T252 Fundamentals of Design
School of Technology for the Arts, Diploma in New Media
Module Outline, by Jagdish Kumar (Module Chair, AY2012/13 S1)
Module Description
In this module, students will explore and understand the Principles of Design (Contrast,
Emphasis, Unity, and Harmony), looking at ways in which artists and designers utilize
these Principles to make their work more effective. Through observational studies and
creative exercises, students will engage in a process of exploration, analysis, discussion,
practice, and critique, which will enable them to analyse the work of others with a
critical eye, to understand how the Principles are used in the design process to make a
work more effective, and to develop a process for effectively applying these Principles
in their own work.
Throughout the module, students will explore a wide variety of creative works, in many
different media. Through observation, discussion, analysis, hands‐on practice, and
critique, they will develop the ability to discern and appreciate the effective application
of Principles of Design in all forms of creative expression. Students will also be
introduced to four basic design elements ‐ Layout, Type, Image, and Colour ‐ and
through observation and hands‐on practice, they will learn to apply the Principles of
Design to make their own work more effective.
Module Objectives
To strengthen the ability of the students to:
1. Understand and effectively apply the basic principles of design
- Explore, understand, and develop a personal process for applying the principle of
Unity (the arrangement of elements within a work to create a feeling of cohesion and
completeness)
- Explore, understand, and develop a personal process for applying the principle of
Color (this refers to hue as well as tonality, and describes the various ways in which
these can be utilized to create contrast and visual interest, in order to reinforce a
work’s intention)
- Explore, understand, and develop a personal process for applying the principle of
Emphasis (the arrangement of elements in a design to facilitate the flow of the viewer’s
attention through the work, using focal points to give direction and organization, and
helping to prevent the viewer from misinterpreting the work’s meaning and intention)
- Explore, understand, and develop a personal process for applying the principle of
Hierarchy (the arrangement of elements in a work such that there is a clear sense of
the relative importance of each, so that the different elements do not compete for
attention and unintentionally confuse the intention of the work)
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2. Understand that design is a form of communication
- Realize that effective design conveys a clear, single, coherent, and unified message,
one in which the creative intention is clear, the various elements have been consciously
chosen and placed in order to reinforce this intention, and the emotional and
intellectual effect on the viewer is both strong and memorable
3. Understand the importance of feedback and critique in developing more effective
design
- Assess the effectiveness of a creative work in terms of the basic principles of design,
and be able to critique another’s work in a constructive and intelligent manner
- Understand the value of feedback/critique as an essential tool for improving the
effectiveness of a work, and develop a regular habit of soliciting the feedback/critique
of others when developing a work
Weekly Summary
Week 1: Principle of EMPHASIS
What is the definition of Emphasis? Why does Emphasis attract our attention? Are
there different levels of Emphasis? How do I identify Emphasis in the world around me?
(Task: To go in search for 20 examples of ‘Emphasis’ in the environment and document
it. Students also need to explain and justify why these are EFFECTIVE examples of this
concept.)
Week 2: Contrast & Emphasis
Where does the contrast exist in the work? In what form does the contrast exist? What
aspects of the work contrast with others? How does the contrast affect the way the
work is viewed?
(Task: Each team is to find for 5 examples of ‘Contrast’ in the environment around
them, document them giving explanation and justification why they are EFFECTIVE
examples of this concept.)
Week 3: Unity & Emphasis
Using the various identifiers of unity, the students will explore design work in their
everyday lives. The reverse engineering method of learning enables them to learn via
the default method.
(Task: Students to collect as many objects, photo images, graphics or symbols around
you and create a composition using a concept of Unity)
Week 4: Harmony & Emphasis
What is Harmony in a visual arts? How can we enhance our creative productions by
paying attention to not only separate entities of visual objectives but how they can
work as a single body?
(Task: To search for 5 examples of effective ‘Emphasis’ using ‘Harmony’ in the
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environment around and document it. This would allow one to address the
fundamentals of design in a 3D environment)
Week 5: Principles of Design in Action - Emphasis & Contrast
What is the definition of emphasis? What is the definition of contrast? How does
emphasis and contrast work together? Which one should I prioritize Emphasis or
Contrast?
(Task: To create a poster for a show called “Dinosaur and Me” using the concept of
Emphasis & Contrast. Students can only use graphic images or symbols for their work
and no text is allowed)
Week 6: Principles of Design in Action - Contrast & Harmony
What is Harmony in a visual arts? How does ‘Contrast’ and ‘Harmony’ work together?
What are the key aspects of principles of design that we can apply towards our
understanding of creative visual expressions?
(Task: To design a graphic for a T-shirt that expresses their unique personality.
Students learn how an effectively used element is one that contributes to the
expression of the overall work, supporting and enhancing it, but not distracting from it.
Week 7: Principles of Design in Action - Emphasis, Unity and Contrast
How do we communicate creatively with text? What are the principles of typography?
How do we apply the use of text in design principles?
(Task: To design a layout for a single unified page that uses the given text and images,
and shows effective use of the principles of ‘Emphasis’ ‘Contrast’ & ‘Unity’)
Week 8: Shape & Form
Introduction to Type: its function, how to use it, the basics of Kerning, Leading,
Hyphenation, Justification and Tracking - how it is used in conjunction with The Four
Principles
(Task: To create a piece of design that expresses a preselected concept, using text only.
This problem builds upon the repertoire of design fundamentals that work towards
illustrating the four principles)
Week 9 : Type Personality & Letterform
Becoming aware that ‘Type’ has a personality and be able to see and use ‘Type’ as a
design element beyond its ability to communicate and how that affects your decision
and choices in using it effectively. How it is used in conjunction with The Four
Principles?
(Task: Using the three supplied text blocks, experiment with different ways of arranging
the letterforms such that the underlying meaning is emphasized. Typography examines
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the written idea that is given a visual form. It also deals with the design of text and its
visual impact)
Week 10 : Image as a Design Element
What makes your chosen image relevant to the design? What makes your chosen
typeface relevant to the design? What personality does the typeface project? How do
the image and type work together in harmony?
(Task: To design a name card for yourself, one that expresses your unique creative and
artistic point-of-view)
Week 11 : Design in the world around you
Design principles in application (positive or negative) exist everywhere, How to observe
and analyse visual data obtained from these life examples? How to create a digital
design scrapbook which demonstrates EFFECTIVE & INEFFECTIVE use of the ‘Principles
of Design’
(Task: In this field Trip - students “collect” examples of things that demonstrate that
they understand, can observe, and can comment upon The Four Principles in action)
Week 12 : Colour in Design
what is the relationship between the colour and the mood of the work? What is
language behind communicating with colours? How appropriate is the colour palette
used in your design in terms of the desired theme? How are the principles of design
utilized when using colour?
(Task: To use colour to give an images a strong sense of the chosen theme/feeling.
Using colour in a way that will reinforce/support the designer’s intention and build
upon The Four Principles, to unify, emphasize, create contrast)
Week 13 : PROJECT I
Which concepts and methods were you applying in your design? How effective are
they? How far does your work conform to the 4 Principles? If you are unaware of the
principles of good design, your own vision will be hampered from effective expression.
(Task: Using everything students have learned up to this point in T252, each student is
to develop a visual identity for a client making good use of the four Principles)
Week 14 : PROJECT II
What are possible visual representations of the chosen company's attributes? How
would you use these visuals as design elements? How to apply the 4 Principles of
Design to the use of these elements? What impact do they have on the way you have
used these elements?
(Task: This is the second cumulative practice of all the 4 principles being put to use in
the development of a visual work based on their own brief. This lesson deals with the
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brainstorming, sketching, research and formulation of the mock pitch to create
additional identity pieces based upon the same design aesthetic)
Week 15 : PROJECT III
Review your design from last week. After one week, what do you like most about it?
What is the weakest aspect of it? Which concepts and methods were you applying in
your design? How effective were they? How does your work make use of the Principles
of Design?
(Task: This is the third of a 3-part assignment. This deals with execution and
completion of the final artwork. Students will complete, execute, and present the
finished and final versions of the complete set of materials, keeping in mind that all of
these must be strongly related in look and feel, and express/reinforce your unique
design aesthetic)
Reading List and Resources
Published Resources
Amy E. Arntson
Graphic design basics
Boston, MA Wadsworth
: Cengage Learning
2012
NC1000 ARN
Gavin Ambrose, Paul Harris
The fundamentals of
creative design
Switzerland : Ava Pub
2011
NC997 AMB
Curtis Tappendon, Luke
Jefford & Stella Farris
Graphic Design Foundation Course
London : Cassell
Illustrated
2004
ISBN: 1844032205
(pbk.)
Poppy Evans, Mark Thomas
Exploring the
elements of design
Australia ; Clifton Park,
N.Y. : Thomson Delmar
Learning
2008
NC997 EVA
Amy E. Arntson
Graphic design basics
Boston, MA Wadsworth
: Cengage Learning
2012
NC1000 ARN
Online Resources
Create Contrast by Creating Obvious Differences
By Jacci Howard Bear, About.com Guide
http://desktoppub.about.com/od/contrast/ss/contrast.htm
The Principle of Unity
http://www.bluemoonwebdesign.com/art-lessons-9.asp
Steven Bradley Vanseodesign
http://www.vanseodesign.com/web-design/design-unity/
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Unity in Design
http://www.tacomacc.edu/home/mberg/unit2/u2_lecture2_2.htm
“Harmony”
From Artapprentice.online.com
http://www.artapprenticeonline.com/artstudies/learnctr/artisticprin/edlearnctraphar.html
Contrast, Emphasis & Asymmetry
http://www.nickspencerdesign.com/design_web/contrast_emphasis_web/contrast_emphasis.
html
Unity through Art T-shirt
http://t-shirtguru.com/2008/11/03/unity-through-art-t-shirt-designbyhumans/
Street Art Graffiti Style
http://www.redbubble.com/streetart
Unity in Design: Creating Harmony between Design Elements
Steven Bradley Vanseodesign
http://www.vanseodesign.com/web-design/design-unity/
Basic Layout design
http://www.computerschool.net/design/layout.html
Design a Creative Unusual Design
http://www.grafpedia.com/tutorials/design-creative-unusual-layout
Your Personality, Summarized In A Typeface
http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/cliff-kuang/design-innovation/your-personalitysummarized-typeface
“Colour Theory”
http://www.colormatters.com/colortheory.html
The importance of Colour in Design
http://briodaily.com.au/2010/12/the-importance-of-colour-in-design/
Color Schemes
http://www.colorschemer.com/schemes/
“Are Black and White Colours?”
http://www.colormatters.com/vis_bk_white.htm
Color Meanings: Symbolism of Color and Colors That Go Together
By Jacci Howard Bear, About.com Guide
http://desktoppub.about.com/cs/color/a/symbolism.htm
Graphic Design School Blog
“Idea Generation Techniques: Mind Mapping for Graphic Design”
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Damien Horan
http://www.thegraphicdesignschool.com/blog/graphic-design/idea-generation-techniquesmind-mapping-for-graphic-design/
Six Revisions
“70 Excellent Logo Design Tutorials and Resources”
Jacob Gube
http://sixrevisions.com/graphics-design/70-excellent-logo-design-tutorials-and-resources/
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MODULE COVERAGE
Allocated number of hours (approx.)
One Day-One Problem PBL pedagogy
T252 Fundamentals of Design
Discussions in
study cluster
Resource
gathering
and team
work
Practical
work
a) Basic Principles of Visual Art
(Contrast, Emphasis, Unity, and
Harmony)
6
6
2
b) Basic Principles of Design
(Composition, Layout, Type, Contrast)
6
6
2
c) Human Response to Design
3
2
-
d) Design Communication
3
2
-
a) Observation & Critique
8
8
4
b) Design Process
8
8
4
c) Design Development/Creation
3
6
4
36
38
16
Module Coverage
(in Lab or
Outside of
Class)
Fundamentals:
Application:
Total Hours:
(15 Problems @ 6 hours each = 90 hours total)
Annex B: Module Outline (2011)
T252 Module
Outline.docx
RP School of Technology for the Arts, T252 FUNDAMENTALS OF DESIGN Module Outline, AY 2011-12 S2
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