CCA1108 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Visual Hierarchy, Graphic Design, Communication Design
CCA1108
WEEKLY READER: VISUAL DESIGN
PRINCIPLES AND ELEMENTS OF DESGIN:
Graphic design= arranging pictographic & typographic elements to create effective
communication.
design is a fluid process that is guided by the designer’s sense of intuition, reason
and aesthetic judgement.
use principles and elements of design, when combined, work together to create
something useful.
Some principles are dominant and work on their own, however some are grouped
together and used as a supporting role.
PRIMARY/DOMINANT PRINCIPLES: Unity, variety, hierarchy, dominance, proportion,
balance.
SUPPORT PRINCIPLES: Scale, emphasis, rhythm, movement, proximity, repetition.
VISUAL RELATIONSHIPS OF PRINCIPLES: economy, tension, direction, density,
harmony, discord, focal point, theme and motif.
ELEMENTS: shape, space, line, size, colour, contrast, pattern, texture and typography
(typography is an element because it functions in design in the same manner as
shape and line.)
PRIMARY PRINCIPLES:
Elements and principles are interrelated.
UNITY & VARIETY:
create a sense of unity through the organization of the compositional parts. Unity is
an overriding principle that is served by all others. Unity is the control of variety.
This can include different typefaces, graphic elements, photos, illustrations.
Managing variety is the art of balancing visual contrasts, however, too much variety
can over-complicate things and cause confusion.
HIERARCHY AND DOMINANCE:
Hierarchy refers to an arranged order and Dominance is the prevailing influence of
one element over another and Emphasis is the importance of one element over
another. Controlling hierarchy determines the path the viewer’s eye takes as the
viewer first scans and then studies a design composition. Lack of clear, visual
hierarchy is the reason why many designs fail to attract and hold viewers’ attention.
Identifying the most dominant elements in a design, as well as secondary and other
support elements, reveals the meaning in the message, sharpening that skill will
serve your own design.
PROPORTION:
Proportion refers to the size relationships within a composition. The outer
proportions of a design have an important relationship to the internal divisions and
alignments. The outer proportions are usually the first important consideration in a
design plan. The golden ration (1:1:618) = ratios based on a comparison of one set of
sizes or quantities with another= outer dimensions and internal divisions.
BALANCE:
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Document Summary
Some principles are dominant and work on their own, however some are grouped together and used as a supporting role. Primary/dominant principles: unity, variety, hierarchy, dominance, proportion, balance. Support principles: scale, emphasis, rhythm, movement, proximity, repetition. Visual relationships of principles: economy, tension, direction, density, harmony, discord, focal point, theme and motif. Elements: shape, space, line, size, colour, contrast, pattern, texture and typography (typography is an element because it functions in design in the same manner as shape and line. ) Unity & variety: create a sense of unity through the organization of the compositional parts. Unity is an overriding principle that is served by all others. This can include different typefaces, graphic elements, photos, illustrations. Managing variety is the art of balancing visual contrasts, however, too much variety can over-complicate things and cause confusion. Hierarchy refers to an arranged order and dominance is the prevailing influence of one element over another and emphasis is the importance of one element over another.
