Principles of Design – JSS2 Cultural & Creative Arts Lesson Note (First Term)

Principles of design are the rules artists follow to arrange the elements of design (line, colour, shape and texture) so that artwork looks neat, clear and pleasing.

• Subject: Creative Arts (Cultural and Creative Arts)
• Class: JSS2
• Duration: 40 minutes

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. State what the principles of design are and why artists need them.
2. Name the six main principles of design.
3. Explain harmony, balance, dominance, variety, proportion and rhythm in their own words.
4. Name the types of balance and the types of rhythm and give an example of each.
5. Give a real-life example of each principle.
6. Describe how to create each principle in their own artwork.

What are principles of design?

Principles of design are the guidelines that tell an artist how to arrange the elements of design in the best way.

• Elements of design: the basic parts of art, such as lines, colours, shapes and textures.
• Principles of design: the rules for using those parts well.
• Game comparison: a player follows rules to play correctly, and an artist follows principles to make good art.
• Recipe comparison: elements are the ingredients, and principles are the instructions for mixing them.

Why do we need principles of design?

We need principles of design to make artwork organised, clear and pleasant to look at.

• Neatness: they make artwork look organised and tidy.
• Beauty: they make art pleasant to look at.
• Placement: they show us where to put things in a drawing.
• Interest: they make work more attractive.
• Communication: they help us share ideas clearly through art.
• Understanding: they explain why some artwork looks good and some does not.
• Without them: artwork can look messy, confusing or unpleasant.

What are the six main principles of design?

The six main principles of design are harmony, balance, dominance, variety, proportion and rhythm.

What is harmony?

Harmony is the quality that makes all the parts of an artwork go well together.

• Nothing looks out of place or strange.
• It is like a family whose members get along and support each other.

What are examples of harmony?

• Similar colours: different shades of blue in one painting.
• Related objects: a bed, pillow and blanket in a bedroom drawing.
• Same line style: one kind of line used throughout.
• Matching shapes: shapes that look good together.

How do we create harmony?

• Use colours that match or go well together.
• Keep the same style throughout your work.
• Make every part relate to your main idea.
• Leave out things that do not belong.

What is a real-life example of harmony?

• School uniform: the shirt, skirt or trousers, and shoes all match and go together.

What is balance?

Balance is the even spread of weight or importance in an artwork, so that no side looks heavier or more crowded than the other.

• Imagine carrying a bucket of water in each hand.
• With equal water you feel balanced. With one full and one empty bucket you lean to one side.

What are the types of balance?

There are two types of balance: symmetrical and asymmetrical.

Symmetrical balance

Symmetrical balance means both sides of the artwork are the same or mirror each other.

• Test: draw a line down the middle and both sides look equal.
• Example: a butterfly with the same design on both wings.
• Example: a human face, with two eyes, two ears and one nose in the middle.

Asymmetrical balance

Asymmetrical balance means the two sides are different but still feel equal in weight or importance.

• Example: a big tree on one side balanced by several small flowers on the other.
• Example: a large dark shape balanced by several small light shapes.

How do the two types of balance differ?

How do we create balance?

• Spread objects evenly across the paper.
• Place other things on the opposite side of something big.
• Avoid parts that look too empty or too crowded.
• Step back and check whether the work feels balanced.

What is a real-life example of balance?

• Seesaw: two children of similar weight on both ends keep it level.

What is dominance?

Dominance is having one main part in an artwork that gets the most attention, also called the focal point or centre of interest.

• It is the part people notice first.
• In a football match, everyone watches the player who scores. That player has dominance at that moment.

How do we create dominance?

• Make the main object bigger than the others.
• Use brighter colours for the main object.
• Place it in the centre or another important position.
• Give it more detail.
• Make it different from everything around it.

What are examples of dominance?

• Garden picture: one big, colourful flower in the centre.
• Family drawing: yourself drawn bigger in the middle.
• Landscape: a large tree standing out from smaller trees.
• Sky: a bright yellow sun in a light blue sky.

Why is dominance important?

• It shows people what the artwork is about.
• It guides the eyes to the most important part.
• Without it, viewers do not know where to focus.

What is a real-life example of dominance?

• Classroom: the teacher’s desk is placed where everyone can see it, so it is the focal point.

What is variety?

Variety is the use of different elements to make an artwork interesting and stop it from being boring.

• Eating the same food every day becomes boring.
• In the same way, art with everything the same is dull to look at.

How do we create variety?

• Colours: use several colours instead of one.
• Sizes: draw big, medium and small objects.
• Lines: include straight, curved and zigzag lines.
• Shapes: use circles, squares and triangles.
• Textures: add rough, smooth and bumpy surfaces.
• Patterns: try different patterns.

What are examples of variety?

• A garden with flowers of many colours and sizes.
• A picture with both straight and curved lines.
• A drawing with large and small objects.
• Bright and dull colours in the same picture.

How do variety and harmony work together?

• Too much variety makes artwork look messy and confusing.
• Use enough variety to keep interest.
• Keep enough similarity so everything still goes together.

What is a real-life example of variety?

• Fruit basket: apples, oranges, bananas and grapes differ in colour, size and shape.
• Harmony too: all the items are fruits, so they still belong together.

What is proportion?

Proportion is the size relationship between the different parts of an artwork.

• When proportion is correct, things look natural and realistic.
• Your head is smaller than your body, and your fingers are smaller than your arms.
• A drawing with a head as big as the whole body looks strange.

What is the difference between good and wrong proportion?

How do we get proportion right?

• Look carefully at real objects and notice their sizes.
• Compare the sizes of the parts before you draw.
• Measure with your pencil or finger to check sizes.
• Practise drawing the same thing many times.
• Judge with your eyes whether something looks too big or too small.

When can an artist change proportion on purpose?

• Artists sometimes use unusual proportions for special effect or humour.
• Cartoons: characters often have big heads and small bodies, for style.
• Learn correct proportion first before you change it on purpose.

What is a real-life example of proportion?

• Family photograph: adults look bigger than children, which is good proportion.
• A baby edited to look bigger than its parents would look wrong.

What is rhythm?

Rhythm is the repetition of elements in an organised way to create a sense of movement.

• It forms a pattern that the eyes can follow.
• In music, rhythm is the repeated beat. In art, repeated colours, shapes, lines or patterns make a visual beat.

What are the types of rhythm?

This lesson covers three types of rhythm: regular, flowing and progressive.

Regular rhythm

Regular rhythm is when elements repeat in exactly the same way.

• Example: fence posts all the same distance apart.
• Example: windows on a building arranged in perfect rows.
• Example: circles repeated in a straight line.

Flowing rhythm

Flowing rhythm is when elements repeat in a smooth, continuous way.

• Example: ocean waves repeating one after another.
• Example: curves that flow into each other.
• Example: a vine with leaves along it.

Progressive rhythm

Progressive rhythm is when repeated elements gradually change in size, colour or position.

• Example: circles that start small and get bigger.
• Example: colours that change from light to dark.
• Example: lines that start far apart and move closer together.

How do the three types of rhythm compare?

How do we create rhythm?

• Repeat a colour several times across the artwork.
• Draw the same shape in different places.
• Use a pattern that repeats.
• Make lines that lead the eye from one place to another.
• Repeat a design element throughout the composition.

What are examples of rhythm in everyday things?

• Shirt stripes: repeating lines.
• Polka dots on fabric: repeating circles.
• Row of trees along a road: repeating shapes.
• Bricks in a wall: repeating rectangles.
• Footprints in sand: repeating marks.

Evaluation

1. What are the principles of design?
2. Name the six main principles of design.
3. Explain the difference between symmetrical balance and asymmetrical balance. Give one example of each.
4. What is a focal point, and how can an artist make one part of a picture dominant?
5. Name the three types of rhythm and give one example of each.

Assignment

Choose any two principles of design from this lesson. For each one, write its meaning, two ways to create it in your artwork and one real-life example.