The calaveras…
Balance…

The Principles of Design are a set of guidelines artist’s use for two main reasons…
To help them create artwork that is both pleasing to the eye and that communicate what the artist wants.
To help the artist create more variation on a theme, additional ways to change the composition of the design .

• Balance is the principle or concept that keeps your design units evenly distributed throughout the picture plane .
• You do not want all your images crowded into one area and other areas empty looking.

There are three main types of balance...
• Asymmetrical
• Symmetrical
– radial symmetry
– reflective symmetry

There are three main types of balance...
• Reflective
Symmetry
• Symmetrical balance is an image that is exactly the same on each side. It has the same elements.
• Symmetrical balance is visually more rigid and formal.

if you have five on one side you need five on the other side.
Symmetrical balance is exactly the same on each side.

There are three main types of balance...
• Asymmetrical
• Asymmetrical balance is an image that is equally weighted on each side, but with different elements.
• Asymmetrical balance is more active visually.

if you have five on one side you need five on the other side.
Asymmetrical still needs five on each side, but it no longer has to identical.

Asymmetrical design can have different design units as long as they have the same visual weight
(or impact).

• To much “stuff” on the right hand side, creating an uncomfortable feel.
• Could this image become balanced?

vertical reflective and horizontal reflective

Day of the Dead ( Día de los Muertos ) is a holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and around the world in other cultures, traditionally taking place on November 1.
The Day of the Dead celebrations in
Mexico can be traced back to its indigenous cultures, including the Aztecs.
Rituals celebrating the deaths of ancestors had been observed by these civilizations perhaps for as long as
2,500–3,000 years.

The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died .
Mexican Day of the Dead setting, with relatives picnicking and relaxing at the graves of family members.
Candles, makeshift alters and flowers can be seen (Marigolds and
Chrysanthemums).

BONUS QUESTION #1…
PART A - What is the three day holiday/celebration that both Halloween and
Dia de los Muertos are part of?
Name all three days…
PART B – Which day of the celebration is
Halloween and which day is the Day of the
Dead?

Sugar skulls are a common treat during the Day of the Dead celebrations.
Sugar helps represent the temporary quality of life.
They are decorated with designs and applications of materials and some contain the names of deceased relatives or friends.

The skull is a symbol of great significance to Mexican culture dating as far back as the Aztecs.
Spanish conquest and the rise of
Christianity simply mean the skull was moved from one religion to another.

In addition to the candy skulls, paper mache and plaster skulls are also decorated for the celebration…

Floral and other organic design motifs are the most commonly used sorts of subject matter.
EXTRA CREDIT QUESTION #2 Why the Marigold?
What is the significance of the Marigold in Mexican culture?
Bright, vibrant colors are also used to create a sense of celebration.

REALISTIC FLORAL DESIGN…
STYLIZED FLORAL
DESIGN…

The four black skulls in the center row contain designs that come from a part of America instead of Mexico or
Central America…
Where does the winged death head and dancing skeleton come from?

However, other design motifs can be used.
Skulls are decorated with designs that were significant or special to those they are created to commemorate (as well as those who create them).
Therefore, the designs on the skulls can vary greatly, but will all share a similar sense of style.

Symbols of rebirth and metamorphosis…

• Perhaps these will give you some inspiration.

Skull A Day Blog

•Day of the Dead
• http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/
• http://www.dayofthedead.com/
• http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/feature/daydeadindex
.html
•Halloween
• http://www.halloween.com/
• http://www.history.com/minisites/halloween
• http://www.holidays.net/halloween/story.htm

1
– PROPER USE OF THE PRINCIPLE OF DESIGN – BALANCE
1 – 5 SYMMETRICAL
2 – 5 ASYMMETRICAL
5 POINTS EACH
2
– COMPLEXITY OF THE DESIGN ADDS TO THE OVERALL GRADE
3 – CRAFTSMANSHIP
1 – EFFORT
2
– CARE AND QUALITY OF WORK (CARE PUT INTO WORK NOT
ARTISTIC ABILITY)
3 POINTS EACH
4 – GOOD USE OF OTHER PRINCIPLES
1
– POSITIVE/NEGATIVE SPACE
2
– RHYTHM AND PATTERN
2 POINTS EACH