However accomplished you are as an artist or designer, it's always beneficial to go back to basics and reflect on the key aspects of any image you create.
The elements of design are the fundamentals to any work of art, and their combination can dictate the quality and reception of the piece.
The principal visual elements of line, shape, tone, color, texture, form, scale, space, and light are all clearly visible to the naked eye.
(Cohen D. & Anderson S., 2006)
Line: Formed by the connecting of two different points. Used for visual direction as it allows the artist to manipulate the viewer's interaction with the art by creating leading lines.
Shape: Two-dimensional area composed of line. All things are composed of shapes.
Tone: The "opacity" of a colour - how dark or light it is.
Colour: Conveying a message through reflection of light.
Texture: Allows interpretation of how an object or an area of the illustration feels if touched.
Scale: Relativity of the objects against each other. How big or small an object is in comparison to the other objects in the illustration.
Space: The distance between the objects in the illustration or the background.
- Negative space: Area around an object (the unoccupied space)
- Positive space: Area in which an object is found (the occupied space)
Form: The whole piece of the visible elements - how they relate to each other and make the whole picture/illustration.
These elements of design are what make for a great design. These are the elements, which are visible to the viewer's eye - the more of these are composed into the illustration, the more the viewer is able to interact with it.
Furthermore, once the artist masters these elements, they can use them to their advantage and guide the viewer into interacting with their illustration as intended.
The illustration above is an example of one that shows all the components of the 'Elements of Design'.
Line: Line was used in this illustration to manipulate the viewer by creating leading lines. The hair, especially, shows lines of similar shape that allows the viewer to follow the way the style falls into place.
Shape: As mentioned before, all objects are composed of shapes. The red line indicate some of the shapes that are found in the illustration.
Tone: The tone was used in this illustration to further emphasise the texture of certain areas. For example, the hair of the woman needed depth and therefore different tones of brown were used. Different tones in the skin also show complexion and bring a realness to the illustration.
Colour: Colour was used to conve warmth. I only used warm-based colours to emphasise this. I also used my knowledge of the colour wheel find a harmonious match of colors.
Texture: The texture of the illustration is seen mainly in the hair and the face. The rough texture of the hair blends well with the disrupted brush strokes of the face. The main focus, texture-wise, is the complexion of the face. It follows similarly the distribution of the cutaneous areas of the face supplied by specific nerves.
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Written by Danielle Tarroza on Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Danielle is an aspiring writer with a penchant for design. She has completed a Biomedicine degree and is a self-confessed fashion eclectic. Her creative and stylist skills are matched by passion for coffee! Follow her on Twitter: @__daniellegrace
