8/3/2019 The Seven Elements of Design
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-seven-elements-of-design 1/5
The Seven Elements of Design
The elements and principles of design are the building blocks and fundamental ideas about the practice of
good visual design used to create a work or art; any kind of design, be it architecture, interior designs, or
a painting. These elements are the basis of all intentional visual design strategies.
The elements of design are the things that make up sketches, a painting, drawing, design, blueprint, etc..All designs contain most of if not all, the seven elements of design. Because how you apply the principles
of design greatly determines how successful you are in creating a good design, this is the first lesson you
should learn before you start designing your own house.
So What are Those Seven Elements?
The Line Design Elements
Line can be considered in two ways. First, the Actual line, or the linear marks made with moving point i.e
a pen or brush. Second, Contour line where the edges of shapes and forms also create lines as an edge
is created when two shapes meet. This is an outline that defines the shape of an object as well as the
internal lines that define the form of an object. Line is the very basic component of a shape drawn on
paper. Lines and curves are the basic building blocks of two dimensional shapes like a house's plan.
The Shape Element
Shape is a self contained or an area enclosed by lines or curves ( geometric or organic). A positive shape
in a design automatically creates a negative shape. Shapes in house designs such as home decor and
interior design can be used to add interest, style, theme to a design like a door. For example, shape in
interior design depends on the function of the object like a kitchen cabinet door.
The Direction Element
All lines have direction and they are either horizontal, vertical or oblique. Horizontal suggests calmness,
stability and tranquility. Vertical gives a feeling of balance, formality and alertness. Oblique suggests
movement and action. The element of direction can have a powerful influence on the mood of a design.Making a conscience decision about the dominant direction when designing your home, can have a
noticeable effect on the atmosphere of the work. When designing a house, it is possible to impose either
a horizontal, vertical or oblique dominant direction. The examples below show the effect of different
treatments. For example, a horizontal emphasis tends to make your house look sleek and clean and
creates a fairly static or calm atmosphere, while a diagonal dominance reinforces the chaotic nature of
your house, and emphasizing a vertical direction maintains the random chaos, but gives a solid formal
feeling to your design.
8/3/2019 The Seven Elements of Design
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-seven-elements-of-design 2/5
House With Horizontal Lines: A
house with horizontal lines makes it look sleek and clean and creates a calm atmosphere
A house with diagonal direction: A house with diagonal
direction reinforces the chaotic nature of the house
Vertical Direction House: Vertical Direction House makes a
house look solid and formal.
The Size Element
8/3/2019 The Seven Elements of Design
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-seven-elements-of-design 3/5
Size is the relationship of the area occupied by one object such as a room to that of another (does not
have to be another room, or a relationship between tow similar things).
The Texture Elements
There are two types of physical texture.
Physical Texture: physical in a sense that it's tactile (tangible) that you can feel with your hand. It is the
kind of texture which you can detect with your five senses. The build up of paint, slipperiness of soft
pastel, layering of collage - all the things that change the nature of the papers surface.
Visual Texture: it is the illusion of physical texture, created with the materials you use. . Paint can be
manipulated to give the impression of texture, while the paper surface remains smooth and flat. For
example, texture like garden sheets on a wall gives a three dimensional look to the wall.
Texture is the feeling and visual feel of the fabrics, colors, and room accessories. It's the surface quality
of a shape - rough, smooth, soft hard glossy etc. Also, texture is the roughness of the surface of a
material. For example, surfaces with same or similar textures like fireplace marble tiles and drywall
usually look more visually appealing. The quality of finishes of surfaces in home design is important. For
instance, a smooth mirror reflective finish on a marble bathroom countertop enhances its looks.
In order to design the perfect home and to fully explore your options when designing a home, you must
understand the difference between physical and visual texture to help you take full advantage of this
element. In addition to the unlimited options and creative design ideas that you can generate just by
understanding this principle, this understanding if this basic principle, can even save you money, I'll fully
explain that in other areas.
Visual Texture: Visual Texture: This contemporary building
design uses tow different size blades to add visual texture.
The Color Element
As you know, there are three primary colors ( Red, Yellow and Blue ) and color is considered as, and
indeed is, the most expressive element of design. Color can be used to create illusion of depth.
Understanding color theory is important i the business of architecture and designing houses for manyreasons. For instance, when you design your house, you can use the colour red to make things seem to
come forward while you could use the colour blue to make things seems to recede into the distance.
You will understand these important yet simple facts when you start designing your own home; only then
you will appreciate the powerful effectiveness of these principles. Color can also be used ,and especially
contrasting colour, to draw the attention to a particular part of your house or certain areas inside your
house. For example, colour can be added to increase visual appeal inside your house such as the natural
colours of wood added to mimic the lines of cross beams overhead of a cabinet adding a relaxed touch.
8/3/2019 The Seven Elements of Design
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-seven-elements-of-design 4/5
However, most importantly, we will talk a lot about colors at the finals stage of designing the house.
Choosing the color is absolutely important when choosing materials for your interior and exterior finishes.
Even the most experienced architects find choosing the right color that goes with the right kind of
materials really hard. In fact, materials and, in turn, color are what truly distinguish a talented architect,
and you too; it will show your taste and knowledge about colors. Colors are not just
names..red..white.etc..colors are associated with moods and every color is good for a specific thing.
Thus, we will discuss this in detail at that stage.
The Value Element
Value, which is also called Tone or shading. is the lightness or darkness of a colour and helps with Form.
As you might have guessed, it gives objects depth and perception.
The Type Elements
Type is the use of letterform or letter shape: the shape of a letter of the alphabet to add a message that
would be otherwise challenging to create through the other elements. I'll show you many examples of how
this apply to home designing.
Elements of Art
Design elements are the basic units of a visual image. These elements include:
The 3 F's
Form follows function is known as the 3 f's of Design. Form refers to what something looks like,
and function refers to how it works.
Space
Space is the area provided for a particular purpose. It may have two dimensions (length and
width), such as a floor, or it may have three dimensions (length, width, and height). Space
includes the background, foreground and middle ground. Space refers to the distances or areas
around, between or within components of a piece. There are two types of space: positive and
negative space. Positive space refers to the space of a shape representing the subject matter.
Negative space refers to the space around and between the subject matter.
Line
Line is the basic element that refers to the continuous movement of a point along a surface, such
as by a pencil or brush. The edges of shapes and forms also create lines. It is the basic
component of a shape drawn on paper. Lines and curves are the basic building blocks of two
dimensional shapes like a house's plan. Every line has length, thickness, and direction. There arecurved, horizontal, vertical, diagonal, zigzag, wavy, parallel, dash, and dotted lines.
Color
Color is seen either by the way light reflects off a surface, or in colored light sources. Color and
particularly contrasting color is also used to draw the attention to a particular part of the image.
There are primary colors, secondary colors, and tertiary colors. Complementary colors are colors
8/3/2019 The Seven Elements of Design
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-seven-elements-of-design 5/5
that are opposite to each other on the color wheel. Complementary colors are used to
create contrast. Analogous colors are colors that are found side by side on the color wheel.
These can be used to create color harmony. Monochromatic colors are tints and shades of one
color. Warm colors are a group of colors that consist of reds, yellows, and oranges. Cool colors
are group of colors that consist of purples, greens, and blues.
Shape
A shape is defined as an area that stands out from the space next to or around it due to a defined
or implied boundary, or because of differences of value, color, or texture.[1] Shapes can also show
perspective by overlapping. They can be geometric or organic. Shapes in house decor and
interior design can be used to add interest, style, theme to a design like a door. Shape in interior
design depends on the function of the object like a kitchen cabinet door. Natural shapes forming
patterns on wood or stone may help increase visual appeal in interior design. In a landscape,
natural shapes, such as trees contrast with geometric such as houses.
Texture
Texture is perceived surface quality. In art, there are two types of texture: tactile and implied.
Tactile texture (real texture) is the way the surface of an object actually feels. Examples of this
include sandpaper, cotton balls, tree bark, puppy fur, etc. Implied texture is the way the surface of
an object looks like it feels. The texture may look rough, fizzy, gritty, but cannot actually be felt.
This type of texture is used by artists when drawing or painting.
Form
Form is any three dimensional object. Form can be measured, from top to bottom (height), side to
side (width), and from back to front (depth). Form is also defined by light and dark. There are two
types of form, geometric (man-made) and natural (organic form). Form may be created by the
combining of two or more shapes. It may be enhanced by tone, texture and color. It can be
illustrated or constructed.
Value
Value is an element of art that refers to the relationship between light and dark on a surface or
object and also helps with Form. It gives objects depth and perception. Value is also referred to
as tone.