin shapes like Times New Roman letterforms (serif).
Letterforms can communicate and also transform the style and design of the visual.
Design elements: the letterform can be used to communicate information through blocks
of text, headings and can also be used to make a visual dynamic.

DESIGN PRINCIPLES
These principles are concerned with how components in a visual may be organised, and are
usually the first steps a designer may consider or apply. They are also a good point for
starting analysis. Composition, figure, ground, balance, contrast, cropping, hierarchy, scale,
proportion and pattern are all design principles.
Design principles are concerned with how components in a visual may be organized and are
usually the first steps a designer may consider or apply.
a. COMPOSITION
 Is it open or closed? In the composition, is there any conventional drawing,
any use of a grid?
b. FIGURE
 Is it open or closed? In the composition, is there any conventional drawing,
any use of a grid?
c. GROUND
 The background of the visual may occupy more space in the visual than the
figure and so be called ground dominant. Also, the ground and figure can be
reversed so that the ground is negative space.
d. BALANCE
 Balanced design can be achieved through the symmetrical or asymmetrical
placement of objects or elements. Symmetrical balance gives uniformity and
stability to visual communication whilst asymmetrical balance creates a
dynamic composition.
e. CONTRAST
 Contrast appears when there are opposites. Is there a contrast between
shape, scale, colour, serif and sans serif type? Are some parts of the visual
small and others large? Is there brightness and darkness in tone, or a
contrasting of texture such as rough textures in bricks contrasting with rose
petals or skin?
f. CROPPING
 Has the image been cropped? Has part of the image been enlarged to appear
closer to you? Is part of the image missing (cropped) to create interest in the
visual?
g. HIERARCHY
GRAPHIC DESIGN – VISUAL AND GRAPHIC DESIGN
Hierarchy is whatever attracts your attention. First hierarchy in a composition
is the focal point. It could be text (headings), image or type (other headings or
body copy). What causes this first hierarchy or focal point? Is it scale, colour
or cropping, or a range of these elements and principles that causes the focal
point (first hierarchy)? What is your eye attracted to next? This is the second
hierarchy. What is the third? Why is your eye led around the visual to the
hierarchies? Is it because of scale, colour or shape? Write about all the
elements that lead your eye around the visual to each hierarchy.
h. SCALE
 Scale in a composition can make an image or text small or large, particularly
if cropped, and can help to determine hierarchy. It can make something in the
visual the focal point by its large scale compared to the other images.
i. PROPORTION
 The proportion of each component in the visual is important. For example, is
the proportion of the image of a car in a visual greater in size than everything
else in the composition? If it were, then the car image would have first
hierarchy, or be the focal point of the composition. It is the relationship
between all the items that make up a visual.
j. PATTERN
 Pattern is all about repetition, alternation and making images into patterns.
Repetition is when one shape is repeated to make a pattern or an impact;
alternation is the repetition of two or more images or components that are
reversed (for example, first black and then white); and a pattern is created
when images are repeated over and over again.
 GRAPHIC DESIGN – VISUAL AND GRAPHIC DESIGN
 An Explanation of the Drawing Systems

PARALINE

 All drawings that use parallel lines are paraline drawings. The orthogonal system is the
only one that is represented in two dimensions. All others are represented in three
dimensions.

ORTHOGONAL

 There are two conventions in orthogonal drawing: 1st and 3rd angle. The most
common of these, and the style generally chosen for this outcome, is the 3rd angle;
and so this is the one most commonly represented in this section.

 It is important to dimension your drawing so that you learn the conventions of this area.
Issues such as how far the dimensions should be placed from the object, which
dimensions go on the outside, how curves and circles are represented and in what
direction the measurements are placed are all issues that can be resolved through this
drawing. It is also recommended that you have a range of technical pens or felt-tipped
pens for the presentation of this task. The thickest (0.7mm or 0.5mm) are used for the
object; a smaller size for hidden lines and the smallest for the dimensions.

 Try to avoid circular objects for orthogonal drawings, as many will only allow you to
represent the top and front views. Whilst this is the correct convention, you will not be
gaining sufficient experience in the more common practice of drawing three aligned
views of the one object.

In this drawing, the student has represented a chair in three

aligned views. Some hidden lines are represented, as are the
dimensions of the actual chair.

It should be observed that the overall dimensions are placed on

the outer edge, with the smaller dimensions being placed on
the inside of them.

It is recommended that at least 8-10 dimensions be shown so

that you can indicate your understanding of this convention.
Remember that no dimension should be mentioned twice.

This is a drawing that shows three aligned views of a spaceship

design. You will notice that no hidden lines are shown here,
due to the complexity of the outer shape. A cross-sectional
view of a part of the object would be appropriate if the internal
structure was to be represented.
GRAPHIC DESIGN – VISUAL AND GRAPHIC DESIGN
This is one of the most used paraline styles, as it defines an
object with little distortion and it includes three faces of the
object.
You must work from a corner view for this style. The lines that
project from this view are angled at 30o to the horizontal.
When undertaking this and other conventional drawing styles,
remember to apply other criteria simultaneously.
This may be through exploring a rendering technique to
enhance the form of your object; making subtle design
alterations to your object in each drawing; or including
some freehand sketches, using the convention as a
starting point.
In this example, the student has clearly labelled each
drawing and has chosen a common rendering scheme
that is linked to the colour of the labels. These drawings
were created using a drawing board, onto cartridge
paper and then cut and pasted onto the black ground.

OBLIQUE
With this style, the front face of an object is emphasized.
The drawing begins with the front view being placed at
90o and the receding parallel lines being drawn at an
angle of 45o. There are two forms of oblique drawing:
one that is suitable for measurement and the other that is
more suited to display. Cavalier oblique is the style
where all measurements are exact.
This results in a high degree of visual distortion, even
though the measurements are accurate. Cabinet oblique
corrects the distortion by making the side measurement
half of the actual dimension. Whilst this corrects the
distortion, it alters the dimensions of the original plan.
GRAPHIC DESIGN – VISUAL AND GRAPHIC DESIGN
PERSPECTIVE
Perspective drawing: One point
perspective (one vanishing
point) can be likened to Oblique
drawing, as it places emphasis
on the front plane of an object.
Perspective drawing. Two-point
perspective (two vanishing
points) can be likened to
Isometric and Planometric
drawing, as it can equally represent 3 planes
depending on where the vanishing point is placed.

In this form of drawing, receding lines are no longer parallel but,

instead, share one or two vanishing points. One point perspective
(one vanishing point) can be likened to oblique drawing, as it places
emphasis on the front plane of an object. Two point perspective (two
vanishing points) can be likened to isometric and planometric
drawing, as it can equally represent three planes, depending on
where the vanishing point is placed. When the vanishing points in
both styles are placed above the horizon line, the top of the object
will be clearly visible. When placed on or at the horizon, neither the
top nor the bottom will be in view. If you place your vanishing points
below the horizon line, the base of the object will come into view.
It is recommended that you try all variations so that
you become thoroughly familiar with these drawing
conventions. Not all practice drawings need to be
ruled, as in the examination you have the
opportunity to use freehand representations. It is
also recommended that you rule all folio inclusions
and render most, if not all, conventional drawings.
In this example, the student has explored the use
of another piece of furniture with the chair to vary
the imagery and to fulfil the exploring ideas
requirement. In this example, the student has used
a wash of marker as an underlay to the two-point
perspective presentation. The inclusion of shadowing helps to increase the three-
dimensional nature of the drawing.