Task 1：Exploration
February 3, 2025
03/02/2025-17/02/2025 ( Week 1 - Week 3)
WANG JINYI /0374697
Design Principles / Bachelor's of Design Honors In Creative Media
Task 1: Exploration
Table of Contents
1. Lectures
Design serves as a vital tool for conveying messages effectively to specific audiences. Thoughtful design choices can significantly enhance the clarity and impact of communication.
Elements of Design
Point/Dot
- The fundamental building block of design.
- When repeated, it creates a line.
- Movement through space generates 2D and 3D forms.
Line
- Lines can be described as dynamic/static, forceful/passive, and fluid/rigid.
- They indicate direction, define boundaries, and suggest volume, motion, and emotional tone.
- Grouping lines can illustrate light, shadow, and create various textures and patterns.
Shape
- Represents the area enclosed by lines in 2D or 3D forms.
- Recognizable through outlines or contrasting colors, values, or textures.
- Types:
- Geometric: Precise and regular forms like circles and squares.
- Organic: Freeform shapes that are often curved and informal.
Form
- A representation of 3D space.
- When a form encloses space, it creates a sense of volume.
- In 2D art, form is conveyed through techniques such as shading and perspective.
Texture
- Refers to the tactile and visual qualities of surfaces.
- Types:
- Actual Texture: The real surface that can be felt.
- Simulated Texture: A visual representation that suggests texture.
Space
- The concept that encompasses all elements within a visual piece.
- Defined by the edges of the artwork in 2D formats.
- Can be categorized as positive (filled) or negative (empty).
- Depth and a 3D illusion can be created by overlapping elements, varying sizes, and strategic placement.
Color
- The result of light interacting with surfaces.
- Important Elements:
- Hue: The name of the color (e.g., red, blue).
- Value: The lightness or darkness of a color.
- Tint: A color mixed with white to lighten it.
- Tone: A color mixed with grey to adjust its intensity.
- Shade: A color mixed with black to darken it.
- Saturation: The purity of a color, with higher saturation indicating more intensity.
Color Harmonies
- Monochromatic: Variations of a single color.
- Analogous: Colors that are adjacent on the color wheel.
- Complementary: Colors that are directly opposite each other on the color wheel.
MIB for Bachelors of Design (Honours) in Creative Media | The Design School at Taylor's University 2025
Gestalt Theory
Gestalt theory focuses on how we perceive visual elements as organized wholes rather than individual components. It suggests that we perceive patterns and structures rather than isolated components. Edvard Munch’s iconic painting The Scream (1893) exemplifies many Gestalt principles, demonstrating how visual perception can evoke deep emotional responses.
Below are the ten key Gestalt principles and how they manifest in this artwork:
1. Reification (Figure-Ground Relationship)
Reification describes how the brain perceives incomplete shapes as complete figures. In The Scream, the central figure is highly abstract, with a simplified face and exaggerated features, yet viewers instinctively recognize it as a screaming person. The strong contrast between the dark foreground (bridge and figure) and vivid background (sky and water) further enhances the figure-ground distinction.
2. Multistability
Multistability refers to the phenomenon where a visual stimulus can be interpreted in multiple ways. In The Scream, the swirling background can be perceived as either a physical sky or a symbolic representation of psychological turmoil, allowing for multiple interpretations. This ambiguity invites deeper engagement from the viewer.
3. Invariance
Invariance suggests that certain forms remain recognizable despite variations in perspective, color, or distortion. Though the figure in The Scream is heavily deformed and lacks realistic details, its human-like posture and facial expressionstill convey a universally understood emotion of distress.
4. Symmetry & Balance
Although The Scream is not perfectly symmetrical, the composition achieves balance through the contrasting elements on either side. The left side, featuring two distant figures, counters the intense movement of the swirling sky on the right. The bridge serves as a stabilizing structure amid the visual chaos.
5. Continuity
Continuity describes the tendency to perceive elements along a continuous path. The flowing, curvilinear lines of the sky and water guide the viewer’s eye through the painting, leading from the background towards the central figure. The bridge’s diagonal lines further reinforce this directional flow.
6. Prägnanz (Law of Simplicity)
The principle of Prägnanz states that people perceive objects in the simplest and most organized way possible. Despite its emotional intensity, The Scream is highly stylized and simplified, reducing complex details into bold shapes and striking colors that immediately convey fear and anxiety.
7. Proximity
Proximity refers to the tendency to group objects that are close together. The two shadowy figures in the background are placed near each other, making them appear as a single unit, distinct from the isolated screaming figure in the foreground. This enhances the theme of loneliness and alienation.
8. Similarity
Elements that share similar visual attributes, such as color and shape, are perceived as related. The flowing lines in the sky and water mirror each other, unifying the composition. Additionally, the background figures resemble one another, reinforcing their connection while further isolating the screaming figure.
9. Closure
Closure refers to the brain’s ability to complete missing information in an image. The face of the screaming figure is minimalistic, yet viewers can still “fill in” the missing details to perceive extreme distress. Similarly, the simplified shapes of the bridge and landscape suggest depth without intricate details.
10. Past Experience
Visual perception is influenced by personal and cultural experiences. The fiery red and orange hues in the sky may remind viewers of danger, violence, or apocalyptic imagery, intensifying the emotional impact. Moreover, the widely recognized "screaming" posture resonates with universal expressions of fear and existential dread.
Contrast
Contrast involves the use of opposing elements, such as light and dark or large and small, to create visual interest and draw attention to key areas. It helps to enhance readability and highlight important information. Rembrandt’s The Night Watch uses contrast to grab attention and create depth. The main figures (the captain and lieutenant) are brightly lit, while the background and other characters are darker. This light and dark contrast helps focus the viewer’s eyes on the most important parts of the painting. Also, the difference in size and positioning of the figures adds depth and makes the scene feel more lively and realistic.
Emphasis
Emphasis is about creating a focal point in a design. By using size, color, or placement, certain elements can be made more prominent, guiding the viewer's attention to what is most important. Vermeer creates emphasis by drawing attention to the girl's face and pearl earrings. The bright light of her face contrasted sharply with the dark background and made her stand out. Pearl earrings were placed in the middle, sparkly and eye-catching.
Balance
Balance refers to the distribution of visual weight in a composition. It can be symmetrical or asymmetrical, and it helps to create a sense of stability and harmony in the design. Mondrian’s painting feels balanced even though the shapes are not the same on both sides. The red, blue, and yellow blocks are placed carefully so that no part feels too heavy. The black lines and white spaces help spread out the colors, making the whole painting feel stable and pleasing to look at.
Fig 1.5 Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow - Piet Mondrian - Google Arts & Culture Week 2 10/02/2025
Repetition
Repetition involves using similar elements throughout a design to create consistency and unity. This can include colors, shapes, or patterns that reinforce the overall message and aesthetic. Dalí uses repetition to make the painting feel connected and surreal. The melting clocks appear multiple times, reinforcing the idea of time slipping away.
Movement
Movement directs the viewer's eye through a composition, often leading them from one element to another. This can be achieved through lines, shapes, or arrangements that guide the flow of visual information. Jackson Pollock's water drop paintings are a good example of movement in design.
Harmony & Unity
Harmony and unity in design create a sense of completeness. Goldsworthy’s site-specific installations often utilize natural materials to create harmonious works that blend seamlessly with their surroundings.
Symbol
Symbols are visual representations that convey meaning beyond their literal interpretation. They can evoke emotions and associations, adding depth to the design.
Word and Image
The integration of text and visuals can enhance the overall message of a design. The work of Barbara Kruger, which combines provocative text with striking imagery, illustrates the power of word and image in conveying social commentary.
Year: 1642
Size: 363 cm × 437 cm
Medium: Oil on canvas
Collection: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Image Source: here
Analysis of Design Principles in the Artwork
Balance: Although there are many characters in different poses, the painting feels stable because Rembrandt carefully arranges them. The two main figures in the center help balance the composition.
Contrast: The use of strong light and dark areas (chiaroscuro) makes the important figures stand out. This contrast adds drama and depth to the painting.
Repetition: Similar elements, such as weapons, clothing details, and repeated poses, create rhythm and help unify the painting.
Harmony & Unity: While each character has distinct features and actions, Rembrandt unifies them through a cohesive color palette, consistent lighting, and a shared theme, ensuring visual harmony.
Emphasis: The central figures, Captain Frans Banning Cocq and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburch, are illuminated by bright light, drawing the viewer’s attention to them as the focal point of the painting.
Movement:The different poses, gestures, and expressions make the scene feel alive, as if the soldiers are in motion rather than posing for a portrait.
Symbolism: The young girl in the golden dress, carrying a dead chicken with its claws visible, is a symbolic element. The claws reference the emblem of the militia, emphasizing their identity. Additionally, flags, weapons, and other elements contribute to the military theme and reinforce the group’s significance.
Gestalt Theory: Rembrandt uses light and composition to create a strong sense of unity. The overlapping figures and the way they are grouped together make the painting feel like a single, connected scene rather than separate individuals. The bright areas naturally draw our eyes to the main subjects.
- Properly citing the image source with a valid URL.
- Refining the layout for better readability.
- Expanding the explanation of Gestalt Theory for completeness.
Experience
I learned a lot from this assignment, especially when it comes to organizing and analyzing information. I look at a lot of design on Pinterest, including posters and classical art. I prefer classical art examples because they give me a more intuitive understanding of the application of design principles, and there are plenty of references to help me dig deeper.
Observation
In observing these works, I noticed that each painting applied different design principles, such as composition, balance, contrast, and visual layers. Some paintings are clever with details, such as the use of light and shadow, the arrangement of elements, and the visual effect of white space. I also found that many works of art are not only beautiful, but also have a deeper moral and story behind them.
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