Elements and Principles of Design

    Learning about the elements and principles of design are important for anyone who wants to pursue a career as an artist. The elements of design are rules or guidelines the artist must follow. It consists of visual direction, lines, shapes, textures, colors, size and scale of an art piece. For example, the colors of a design will determine the ambience of the environment. The principles of design are used for the elements of design because the elements must be molded to create a drawing, painting, graphic design, etc. The principles are rules the artist must obey if he or she wants to project a full work of art. They are proximity, balance, alignment, repetition, contrast and space. Each of these principles have their own definition. For instance, proximity refers to the focal point of the artwork. With out guidelines or rule, the art piece will not have a clear direction or purpose: this is why it is important that the graphic designer follow the elements and principles of design. I will use the elements and principles of design to improve my artwork. I can and will improve on all these aspects, but at this moment, I want to focus on proximity. When I draw, I do not have a focal point. I am everywhere.