Houston Graphic Designer

A shape in the design world is basically a geometric or organic form, when created will also display both positive and negative aspects in the work.

For example if I draw a box and place a circle inside the box - I have 3 shapes. I have the box, the circle and the shape in the middle or the negative shape.

Those shapes also create Leading Lines!  See where this is going? Interesting how multiple elements of design work together. The lines that the shapes make keeps our eyes on the canvas, and draws our attention around and back again. Does not move us off of the page or the subject.

We can use lines and shape together - and those 2 elements are found in many types of design. Artists utilize them everywhere.

In this example,  The road sceen, we also see shape used. The shape of the road as one, the shape of the sides, the mountains multiple shapes in this image.

Line is a very important element. Without it we cannot see where the beginning and the end are, how the piece flows, how large, small, textured, grouped it is.

Line helps walk our eyes across the page and creates the shape on the image. It helps maintain balance, and pulls the whole image together.

 When we speak of line we are not talking about just a line on a page or canvas but also what we might call the “leading line”.

Take a look at the image below.

This image is a perfect representation of lines that “lead” our eyes to the subject of the image. Lines can lead us to the subject - through the image and off again, out of the image. What we would not want would be lines that lead us off and away from the subject - keep us away from the ”matter” of the image.  This image has muliple lines, the road, the trees, around the mountains all leading our eyes to the center of the photo. We don’t want leading lines to take us away from the subject or avoid it all together - we want it to lead us to or though it.

A line can also represent a path between two points, curvy, straight, thick, thin, going in any direction, up down and around.  It helps us see where the artist wants us to go. This is also true with web design as well as art - any visual design should have line as part of the elements of design that make up the page.

In designing a peice of art there are 7 Basic Elements.

LINE
Line can be considered in two ways. The linear marks made with a pen or brush or the edge created when two shapes meet.

SHAPE
A shape is a self contained defined area of geometric or organic form. A positive shape in a painting automatically creates a negative shape.

DIRECTION
All lines have direction - Horizontal, Vertical or Oblique. Horizontal suggests calmness, stability and tranquillity. Vertical gives a feeling of balance, formality and alertness. Oblique suggests movement and action

SIZE
Size is simply the relationship of the area occupied by one shape to that of another.

TEXTURE
Texture is the surface quality of a shape - rough, smooth, soft hard glossy etc. Texture can be physical (tactile) or visual.

COLOUR
Also called Hue

VALUE
Value is the lightness or darkness of a colour. Value is also called Tone.

Artists use some or most of these elements when designing a work, and if NONE of them are used - it is not considered a sound design.  Simply using them is not always key - using them properly is best.  We should examin each one individually so we can understand their importance.

When we look at a work of art - it should flow well visually - move our eyes across it properly. It should also entice us to feel, touch, remember, acknowledge what we see as something meaningful in some way to us, whether we like or dislike it makes no difference.

Take a look at each element in this blog to gain a better understanding of the elements.