3 February 2025- 17 February 2025 (Week 1-3)
Chika Clarissa Widjaja / 0378636
Design Principles GCD60804 / Bachelors Of Design (Creative Media) / Taylor's
University
Task 1: Exploration
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. MIB
2. LECTURES
3. TASK
4. FEEDBACK
MIB
This is the Module Booklet Information for this module:
LECTURES
These are the Design Principles that are taught in this module:
1. Gesalt Theory
Gestalt theory explains how our eyes instinctively perceive visual elements as
a unified whole rather than as individual parts. This theory is broken down
into various principles which are:
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Similarity: Elements that share the same shape tend to be perceived as
part of a group.
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Continuation: Lines and curves in a design create a visual path that the
eyes naturally follow.
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Closure: The brain fills in missing details in a design, completing a
shape.
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Proximity: Visual elements that are placed near each other are seen as
connected and serving a common purpose, while unrelated elements should
be spaced apart.
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Figure/Ground: Elements in a design are interpreted as either the main
subject or the background, but not both at the same time.
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Symmetry/Order: Symmetrical elements are seen as connected or part of a unified whole.
2. Hierarchy
Hierarchy helps shows which elements are most important by guiding the viewers attention. This can be done by bigger elements, color and contrast (bold attracts more attention), typography, spacing, position, etc.
Hierarchy can be seen in this screenshot in Fig1.1 I took from Uniqlo's app. It demonstrates hierarchy through the boldness of the text, where the boldest and largest text (the product price) is the most noticeable to the viewer. Next is the product name, which is slightly less bold, and finally, the least prominent text is the measurement, making it the least noticeable.
Fig 1.1 Uniqlo App
Image source: Uniqlo App
3. Golden Ratio
The Golden Ratio helps create balanced, natural looking compositions. In design, it is used to make artworks look natural and harmonious like arranging texts using the Golden Spiral as shown in the image below.
The most important part of an image is placed or near the smallest part of the spiral. The spiral guides the viewer's eye from one part of the design to the other in a smooth, natural way like the example in Figure 1.2. The spiral also helps spread elements out in a way that feels organized and visually pleasing, without looking too crowded or empty.
4. Rule Of Thirds
The Rule of Thirds helps create balanced and visually appealing compositions. It divides an image into a 3x3 grid, with two horizontal and two vertical lines. Placing important elements along these lines or at their intersections like the image below, makes the design look more natural and engaging rather than centered or symmetrical, which can feel a bit stiff. This technique is often used in photography, graphic design, and art to guide the viewer’s eye and create a sense of harmony.
Fig 1.3 Rule of Thirds example
5. Alignment
Alignment means arranging text, images or elements in a neat and organized way. It helps make a design look clean, professional, and easy to read.
Common types used in alignment are left, right, center, and justified alignment. A good alignment creates a sense of neatness and balance.
TASK
6. Closure (Gesalt Theory)
The brain fills in missing details in a design, completing a shape.
Fig 2.1 shows closure because the main figure appears incomplete,
yet our brain is naturally filling in the missing parts. The woman is
shown hugging an invisible person, but the negative space suggests the
shape of another figure. This is because our brain automatically completes
the missing information.
Fig 2.1 The Lobster Movie Poster
7. Emphasis
Emphasis is making one part or element stand out so it's the first thing
people notice. This can be done using bright colors, bigger sizes, bold
fonts, or placing something in the center.
In this painting Fig 2.2 'The Swing' by Jean-Honoré Fragonar, The woman has a different color palette than the
background, is placed in the center, and the biggest element. It is clear
that the painter wants to make an emphasis on the woman. Not to mention
the swing's ropes and the direction of the man's gaze below guides
the viewer's eye to her.
Fig 2.2 The Swing by Jean-Honoré Fragonar
8. Contrast
Contrast helps make designs more interesting by making elements different from
each other so they stand out. This can be done by colors (light vs dark),
sizes (big vs small), shapes, or textures.
This poster shown in Fig 2.3 has contrast because the image is mostly black, white, and
gray, but the woman's red dress stands out dramatically, drawing the viewer's
attention right to her. The contrast in mood adds to the storytelling because
the woman is alone on the balcony, while inside the building people are
together in the window.
Fig 2.3 'Loneliness is Dangerous' (1955) by Ed Vebell
9. Balance
Balance can be symmetrical (equal on both sides), or asymmetrical (different
but still feels even). Balance arrange elements so that the artwork looks even
and not too heavy on one side.
The image in Fig 2.4 shows an example of a symmetrical balance design, where
it is equal on both sides and is satisfying to look at.
Fig 2.4 Symmetrical Design
10. Repetition
This theory means using the same elements like colors, shapes, patterns,
multiple times to create consistency and unity. It helps a design to feel
organized and create a sense of rhythm or movement.
Fig 2.5 below shows a good example of repetition because it is a promotional
poster for Nescafé that uses repetition of the letter 'Z' to represent sleep,
which then transitions into an 'N,' leading to the company's name,
"Nescafé."
Fig 2.5 Nescafe repetition poster
11. Movement
Movement in design can make it feel as if the elements are moving, even though
they are completely still. This effect can be created using lines, curves,
repeated shapes or action poses like the image in Fig 2.6.
It shows an action pose of a woman moving or dancing, with curvy, repeated
lines on top to make the artwork appear as if it is in motion.
Fig 2.6 Movement in Artwork
12. Harmony & Unity
This artwork in Fig 2.7 shows harmony and unity because of its repeating bird pattern and consistent color palette. The use of different colors, like green, blue, pink, and black, creates variety, but the shading and similar shapes make everything feel connected. The way the birds fit perfectly together, like a puzzle, makes the composition look complete and organized. The repetition of features like the eyes, beaks, and feathers also helps tie the whole piece together. The combination of repetition, color choices, and a balanced layout makes the artwork feel visually unified and harmonious.
13. Symbol
Symbols help create an effective and clear visuals that are simple, clear, and
memorable so they can effectively communicate a message at a glance.
For example, the symbol in Fig 2.8 is simple yet easy to understand, clearly
conveying the message that it is warning people about a falling rock zone on a
highway.
Fig 2.8 Falling Rock Zone Highway Symbol
14. Word and Image
Word and Image is when a text and picture support and enhance each other to
explain the message clearly. When they work well together, they make the
overall message powerful.
This can be seen in Figure 2.9, which is a promotional poster for food. The
text says "Snacks & Bites", and the image shows different kinds of food
that fit that description. Together, the words and visuals work to get the
message across, making it clear that the poster is advertising small, easy to
eat foods. The combination makes the message more easier to understand.
Fig 2.9 Snack and bites promotional poster
Selected Design
Below is the design I had chosen for this task.
Akira Poster
Artist: Petter Schölander
Year: 2017
Medium: Digital Print (Adobe Illustrator)
Size: 8.27 x 11.69 inches
The reason why I chose the Akira poster is because of how simple yet powerful it looks. The bold red and black colors create a strong contrast that immediately grabs attention and gives off a dark, intense feeling, which matches the movie's theme. The huge typography at the top makes the title stand out, and the way the red path extends downward leads the viewer's eye straight to the character in the middle. This makes the design feel dynamic, even though there aren't many details. One of the coolest parts I think is the shadow at the bottom, which adds mystery and makes it look like the character is transforming or hiding something. It's also really interesting how the design is so simple, yet it still tells a story and creates emotion. The use of emphasis, contrast, and leading lines makes this a really well designed poster that stands out while still being easy to understand.
FEEBDACK
Week 2 (10/02/25)
- Put Figure below the images
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Week 3 (17/02/25)
-For the golden ratio, change the golden ratio picture example to an actual picture that has golden ratio, not the spiral itself, like the rule of third example.
-When explaining the examples, mention the Figure number (ex. In Fig 2.4 ...)
- For the harmony and unity it's more like repition even though it does have harmony and unity but repitition is more dominant here
- Good example of word and image example (snack and bites). It also has Hiearchy
- For the chosen artwork's explanation, you need to explain why you chose this artwork instead of mentioning the design principles in the poster.
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