Elements and Principles of Composition/Design
Elements: The basic tools used to create imagery
• Line
• Shape
• Value
• Texture
• Color
• Scale
Principles of Organization: How to organize the elements within a chosen space.
o Emphasis/Focal Point: There are ways to create visual weight in an image,
thus drawing one’s attention to one area or another, depending on the
amount of emphasis
Organic vs. Geometric,
Abstracted or Representational
o Unity/Harmony: Congruity of agreement of elements
Value
Shape
Texture and Pattern
Position
and strength of focal points
o Figure Ground relationships (using positive and negative space equally
important)
o Open/Closed Composition
Elements: The basic tools used to create imagery
• Line
• Shape
• Value
• Texture
• Color
• Scale
Principles of Organization: How to organize the elements within a chosen space.
o Emphasis/Focal Point: There are ways to create visual weight in an image,
thus drawing one’s attention to one area or another, depending on the
amount of emphasis
- By Contrast of Visual Elements:
Organic vs. Geometric,
Abstracted or Representational
- By Placement
- By Isolation
- Degree of Emphasis
- Absence of Focal Point
o Unity/Harmony: Congruity of agreement of elements
- Repetition of elements (shape, color, etc)
- Proximity (Grouping)
- Continuation
- Linkage (Through overarching structure such as grids)
- With variety
- Symmetrical (Same or similar elements on either side of an axis
- Asymmetrical (Dissimilar elements on either side of an axis
Value
Shape
Texture and Pattern
Position
- Crystallographic (overall equal visual weight)
- Radial (equal weight both vertically and horizontally
and strength of focal points
o Figure Ground relationships (using positive and negative space equally
important)
o Open/Closed Composition