Principles of Design Analysis

Hierarchy-

Hirarchy, in terms of design is meant to perform 2 distinct functions, which are to organize content  and guide the viewer through the contents by their importance as shown in the diagram above.

The most important aspect of the art which is the figure is given the most attention by being put at the most front of the painting, while the rest are put in the background.







Visual Balance- Balance comes in two varieties, Symmetrical and Asymmetrical balance:

Symmetrical Balance

The above diagram illustrates an example of Symmetrical Balance:

 "Symmetrical balance is when the weight is equally distributed on both sides of the central axis."

Asymmetrical Balance

The above diagram is an example of Asymmetrical Balance: 


"Asymmetrical balance is when both sides of the central axis are not identical, yet appear to leave the same visual weight."


Symmetrical art is straightforward, and easy to make. However, it can easily make the art look uninteresting and monotonous to look at if overused. Asymmetrical art takes a bit more creativity to do, but it can create many variations in art, and makes art more interesting to look at.


Asymmetrical Balance is used prominently in the painting.There is an obvious different in size between the river in the background, the land and the bridge.



Proximity- Proximity in design is when common items are put together, and different items are put together separately in another group which is similar to them. Proximity ensures that the visuals/design are pleasing to the eyes and easy to look at.


Consider the Following example:

List with poor design

The above list looks cluttered and makes it hard to comprehend. Also, It is difficult to tell sub-headings from the details.

New Design Using principles of Proximity

When comparing the new list above to the older one, it is apparent that proximity makes it look more pleasing to the eye. Sub-headings are now made clear and there are spaces between sub-headings to help the reader differentiate the different categories. Also, Different fonts and word sizes are used to indicate different groups.

Different colors are used to differentiate elements in the painting from one another

Rhythm and Repetition-

Artwork by Andy Warhol on the prevalence of Mass Production on Society

The above artwork by Andy Warhol is an example of repetition used in art. The repetition of visuals makes the picture intriguing to look at, and makes it clear to society ponder about what Mass Production really is about.

When our eyes look at the painting, we can follow it from the first bottle to the last easily. The bottles in line with one another creates rhythm which makes it easy for the viewers to follow.

A bit of rhythm as  the people in the background are moving across the bridge


Scale-

The Face of Lincoln carved upon Mount Rushmore

The scale of an artwork has a significant influence on the impact of the art, and how do people perceive it.

The Face of Lincoln carved upon Mount Rushmore is at least 70ft. in height, and acts as a monument of his achievements in life.

The huge monument gives observers the impression that Lincoln did do great things when he was alive, but if it were just a miniature monument, then it wouldn't stand out just as much to the crowd.


The screaming figure looks small in comparison to his surroundings, which gives the viewer a sense of inferiority and dread.



Unity- Unity is the outcome of a successful artwork.It happens when all the principles of design complements each other perfectly. For Unity to occur in a painting, 3 criteria must be met:

1. Each element of an artwork should not stand out independent of one another.
2. People can comprehend the artwork.
3. Artwork looks complete and wholesome to look at.

Conclusion: Abstract shapes and Colors play a huge role in 'The Scream' by Edward Much. Lines, Shapes, Value, Texture, Proportion, and Movement do not really play a big role.


The painting depicts good usage of  Hierarchy, Visual Balance, and scale to highlight the most important aspect of the painting, and the colors are used as an example of proximity to tell different elements from one another.