Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Revisiting elements and principles of design
The literature reveals a plethora of information about visual elements and compositional
principles discussed in relation to applied design and art practice. An assessment of this
information reveals strong patterns of similarity in relation to elements and principles of
design, and those that occur within art practice. This commentary focuses on selected, key
elements and principles drawn from a number of theorists, and discusses these in relation to
design in general and the graphic design of film posters in particular.
A key designer of the 20
th
century, Charles Eames suggested that Composition in relation
to design represents “a plan for arranging elements in such a way as to best accomplish a
particular purpose.”
28
A key early champion of design elements and principles was Arthur
Wesley Dow, who suggested that design represented the “putting together” of various design
elements.
6
Dow considered three elements to be highly significant and “intimately related”: line,
Notan
(Japanese, light-dark, contrast) and colour.
6
Dow also championed six key principles that
provided a framework for manipulating the elements of design:
1. 'Opposition' in terms of two major lines or alignments meet in opposing direc-
tion;
2. 'Transition' where the addition of a third line softens the effect of opposition;
3. 'Subordination' where the individual parts within a design should visually relate
to “a single dominating element which determines the character of the whole”
like a tree trunk with its branches and leaves wherein unity is achieved through
the relation of principal whole and subordinate individual parts.
6
In this context, 'subordination' helps to create variations in terms of dominance and hier-
archy of elements within a design. In the following Figure, drawn from Dow's
Compos-
ition
, an image has been cropped in different ways to vary dominance and subordination
of specific elements.
