Tuesday, 28 February 2012

Critiquing Tools

Art Vocabulary List
1. Asymmetry - “Asymmetrical design is typically off-center or created with an odd or mismatched number of disparate elements. When the left and right sides of the design are unequal it is said to have asymmetrical balance.”

2. Rhythm - “Rhythm in design is also called repetition. Rhythm allows your designs to develop an internal consistency that makes it easier for your customers to understand. Once the brain recognizes the pattern in the rhythm it can relax and understand the whole design. Repetition rarely occurs on its own and so it embues a sense of order onto the design. And because of this, repetition attracts attention and prompts customers to investigate further.”

3. Motif - “Motif refers to any dominant theme or idea that unifies an artistic or literary work. Thus, it’s also a design where certain patterns or elements are repeated, forming a theme. When motif refers to a repeated decoration or pattern, it is also sometimes called a motive.”

4. Proximity - “In design, proximity or closeness creates a bond between people and between elements on a page. How close together or far apart elements are placed suggests a relationship (or lack of) between otherwise disparate parts. Unity is also achieved by using a third element to connect distant parts.”

5. Hierarchy - “Hierarchy is the order of importance within a social group (such as the regiments of an army) or in a body of text (such as the sections and subsections of a book).”

References: 
1. http://desktoppub.about.com/od/designprinciples/g/asymmetrical.htm
2. http://webdesign.about.com/od/webdesignbasics/p/aarhythm.htm
3. http://vocabulary-vocabulary.com/dictionary/motif.php
4. http://desktoppub.about.com/od/designprinciples/l/aa_pod1.htm
5. http://gdbasics.com/index.php?s=hierarchy 


Adjective List 
Words that can describe the Elements and priciples of Design: 

1. Contour (Line) - “... used to define edges. The create boundaries around or inside an object. Most lines you encounter are contour lines. In web design these could be the borders you add around an object or group of objects.” 

2. Polychrome (Colour) - “relating to, made with, or decorated in several colors.” 

3. Biomorphic (shape and Form) - “A nonrepresentational form or pattern that resembles a living organism in shape or appearance.” 

4. Simulated (Texture) - “Made in resemblance of or as a substitute for another.” 

5. Amorphous (Shape and Form) – “1. lacking a definite shape; formless 
2. of no recognizable character or type.” 

References: 
1. http://www.vanseodesign.com/web-design/visual-grammar-lines/ 
2. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polychrome 
3. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/biomorphism 
4. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/simulated 
5. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/amorphous 


Principles and Elements of Design
 
Principles: 

1. Stability (Balance)– “Balance is the delivery of the visual weight of design elements and is grouped into these three categories: 
Symmetry - where both sides, divided by a line or point, have identical visual weight. The result is often formal, absolute, conventional, ordered, prestigious and powerful. 
A-symmetry - where different objects achieve equal eye attraction or equal visual weight. The result is often informal, different, unceremonious, open, uninhibited and inviting. The’Rule of Thirds’ is effective in establishing A-symmetrical balance (e.g. 1/3rd of an object is low in value and 2/3rds is high in value). 
Radial - where all visual elements are focused around a central point and spread outwards.” 

2. Dynamic – “Dynamics is the arrangement of visual elements in a composition to suggest the illusion of movement or direction. The effective use of dynamics in a design can add an emotive characteristic to your design making it appear restful and calming or active and energetic. 
Dynamics can exist in four basic forms: 
Rhythmic: A steady rhythm that creates predictability and order in a composition. 
Arrhythmic: Follows an unstructured rhythm to add visual interest to a composition. 
Random: Without a structured approach or a defined order that creates spontaneity in a composition. 
Directional: The use of graphic elements used in such as way that implies a visual connection to lead the eyes to move in a particular direction. 
Creating a dynamic composition involves the use of patterns or the repetition of graphic elements and movement to be effective in its execution. The suggestion of motion by the use of repeated structures creates dynamics.” 

3. Rhythm – “Rhythm is a movement in which some elements occur regularly. Like a dance to music, rhythm has a flow of objects to a ‘visual beat’. Rhythm can be created through repetition, radiation and gradation. 
Three ways rhythm can be employed are: 
Static - the repetition of similar or identical elements;
Progressive - repeated elements increasing or decreasing in size;
Continuous - elements in flowing movement (e.g. a wave washing into shore). 

4. Scale – “Scale is the association between the size of an object or image to that of its surroundings. A benchmark, such as the human body, is usually the means to measure this size or weight connection. 
Four scale types in design are: 
Normal or Human - sizes are the most natural or true to human use;
Intimate - sizes are smaller than what is seen as ‘normal’;
Monumental - sizes are larger than what is seen as ‘natural’;
Shock - sizes are so undersized or oversized that they base no relationship to human size.” 

References: 
1. http://www.squidoo.com/designelementsandprinciples 
2. http://www.swinburne.edu.au/design/tutorials/design/design/#seven 
3–4. http://www.squidoo.com/designelementsandprinciples 


Elements: 
1. Line – “Line defines the position and direction of a design, image or form. Types of line include vertical, horizontal, diagonal, contour or a combination of these. They may be curved, straight, thick, thin, smooth, long, short and so forth. Lines are used to create shape, pattern, texture, space, movement and optical illusion in design.” 

2. Colour – “Colour adds impact and visual interest to a design. It encompasses three properties - hue, value and intensity ... Value is the lightness or darkness of a colour. Tints (where white is added to a colour) are very high in value (very light). Shades (where black is added to a colour) are medium to low in value (medium to dark). Intensity refers to the brightness or dullness of a colour (the degree to which grey has been added to a colour).” 

3. Texture – “Texture is the character of a surface and is both tactile and visual. It can be real or implied by the employment of different media. Texture as a tactile feature may present as rough, smooth, soft, hard, glossy etc. As a visual feature, texture is the result from light being absorbed or reflected unevenly by the surface of objects.” 

4. Shape – “Shape is a two-dimensional area enclosed by lines - it is the silhouette representation of form, being flat without depth or thickness. Shape is divided into two categories - organic (freeform/naturalistic) and geometric. Light and shading techniques applied to shape can create an illusion of three dimensional form.” 

5. Form – “Form is a three dimensional object embodying volume and thickness. Length, depth and height measurements present form as a visible mass which can be viewed from many angles.” 

Reference: 
1–5. http://www.squidoo.com/designelementsandprinciples 


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