Assignment 01
Design Principles (Plane & Shape)

This assignment will introduce you to the basic elements of design. Understanding these visual concepts will help you develop a vocabulary and allow you discuss your work and the work of your peers. You will create 8 compositions this week. Your compositions must be 5×5" squares. They can be designed on the computer. The final versions must be mounted on ³⁄₁₆" white foam core. Don’t be literal. Don’t make pictures.
Your compositions will be graded as pass/fail. If the composition does not successfully illustrate the design principle in question you will be required to re–work your idea and present your latest version on the ‘Revisions’ week. Please print out the corresponding grading sheet and hand this in with your compositions.

Deliverables
8 compositions, 5×5"
mounted on ³⁄₁₆" foamcore
— 4 Plane
— 4 Shape

Recommended Materials
³⁄₁₆" (three sixteenth inch) thick foamcore, white
Double tack (double-sided sticky adheasive sheet)
X–acto knife or cutting tool with #11 blades
Cork–backed ruler
Self healing cutting mat
Bone Folder


Plane
A line is defined by two points, a plane has at least three points and two dimensions. Explained based on Illustrator, a line is created with the pen tool, where it has a beginning and end with two points. A plane is created by closing the path. In our exercises planes are simply illustrated with squares or rectangles.
Using only planes you must create separate compositions that illustrate the following design principles. Only use squares or rectangles, do not distort (skew) them. All planes must be 100% black, no stroke.
— Scale
— Texture
— Space
— Foreground/Background relationship


Shape
The simplest definition of shape is a closed contour, an element defined by its perimeter. The three basic shapes are: circle, rectangle (square) and triangle. Form is the shape and structure of a dimensional element within a given composition. Form can be both two-dimensional and three-dimensional and can be realistic, abstract or somewhere in between. The terms form and shape are often used synonymously, which is why they are both included here. In reality, form is derived from the combination of point, line and shape.
Using only squares, circles or equilateral triangles you must create separate compositions that illustrate the following design principles. All shapes must be 100% black, no stroke.
— Variety
— Contrast
— Tension
— Balance





Background
The principles of design represent the basic assumptions of the world that guide the design practice, and deal with the arrangements of objects in any given composition. The elements of design are the basic components used as part of any composition. They are the objects to be arranged, the constituent parts used to create the composition itself. In most situations the elements of design build upon one another, the former element helping to create the latter. Source

Further reading
Elements of Form
Armin Hofmann, Graphic Design Manual
Principles of Composition
Programming Design Systems by Rune Madsen

This has been adapted from an assignments given by Jim Downer at Monroe Community College and Julien Bittner at Yale University. Thank you.