Some people find it mysterious that designers and artists can create a specific look and feel for a piece. They are baffled by how much the design emanates a particular mood. I think sometimes even other designers and artists wonder how the piece so captures a particular emotion!
If you can put aside the belief that it is magic, and take a close look, you’ll find it’s not so mysterious after all. Study how a layout uses the elements of design, pick apart the use of line and value, notice the color palette.
Let’s take a “fresh” look as an example and break it down.
Over the past few weeks we’ve been taking an intensive look at the elements of design—the basic building blocks of graphic design and composition—through real world examples. It’s great to know the theory, but applying it is where all the knowledge comes together to form a successful design.
I presented them in the order I originally did […]
Color is such a vast and variable element that it can be difficult to cover it fully in any one post. It can also be a little overwhelming when trying to implement it into your designs. Below are some sample color palettes, taken from classic color theory based combinations.
The color wheel is one of the first […]
Color holds the most critical appeal to emotions out of all the elements of design. It is important to choose your colors wisely!
Aesthetic Apparatus’ Doombuddy (Codename Mr. Tibbets)
Red, blue and yellow are the primary color triad and often associated with children. Tints (adding white), shades (adding black) and tones (adding grey) are often effective ways […]
Value is not color. Value is also not contrast, which is a separate principle of design. Contrast can be found in any element—texture, shape, size/scale, space, color, line or value—which is why it is a principle, not an element. Value is the tone of a color; it has more to do with dark and light […]
Texture can be the element that really takes your designs to the next level. Textures create visual interest and add those touches of detail that were previously missing. Think about what kinds of textures are inviting (silky, soft, fluffy) and which you’d rather keep away from (rough, hard, thorny).
Texture can be used to
Define shapes or space
Add visual interest (detail)
Create […]
Size is often used synonymously with scale, but there is a distinct difference between the two.
Size is the physical dimensions of an element in the layout (a 6 inch by 6 inch image). Scale is the size of the element as it relates to its usual physical size (it is impossible to get a full size […]
