THE PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN - PART TWO

UNITY and HARMONY are complimentary; they seem to work together. At times the terms are interchanged.

However, there is a difference between these terms: Harmony refers to the art parts that are unified. An artist may use similar or repetitive colours, shapes or form to unite a composition or design. The artwork (colours, lines, shapes, texture) you look at feels “ complete”.

Unity requires Harmony in a work of art. Unity consists of three different kinds: Compositional, Conceptual and Gestalt.

Compositional Unity is accomplished by how the artist, designer, photographer binds the different Elements of Art . By balancing or controlling the variety of lines, shapes, texture the work of art or design looks cohesive or together. The artist Victor Vasarely is able to create a Compositional Unity in his artwork by using a minimal number of colours.

Conceptual Unity is different in that it combines the communication, ideas, thoughts of the artist. A perfect example, in my opinion, would be Edvard Munch’s “The Scream”. We can “sense” the “scream” even though we cannot hear it. When teaching I had this painting as part of my Grade 12 exam. The students were give five paintings to learn about before the exam. Oops! after the exam some of the students told me that this painting was stressing them out. Mind you they all passed.

Gestalt Unity in art is based on the theory that our brains always try and find a pattern or group. The “putting it together” of individual shapes or colours is combined. The Olympic Rings is an example where we know that the rings represent the five continents.

HARMONY complements UNITY with the placement or positioning of Elements of Art.

Harmony create a “togetherness” . The colour, lines or shapes all compliment each other. There are two types of “harmony” : Visual and Conceptual. Visual refers to the Elements of Art. Conceptual refers to a theme that the artists creates. My “Mondragam Paintings” are conceptual . The harmony could be described as: “abstract, colour field, geometric, or kinetic.” For Example, if you have a landscape nature painting with a figure or a building your eye will first view the figure or the building. Van Gogh’s “Landscape in Provenance” is also a good example. The chart below explains how their composition works.

PROPORTION relates to the scale and size within the image, design. Are they the correct dimensions or exaggerated. I taught my high school photo students a Photoshop assignment called “Larger Than Life”. They learn to change their body proportions. Two examples of this Photoshop assignment can be seen in swimming in a coffee cup OR sitting on top of piano keys. They could also make themselves as a “giant”.

PATTERN in artwork is created by the repeating of a colour, line or shape. There are natural patterns such as animals ( cow, zebra) or fish (herringbone) or plant or mineral. There is also man made patterns. A tessellation means there is a repetitive patten without any gaps. M C.Escher ( previously mentioned is famous for them in his artwork. Another example of man made pattens would be those seen in The Alhambra Tessellations or in the abstract artwork of Victor Vasarely.

In Morocco the term “zellij” are hand made geometric mosaic patterns. This traditional mosaic making is passed on form generation to generation. Watch this video if you want to see more.

VARIETY is an absolute MUST in any artwork or design. It is the “Principle” that creates the “interest” . Artists use “VARIETY” to juxtapose shapes or forms. Perhaps to have one colour or line break the monotony of a work. Specifically in my own earlier (pre 2000) you can see diagonal colours interact with the horizontal or vertical colour, shape or line. I feel that there is an interaction between cube or square colour or shape interacting with a spontaneous diagonal colour, line or shape. It’s like the snakes and ladders…. you really need both.

RHYTHYM is composed of different designs: There is : regular, random, progressive, alternating and flowing. Artist use Rhythm to show movement (almost like musical notes.) By seeing the notes we have music and song. In art the “notes” are the shapes, colours or lines that create the composition. REGULAR rhythm is when all the art Elements are the same. A good example would be Andy Warhol’s Soup Cans. Another example would be Jasper John’s “Three Flags 1958”. Even though the Soup Can names are different we see the rhythm of the red and white soup labels. An example of RANDOM rhythm in art could be Jackson Pollock, Autumn Rhythm (Number 30). His lines all combine into an energized kinetic work of art. We can “feel the energy”. Another example would be Rene Magritte’s Golonde

One of the best examples of PROGRESSIVE rhythm one be seen in the architecture of the Sidney Opera House. ( I visited Sidney in 2011 and saw a concert by Randy Newman. If you go to Sidney make sure to take the architecture tour.) The rhythm of the roof suggests sailing boats in the Sidney harbour.

In discussing ALTERNATING RYTHYM is when we have two or more colours, shapes in a repetition of interchangeable patterns. Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe is an example of Alternating Rhythm. It could be “⚫️⬛️⚫️⬛️ ⚫️” shapes.

FLOWING RYTHYM usually contains curvy or circular elements. Together when we look at the flowing rhythm “we feel or see” motion. Gustav Klimt “The Tree of Life “ is a great example.

The Principle of Design EMPHASIS AND CONTRAST work with one another. EMPHASIS is what your eye sees first. It is the area that catches your visual attention. Artists can direct the viewer by using the different colours, shapes, size etc. There are a few ways that an artist, designer or photographer will use the concept of “emphasis”. By changing a line or shapes size, or position, or using different colours. Personally, when I started to paint my acrylic Quaker Apple Cinnamon I knew it would be “boring” just having the different squares. By adding the spoon picking up the mini-squares ( like they were flakes of cereal) is a great example.

CONTRAST is required by the Principle of Design in using Complementary Colours or perhaps a series of small shapes to a larger one. This video is a quick introduction .

BALANCE is the Principle of Design where we see the visual weight of the art as equal horizontal , vertical or radial. Every painting or drawing is also “symmetrical or asymmetrical”. Symmetrical is equal on the vertical or horizontal plane. Asymmetrical is when you have a larger shape or colour being balanced by a few smaller shapes or colours. View this example of symmetrical balance in an architectural photo. An asymmetrical balance in an architectural photo could be Montreal’s Habitat by Moshe Safdi for Expo ’67. The modular shapes “balance” each other even though they are not symmetrical.