Reading: Principles of Form and Design

Principles of Form and Design.

I. Four group of elements:

A. Conceptual Elements

(a) Point: -indicates position

-beginning and end of a line

-where two lines meet

(b) Line: - formed by points

- has position and direction as well as forms a plane

(c) Plane: - bound by lines

(d) Volume: -bound by planes

B. Visual Elements

(a) Shape: -anything that can be seen

(b) Size: -all shapes have size

• described in terms of bigness and smallness
• physically measurable

(c) Color: - composed of all the hues in the spectrum

-composed of neutrals (black, white, grays)

(d) Texture: - surface characteristics of shapes

• plain or decorated, smooth or rough
• may appeal to the senses of touch as much as to sight

C. Relational Elements

(a) Direction: - depends on how the shape is related to the observer

-some are perceived such as direction and position

-some are felt such as space and gravity

(b) Position:- shape is judged by its relationship to the frame or the structure

(c) Space: - can be occupied or left blank

- it can be flat or illusory to suggest depth

(d) Gravity: - sense of gravity is psychological

- stability or instability to individual shapes or group of shapes

D. Practical Elements

(a) Representation:- shape is derived from nature or the man-made world

- may be realistic, stylized, or near-abstract

(b) Meaning:- present when the design conveys a message

(c) Function: - present when a design is to serve a purpose

II. Form

A. Form as a Point

-size should be very small

-shape should be rather simple

B. Form as a Line

-breadth is extremely narrow

-length is quite prominent

-3 aspects of a line

(a) the overall shape: -general appearance (straight, curved, bent, irregular, hand- drawn, etc.)

(b) the body:- contained within two edges

- the two edges determine the shape of the body ( smooth, wavy, irregular, etc.)

(c) the extremities: - the ends may be round, square, pointed, or any simple shape

C. Form as Plane

-Planar forms and their varieties

(a) Geometric: - constructed mathematically

(b) Organic: - bounded by free curves suggesting fluidity and growth

(c) Rectilinear:- bound by straight lines which are not related to one another mathematically

(d) Irregular: - bound by straight and curved lines which are not related to one another mathematically

(e) Hand-drawn: - calligraphic or created with the unaided hand

(f) Accidental: - determined by the effect of special processes or materials, or obtained accidentally

III. The Interrelationships of Forms

A. Detachment – two forms remain separate from each other

B. Touching – two forms touch each other generally only at the edges

C. Overlapping – two forms are on top of one another with the top covering the bottom

D. Interpenetration – same as overlapping except the two forms are transparent. There is no above or below relationship

E. Union – Two forms join together and become a bigger form

F. Subtraction – two forms that overlap. One form does a cut out of its shape from the other form

G. Intersection – Same as interpenetration only a smaller form is created

H. Coinciding – two forms join so much they become one