This document outlines principles of design including color, leading lines, shape/form, symmetrical balance, texture, asymmetrical balance, contrast, dominance, gradient, negative space, pattern, proportion, repetition, unity, rule of thirds, and visual center. Each principle is defined and an example image is described to illustrate how that principle is demonstrated.

1. PRINCIPALS OF DESIGN
GILLIAN SMITH

2. COLOR
• Uses the color
wheel/theory
• Creates emphasis
and aid in
organization
• The leaves on top
are effectively
contrasted with the
lower leaves. The
water magnifies the
color a bit.

3. LEADING LINES
• Vertical,
horizontal, or
angled lines
directing focus
to a subject
• The street curbs
are leading the
eye to the
bridge.

4. SHAPE/FORM
• A geometric or
organic form
• Self contained
• The eye is drawn to
the water droplet in
this image, and the
ants act similar to
leading lines

5. SYMMETRICAL BALANCE
• Weight of composition
balanced on an axis
• Vertical or horizontal axis
• The Eiffel tower is the
same on both sides of this
vertical axis. The horizon is
one the bottom third

6. TEXTURE
• Visual texture makes
the image appear
touchable
• The surface quality of
a shape
• This image is a macro
image of fabric, it
looks touchable. Also
uses color effectively

7. ASYMMETRICAL BALANCE
• Different size
shapes or subjects
distributed on an
axis, horizontal or
vertical
• The mountains are
asymmetrically
balanced, and the
horizon is 2/3rds of
the image

8. CONTRAST
• Two elements in
an image are
opposite, like the
color, background
imagery, fonts,
etc.
• Black and white
are contrasted in
this photo, using a
visual center
aswell

9. DOMINANCE
• Creates a focal
point
• Without a
dominant subject
the eye wanders
too much
• This photo has the
cat being
dominant, as well
as being 1/3 of
the picture

10. GRADIENT
• Used to show
depth and
distance
• Can make
subjects appear
solid with form
• The sunset in this
image is a
gradient. The
horizon is one
third of the image

11. NEGATIVE SPACE
• Reveals true
subject of an
image
• Can be used to
highlight certain
areas of an image
• The power lines
are negative
space here. Color
is also used

12. PATTERN
• Random repetition
on a surface or
material
• This photo repeats
the same pattern
with the windows. It
also demonstrates
repetition

13. PROPORTION
• Comparison of
dimension of forms
• Can create
different kinds od
symmetry
• This picture has 2
differently sized
horses. It also
demonstrates rule
of thirds.

14. REPETITION
• Similar to pattern,
the same shape
repeated multiple
times in an image
• This photo shows
repetition by
repeating the
subject. This also
demonstrates
proportion and rule
of thirds (horizon)

15. UNITY
• Subjects in an
image are
connected in
some way
• The men in this
photo
demonstrate unity
being connected
in the same
object. It also
shows repetition.

16. RULE OF THIRDS
• Subject of image is on
one third of the image
• Background may cover
a third of image
• In this photo, the tree is
on the right third. The
background also goes
about 2/3s up. It also
uses color effectively

17. VISUAL CENTER
• Subject is in the center
of the image, focus
goes there
• In the image, the vase
is in the dead center
and the eye is drawn
to it. It also uses color
to attract the eye to
the vase.