Principles of Design: Repetition + Pattern @HHSLT

Definition of Pattern:

Something that repeats in a predictable way is a pattern. You might find a pattern in a series of numbers, in the material covering your couch, or in the habits of your upstairs neighbor.

As a Principle of Design, both Pattern and Repetition responsible for making designs feel intentional rather than random - by taking a visual element and using it more than once within a design or across a system of designs. The repeated element can be anything: a specific color, a typeface, a shape, a texture, a spatial interval, an image treatment, or even a conceptual motif. The key requirement is consistency. When an element repeats, it signals to the viewer that a relationship exists between the parts where it appears - not by making everything identical, but by establishing threads of visual continuity that hold a composition together. It also includes the structural decisions that make a multi-page story or sequence of images feel like a single, unified piece rather than a collection of unrelated pages. Pattern connects us to different kinds of shared histories, embedding parts of our design into larger narratives like recognizable cultural motifs, time periods or shared experiences and are a specific expression of Repetition.

What does Repetition/Pattern LOOK like?

Repetition and Pattern in practice: 

Student versions:

Some paper explorations I've done exploring Pattern and Repetition with students:

Today's task:

You have until the end of class to create a cut paper collage exploring 

Repetition + Pattern

I MUST be able to see the focus is this particular Principle of Design.

Principles of Design: Emphasis @HHSLT (Dani)

Definition of Emphasis:

+ special importance or significance

+ an object, idea, etc, that is given special importance or significance

+ stress made to fall on a particular syllable, word, or phrase in speaking

+ force or intensity of expression

As a Principle of Design, Emphasis is used to draw attention to a particular part of a composition (creating a focal point) so viewers look there first. You create emphasis by making a specific element differ from its surroundings: often through contrast in color, space around it, or through movement that leads the eye toward it - like shining a spotlight so we know who the main character is, where the treasure is hiding, exactly where the point of impact is etc.

What does Emphasis LOOK like?

Emphasis in practice:

Student versions of Emphasis with cut paper:

Other work with paper (me + a student):

Today's task:

You have until the end of class to create a cut paper collage exploring 

Emphasis

I MUST be able to see the focus is this particular Principle of Design.

Principles of Design: Contrast @HHSLT (Dani)

Definition of contrast:
a striking difference; to distinguish or be distinguished by comparison of unlike or opposite qualities

*In you ELA classes you are often asked to compare and contrast various texts - remember, to compare means to examine similarities between items, while to contrast means to examine their differences.

The design principle Contrast refers to the use of visually different elements. In addition to capturing attention, contrast can guide the viewer’s eye to a focal point, highlight important information and add variety, or even drama, to a design.

What does Contrast LOOK like?

It can look like:

1. Lightness vs Darkness

2. Colors that are strikingly different next to each other

3. Size and Shape differences

4. Texture differences - like rough vs smooth

Examples in practice:

Examples from previous students:

Today's task:

You have until the end of class to create a cut paper collage exploring 

Contrast

I MUST be able to see the focus is this particular Principle of Design.

Principles of Design: Balance @HHSLT

Definition of the word Balance:

+ a state of equilibrium or equipoise; equal distribution of weight, amount, etc.
+ something used to produce equilibrium; counterpoise.
+ mental steadiness or emotional stability; habit of calm behavior, judgment, etc.

As a Principle of Design: Balance is the principle governing how we distribute the elements of a design evenly. Balanced designs tend to appear calm, stable, trustworthy.

What does Balance LOOK like?

It can look like:

1. A mirror

2. Equal but opposite

3. Circling around a center point

How that shows up in practice:

Student versions using cut paper:

Process from other projects I've done with students using just paper:

Today's task:

You have until the end of class to create a cut paper collage exploring 

Balance

I MUST be able to see the focus is this particular Principle of Design.