Jason Kishell
Principles of Design
Taken from the visual quality and composition of crafting art
Balance: The equilibrium of formal elements in a work of art; the perceived evenness or unevenness of a
composition; the even distribution of weight in a composition.
- Actual (physical weight) and Pictorial (visual weight)
Symmetry: The correspondence in size, form, and arrangement of parts on opposite sides of a plane,
line, or point; it can be Horizontal, Vertical, or Radial.
- Asymmetry
- Imbalance
Unity: A coherent total effect that creates a sense of harmony in a work of art.
- Conceptually and physically
Variety: Diversity or difference
- Conceptually and physically
Emphasis: Drawing the viewer's attention to some parts of the composition more than others.
- Focal Point: The specific location, or locations, within a composition that the artist declares important
- Afocal- a work of art that has no single point that demands attention, but rather the work as a whole
acts as the focal point
Scale: The size of an object in relation to things around it.
- Hierarchical scaling
- Distortion
Proportion: The size relationship of parts belonging to one object or figure.
Rhythm: The measured repetition of accented elements that move the eye through a composition