Design elements

Design elements are the fundamental building blocks used in visual arts and design disciplines to create compelling and effective compositions. These basic components—such as line, shape, form, space, color, value, texture, pattern, and movement—serve as the visual “vocabulary” from which artists and designers construct work. Each element plays a distinct role: lines guide the viewer’s eye, shapes and forms define structure, color evokes emotion, value and texture add depth, space establishes balance, and patterns or movement introduce rhythm (). Together, these elements interact according to broader design principles—like balance, contrast, and unity—to form coherent, aesthetically pleasing, and purposeful visual messages. Understanding and skillfully applying design elements is essential for creating effective art, graphics, architecture, and other visual media.

## Color

[edit]

Color is the result of light reflecting back from an object to our eyes.[1] The color that our eyes perceive is determined by the pigment of the object itself.[1] Color theory and the color wheel are often referred to when studying color combinations in visual design.[2] Color is often deemed to be an important element of design as it is a universal language which presents the countless possibilities of visual communication.[3] Color serves various purposes to contribute to the overall effectiveness of the design. It is used as an element to convey meaning and emotion, create visual hierarchy, enhance brand identity, improve readability and accessibility, create visual interest and appeal, differentiate information and elements, and make cultural and contextual significance.

Hue, saturation, and brightness are the three characteristics that describe color.[4]

* Hue can simply be referred to as "color" as in red, yellow, or green.[5]

### Color theory in visual design

[edit]

Color theory studies color mixing and color combinations. It is one of the first things that marked a progressive design approach.[3] In visual design, designers refer to color theory as a body of practical guidance to achieving certain visual impacts with specific color combinations.[citation needed] Theoretical color knowledge is implemented in designs in order to achieve a successful color design.[6]

* Color harmony

Color harmony, often referred to as a "measure of aesthetics",[6] studies which color combinations are harmonious and pleasing to the eye, and which color combinations are not.[4] Color harmony is a main concern for designers given that colors always exist in the presence of other colors in form or space.[6]

When a designer harmonizes colors, the relationships among a set of colors are enhanced to increase the way they complement one another. Colors are harmonized to achieve a balanced, unified, and aesthetically pleasing effect for the viewer.[4]

Color harmony is achieved in a variety of ways, some of which consist of combining a set of colors that share the same hue, or a set of colors that share the same values for two of the three color characteristics (hue, saturation, brightness).[4] Color harmony can also be achieved by simply combining colors that are considered compatible with one another[4] as represented in the color wheel.

* Color contrasts

Color contrasts are studied with a pair of colors, as opposed to color harmony, which studies a set of colors. In color contrasting, two colors with perceivable differences in aspects, such as luminance or saturation, are placed side by side to create contrast.[citation needed]

Johannes Itten presented seven kinds of color contrasts: contrast of light and dark, contrast of hue, contrast of temperature, contrast of saturation, simultaneous contrast, contrast of sizes, and contrast of complementary.[4] These seven kinds of color contrasts have inspired past works involving color schemes in design.[4]

* Color schemes

Color schemes are defined as the set of colors chosen for a design. They are often made up of two or more colors that look appealing beside one another, and that create an aesthetic feeling when used together. Color schemes depend on color harmony as they point to which colors look pleasing beside one another.[6]

A satisfactory design product is often accompanied by a successful color scheme. Over time, color design tools with the function of generating color schemes were developed to facilitate color harmonizing for designers.[7]

### Use of color in visual design

[edit]

* Color is used to create harmony, balance, and visual comfort in a design[6]
* Color is used to evoke the desired mood and emotion in the viewer[1]
* Color is used to create a theme in the design[4]
* Color holds meaning and can be symbolic. In certain cultures, different colors can have different meanings.[1]
* Color is used to put emphasis on desired elements and create visual hierarchy in a piece of art[8]
* Color can create identity for a certain brand or design product[8]
* Color allows viewers to have different interpretations of visual designs. The same color can evoke different emotions, or have various meanings to different individuals and cultures[1]
* Color strategies are used for organization and consistency in a design product[5]
* In the architectural design of a retail environment, colors affect decision-making, making which motivates consumers to buy particular products[8]
* Color strengthens narrative and storytelling in visual design.
* Color can represent characters, themes, and symbolism.
* Color is a tool that designers use to strategically add layers of meaning and subtext to their designs.
* Colors can create recurring visual motifs in a design, strengthening ideas and fostering coherence.
* Color is an effective tool for communication because it allows for complex interpretation and expression.

Similarly, stars in a constellation connected via imaginary lines are a natural example of using lines in a composition

## Line

[edit]

More specifically, Line is defined as a series of points, or the connection between two points, or the path of a moving point.[9] The importance of line comes from its versatility as its characteristics is significantly expressive.[10] Lines may also appear as linear shapes that take on a line-link quality, or as suggested line perceived from eyes as they follow a sequence related shapes. Line may be used either in two-dimensional forms with enclosing a space as an outline and creating shape, or in three-dimensional forms. On top of that, there are different types of lines aside from the ones previously mentioned. For example, you could have a line that is horizontal and zigzagged or a line that is vertical and zigzagged. Different lines create different moods, it all depends on what mood you are using line to create and convey.

## Point

[edit]

A point is basically the beginning of “something” in “nothing”. It forces the mind to think upon its position and gives something to build upon in both imagination and space. Some abstract points in a group can provoke human imagination to link it with familiar shapes or forms.

## Shape

[edit]

Main article: Shape and form (visual arts)

Shapes are recognizable objects and forms[1] and are usually composed of other elements of design.[11]

For example, a square that is drawn on a piece of paper is considered a shape. It is created with a series of lines which serve as a boundary that shapes the square and separates it from the space around it that is not part of the square.[1]

### Types of shapes

[edit]

Organic shapes are irregular shapes[1] that are often complex and resemble shapes that are found in nature.[11] Organic shapes can be drawn by hand, which is why they are sometimes subjective and only exist in the imagination of the artist.[1]

Curvilinear shapes are composed of curved lines and smooth edges. They give off a more natural feeling to the shape. In contrast, rectilinear shapes are composed of sharp edges and right angles, and give off a sense of order in the composition. They look more human-made, structured, and artificial. Artists can choose to create a composition that revolves mainly around one of these styles of shape, or they can choose to combine both.[1]

## Texture

[edit]

Main article: Texture (visual arts)

This is only a two dimensional image of a tree, but appears to have the texture of three dimensional bark.

Texture refers to the physical and visual qualities of a surface.[citation needed]

### Definition of texture

[edit]

Texture is the variation of data at a scale smaller than the scale of the main object.[12] Taking a person wearing a Hawaiian shirt as an example, as long as we consider the person as the main object looking at, the patterns of their shirt are considered as texture. However, if we try to identify the pattern of the shirt, each flower or bird of the pattern is a non-textured object, as no smaller detail inside of it can be recognized. Texture in our environment helps us to better understand the nature of things, as a smooth paved road signals safe passage and thick fog creates a veil on our view.[9]

### Texture in design

[edit]

Texture in design includes the literal physical surface employed in a printed piece as well as the optical appearance of the surface. Physical texture affects how the piece feels in hand and also how it conveys the design, as a glossy surface for example reflects the light differently than a soft or pebbly one. Many of the textures manipulated by graphic designers, however, cannot be physically experienced as it is utilized in the visual representation aspect of the design. Texture adds detail to an image in a way that conveys the overall quality of a surface.[9] Graphic designers use texture to establish a mood, reinforce a point of view, or convey a sense of physical presence whether setting a type or drawing a tree.[9]

### Uses of texture in design

[edit]

* Texture can also be used to add complex detail into the composition of a design.[1]
* In theatrical design, the surface qualities of a costume sculpt the look and feel of a character, which influences the way the audience reacts to the character.[1]

Types of texture

Tactile texture, also known as "actual texture", refers to the physical three-dimensional texture of an object. Tactile texture can be perceived by the sense of touch. A person can feel the tactile texture of a sculpture by running their hand over its surface and feelings its ridges and dents.[1]

* Texture can be created through collage. This is when artists assemble three dimensional objects and apply them onto a two-dimensional surface, like a piece of paper or canvas, to create one final composition.[1]
* Papier collé is another collaging technique in which artists glue paper to a surface to create different textures on its surface.[1]
* Assemblage is a technique that consists of assembling various three-dimensional objects into a sculpture, which can also reveal textures to the viewer.[1]

Visual texture, also referred to as "implied texture", is not detectable by our sense of touch, but by our sense of sight.[citation needed] Visual texture is the illusion of a real texture on a two-dimensional surface.[1] Any texture perceived in an image or photograph is a visual texture. A photograph of rough tree bark is considered a visual texture. It creates the impression of a real texture on a two-dimensional surface which would remain smooth to the touch no matter how rough the represented texture is.[11]

In painting, different paints are used to achieve different types of textures. Paints such as oil, acrylic, and encaustic are thicker and more opaque and are used to create three-dimensional impressions on the surface. Other paints, such as watercolor, tend to be used for visual textures, because they are thinner and have transparency, and do not leave much tactile texture on the surface.[1]

### Pattern

[edit]

Many textures appear to repeat the same motif.[1] When a motif is repeated over and over again in a surface, it results in a pattern.[11] Patterns are frequently used in fashion design or textile design, where motifs are repeated to create decorative patterns on fabric or other textile materials.[citation needed] Patterns are also used in architectural design, where decorative structural elements such as windows, columns, or pediments, are incorporated into building design.[citation needed]

## See also

[edit]

* Composition (visual arts)
* Interior design
* Landscape design
* Pattern language
* Elements of art
* Color theory

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s E., Malloy, Kaoime (2014-09-26). The art of theatrical design : elements of visual composition, methods, and practice. New York. ISBN 9781138021501. OCLC 882620042.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
2. ^ "basic color theory". color matters. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
3. ^ a b Jasper, Adam (2014-05-04). "Colour Theory". Architectural Theory Review. 19 (2): 119–123\. doi:10.1080/13264826.2014.991017. ISSN 1326-4826. S2CID 218640469.
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Visual Color Design, 16th International Conference Information on Visualisation (IV 2012) : Montpellier, France, 11-13 July 2012 (PDF). IEEE Computer Society. Los Alamitos, Calif.: IEEE Computer Society. 2012. ISBN 9781467322607. OCLC 823906734.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: others (link)
5. ^ a b White, Alex (2011). The Elements of Graphic Design. New York, NY: Allworth Press. pp. 81–105\. ISBN 978-1-58115-762-8.
6. ^ a b c d e "The Architectural Colour Design Process: An Evaluation of Sequential Media via Semantic Ratings". ResearchGate. Retrieved 2018-11-12.
7. ^ Luo, Ming Ronnier (2006-06-01). "Applying colour science in colour design". Optics & Laser Technology. 38 (4–6): 392–398\. Bibcode:2006OptLT..38..392L. doi:10.1016/j.optlastec.2005.06.025. ISSN 0030-3992.4–6&rft.pages=392-398&rft.date=2006-06-01&rft.issn=0030-3992&rft_id=info:doi/10.1016/j.optlastec.2005.06.025&rft_id=info:bibcode/2006OptLT..38..392L&rft.aulast=Luo&rft.aufirst=Ming+Ronnier&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Design+elements" class="Z3988">
8. ^ a b c Tantanatewin, Warakul; Inkarojrit, Vorapat (2016-06-01). "Effects of color and lighting on retail impression and identity". Journal of Environmental Psychology. 46: 197–205\. doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2016.04.015. ISSN 0272-4944.
9. ^ a b c d Lupton, Ellen; Phillips, Jennifer Cole (2008-03-20). Graphic Design: The New Basics. Princeton Architectural Press. ISBN 978-1-56898-702-6.
10. ^ Wolf, R. Craig; Block, Dick (2014). Scene design and stage lighting. Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. ISBN 978-1-111-34443-6.
11. ^ a b c d Saw, James. "Design Notes". Palomar College. Retrieved 3 April 2012.
12. ^ Petrou, Maria M. P.; Kamata, Sei-ichiro (2021-01-15). Image Processing: Dealing with Texture. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-1-119-61859-1.

## References

[edit]

* Kilmer, R., & Kilmer, W. O. (1992). Designing Interiors. Orland, FL: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc. ISBN 978-0-03-032233-4.
* Nielson, K. J., & Taylor, D. A. (2002). Interiors: An Introduction. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. ISBN 978-0-07-296520-9
* Pile, J.F. (1995; fourth edition, 2007). Interior Design. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. ISBN 978-0-13-232103-7
* Sully, Anthony (2012). Interior Design: Theory and Process. London: Bloomsbury. ISBN 978-1-4081-5202-7.

## External links

[edit]

Design elements at Wikipedia's sister projects

* Definitions from Wiktionary
* Media from Commons
* News from Wikinews
* Quotations from Wikiquote
* Texts from Wikisource
* Textbooks from Wikibooks
* Resources from Wikiversity

* Art, Design, and Visual Thinking. An online, interactive textbook by Charlotte Jirousek at Cornell University.
* The 6 Principles of Design

* v
* t
* e

Design elements

Elements of 2D|

* Line
* Shape
* Texture
* Value
* Color
* Space
* Movement

Elements of 3D|

* Line
* Form
* Texture
* Light
* Color
* Space

* v
* t
* e

Design

* Outline
* Designer

Disciplines

| Communication
design|

* Advertising
* Book design
* Brand design
* Exhibit design
* Film title design
* Graphic design
* Motion
* Postage stamp design
* Print design
* Illustration
* Information design
* Instructional design
* News design
* Photography
* Retail design
* Signage / Traffic sign design
* Typography / Type design
* Video design
* Visual merchandising

|

Environmental
design|

* Architecture
* Architectural lighting design
* Building design
* Passive solar
* Ecological design
* Environmental impact design
* Garden design
* Computer-aided
* Healthy community design
* Hotel design
* Interior architecture
* Interior design
* EID
* Keyline design
* Landscape architecture
* Sustainable
* Landscape design
* Spatial design
* Urban design

Industrial
design|

* Automotive design
* Automotive suspension design
* CMF design
* Corrugated box design
* Electric guitar design
* Furniture design
* Sustainable
* Hardware interface design
* Motorcycle design
* Packaging and labeling
* Photographic lens design
* Product design
* Production design
* Sensory design
* Service design

Interaction
design|

* Experience design
* EED
* Game design
* Level design
* Video game design
* Hardware interface design
* Icon design
* Immersive design
* Information design
* Interactive design
* Sonic interaction design
* User experience design
* User interface design
* Web design

Other
applied arts|

* Public art design
* Ceramic / glass design
* Fashion design
* Costume design
* Jewellery design
* Floral design
* Game art design
* Property design
* Scenic design
* Sound design
* Stage/set lighting design
* Textile design

Other
design
& engineering|

* Algorithm design
* Behavioural design
* Boiler design
* Database design
* Drug design
* Electrical system design
* Experimental design
* Filter design
* Geometric design
* Work design
* Integrated circuit design
* Circuit design
* Physical design
* Power network design
* Mechanism design
* Nuclear weapon design
* Nucleic acid design
* Organization design
* Process design
* Processor design
* Protein design
* Research design
* Social design
* Software design
* Spacecraft design
* Strategic design
* Systems design
* Test design

Approaches

* Active
* Activity-centered
* Adaptive web
* Affective
* Brainstorming
* By committee
* By contract
* C-K theory
* Closure
* Configuration
* Contextual
* Continuous
* Cradle-to-cradle
* Creative problem-solving
* Creativity techniques
* Critical
* Design fiction
* Defensive
* Design–bid–build
* Design–build
* architect-led
* Diffuse
* Domain-driven
* Ecological design
* Energy neutral
* Engineering design process
* Probabilistic design
* Ergonomic
* Error-tolerant
* Evidence-based
* Fault-tolerant
* Feminist
* For assembly
* For behaviour change
* For manufacturability
* For Six Sigma
* For testing
* For the environment
* For X
* Framework-oriented
* Functional
* Generative
* Geodesign
* HCD
* High-level
* Hostile
* Inclusive
* Integrated
* Integrated topside
* Intelligence-based
* Iterative
* KISS principle
* Low-level
* Metadesign
* Mind mapping
* Modular
* New Wave
* Object-oriented
* Open
* Over
* Parametric
* Participatory
* Platform-based
* Policy-based
* Prevention through
* Process-centered
* Public interest
* Opinion poll
* Public opinion
* Rational
* Regenerative
* Reliability engineering
* Research-based
* Responsibility-driven
* RWD
* Safe-life
* Speculative
* Sustainable
* Systemic
* SOD
* Tableless web
* Theory of constraints
* Top-down and bottom-up
* Transformation
* Transgenerational
* TRIZ
* Universal
* Design for All
* Usage-centered
* Use-centered
* User-centered
* Empathic
* User innovation
* Value-driven
* Value sensitive
* Privacy by
* Quality by
* Secure by

* Design choice
* computing
* controls
* culture
* flow
* justice
* leadership
* management
* marker
* methods
* pattern
* research
* science
* sprint
* strategy
* theory
* thinking

* Tools
* Intellectual property
* Organizations
* Awards

| Tools|

* AAD
* Architectural model
* Blueprint
* Comprehensive layout
* CAD
* CAID
* Virtual home design software
* CAutoD
* Design quality indicator
* Electronic design automation
* Flowchart
* Mockup
* Design specification
* Design system
* Prototype
* Sketch
* Storyboard
* Technical drawing
* HTML editor
* Website wireframe

|

Intellectual
property|

* Clean-room design
* Community design
* Design around
* Design infringement
* Design patent
* Fashion design copyright
* Geschmacksmuster
* Industrial design rights
* European Union

Organizations|

* American Institute of Graphic Arts
* Chartered Society of Designers
* Design and Industries Association
* Design Council
* International Forum Design
* Design Research Society

Awards|

* European Design Award
* German Design Award
* Good Design Award (Museum of Modern Art)
* Good Design Award (Chicago Athenaeum)
* Graphex
* IF Product Design Award
* James Dyson Award
* Prince Philip Designers Prize

Related topics

* Agile
* Concept art
* Conceptual design
* Creative industries
* Cultural icon
* .design
* Dominant design
* Enterprise architecture
* Form factor
* Futures studies
* Indie design
* Innovation management
* Intelligent design
* Lean startup
* New product development
* OODA loop
* Philosophy of design
* Process simulation
* Reference design
* Slow design
* STEAM fields
* Unintelligent design
* Visualization
* Wicked problem

* Design attributes
* brief
* change
* classic
* competition
* architectural
* student
* director
* education
* elements
* engineer
* firm
* history
* knowledge
* language
* life
* load
* museum
* optimization
* paradigm
* principles
* rationale
* review
* specification
* studies
* studio
* technology

* v
* t
* e

Visual arts and the art world

Artwork|

* Appropriation
* Collage
* Conceptual art
* Cultural artifact
* Drawing
* Fine art
* Fine-art photograph
* Found object
* Installation art
* Kinetic art
* Mixed media
* bricolage
* Mural
* fresco
* graffiti
* New media art
* history
* digital
* virtual
* Painting
* Performance art
* Plastic arts
* Portrait
* Printmaking
* Public art
* street art
* Sculpture
* carving
* relief
* statue
* tallest
* Site-specific art
* Social sculpture
* Soft sculpture
* Stained glass
* Artwork title

Roles|

* Artist
* Collector
* Conservator-restorer
* paintings
* frescos
* Critic
* Curator
* Dealer
* Model
* Patron
* Visual arts education
* Europe

Places
and events|

* Art auction
* Art colony
* Art commune
* Art exhibition
* alternative exhibition space
* Art gallery
* Contemporary art gallery
* Art museum
* Single-artist museum
* Art school
* Europe
* Arts centre
* Arts festival
* Artist collective
* Artist cooperative
* Artist-in-residence program
* Artist-run initiative
* Artist-run space
* Biennale
* Commission
* Sculpture garden
* Sculpture trail
* Virtual museum

History of art|

* Timeline of art
* Art history (academic study)
* Art manifesto
* Art movements
* Criticism
* feminist
* History of painting
* outline
* Periods in Western art history
* Timeline of 20th century printmaking in America

Related|

* Art market
* The arts
* Catalogue raisonné
* Classificatory disputes
* Museum collection management
* deaccessioning
* Conservation-restoration
* paintings
* Cultural policy
* Depiction
* Destination painting
* Eclecticism in art
* Economics of art
* art finance
* art valuation
* Elements of art
* Forgery
* Index of painting-related articles
* Outline of the visual arts
* painting
* sculpture
* Provenance
* Sociology of art
* Style
* Unfinished work

Lists|

* Art magazines
* Art media
* Art techniques
* Art movements
* Art museums
* largest
* most visited
* sculpture parks
* single artist
* Art reference books
* Colossal sculptures in situ
* Contemporary artists
* Contemporary art galleries
* Modern artists
* National galleries
* Painters
* by name
* by nationality
* Photographers
* Sculptors
* female
* Stolen paintings
* Most expensive paintings, sculptures, works by living artists

* Painting portal
* Visual arts portal
* Arts portal

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template