Principles of Design
In an assigned reading we got to chose six out of eleven types of design. The six types of design I chose where symmetrical, rhythm, repetition, white space, unity, and proportion/scale.
Symmetrical
With this type of design symmetrical means the same on both sides. It is like a butterflies wings being the same design and pattern on each wing. This type of design intrigues me as it can be both easily performed as well as messed up. If you don’t do the same exact design on one side and “print” it on another, then it will not be considered symmetrical.
Rhythm
Rhythm design has multiple different meanings to it. The type of rhythm design I found to be the most interesting was flowing rhythm. This type is one that follows bends and curves such as ocean waves. An ocean wave will curl and move forward in its own rhythm till it finally crashes and the cycle starts all over again. To me, seeing rhythm in real life made me chose this type of design. With waves being a normal occurrence, it is interesting to think how they give a “flowing rhythm”.
Repetition
Repetition is a part of a piece that is repeated mixed with other components, but you can clearly depict what is supposed to be repeating. I chose this type of design as I have had to use repetition for my whole life. Whether it is for studying for a final or creating a poem, I have always seen and used repetition. For instance, In art class I had to create a repetition piece of two animal figures. They flowed together as there were two components that had fit together like a puzzle piece.
White Space
White space is an “empty space” in design that can also create a negative space that gives the design an alternate view when looked upon. I chose this type of design as we had to do a project based off of white space. I have seen multiple pieces out there showing one image, but the more you looked at it, it turned into something completely different. It is amazing how our eyes are trained to depict something and can often become confused, then suddenly see a completely different image than before.
Unity
Unity is a type of design that creates a sense of visual similarity between different elements in a piece. It is like an artist having a color scheme in their piece. Using all different shades of a specific color for their artwork. I chose this type of design as I had created a unity piece in my art class before. We had to create a picture of a celebrity where I had chosen Marilyn Monroe and used blue as my color scheme. It is all about creating a piece that flows, where the colors are the similar and not too different from one another.
Proportion/Scale
Proportion/scale relates to an objects size/weight in comparison to another. I chose this type of design as I am currently seeing proportion/scale in my other classes. In my other class, we are learning about the different planets in our solar system. As we cannot physically see the difference in size of planets and stars, we have a visual piece of the size comparisons and it gives us a more sense of reality how small we really are in our solar system.
Gestalt Theory
To break down gestalt theory we need to define the word gestalt. Gestalt is a german word that means/stands for a pattern, figure, or form that turns into something that is unified. So why is this so important? What is gestalt theory? Well it really is what is some pieces shown above. It is how things are put together and flow together as a whole piece. It simply cannot work or express itself in a way if it is not in a conformed piece and not apart. I know that some of the pieces above do not apply to this theory such as scale and others, but some do like white space do. It was interesting to learn about this type of theory as we are learning it without even realizing it. In this class we are studying and applying our knowledge towards this theory. To me it just seems interesting as everything links up and flows all together in a nice conformed unit.
