Sue Jenkins defines eight elements used in visual design. These are the components or “parts” used to communicate visually with an audience. The Principles of Design are the “rules” that make for an effective visual design.
8 Elements of Design (<46:00 in the video)
- Color (hue) – The color(s) or pigment(s) used in a design to set the right mood or convey a deliberative feel or emotion.
- Value (tone) – The degree of lightness or darkness of a given color to highlight areas of emphasis or add depth.
- Texture – the surface quality of any defined shape or line to add depth or convey mood.
- Shape – any flat area bound by line, value or color. They can be geometric or organic.
- Form – the overall mass of shapes in your design and how they relate to each other.
- Space (whitespace) – the intervals, areas, or measurable distances between all the objects or elements in a design.
- Line – any actual or implied mark, path, mass, or edge which defines, position and/or direction in the design.
- Type – the fonts you choose for the text in your designs to convey the right mood for a target audience.
10 Principles of Design (>46:00 in the video)
- Contrast – the juxtaposition of opposing elements by way of using different colors, tones, directions, lines, and shapes to show emphasis
- Emphasis – focusing attention in a design to show how an element is more important than other areas of the design.
- Balance – when the elements as a whole have a feeling of equality of weight, attention, or attraction.
- Unity – the pleasing and harmonious arrangement of parts within a composition.
- Pattern – organizing a design using repeating elements.
- Movement – the suggestion of action or direction using static design, or the actual movement in interactive design.
- Rhythm & repetition – using repeated elements or patterns to create a visual rhythm.
- Proportion – visual relationship between two or more things between their size, number or degree.
- Simplicity – the elimination of any non-essential elements or details to reveal the essence of a form.
- Gradation – any gradual change in a design that occurs by a series of stages, steps, or degrees.