Design Elements & Principals in Art

I was so happy when I saw that one of the classes included in this workshop was about Design. Dylan that class is right on and so important! I think it's the most important thing about what we are doing. If the composition doesn't work, it doesn't matter how great our colors are, or what fancy techniques we've used. I've chosen items from Pinterest and my own art files to illustrate my explanation of the Design Elements and Principles. I'm a left and right brain person, so I love things organized but within that space, MY STYLE is to express a sense of abundance, complexity, and joy. Of course, not all designs carry that load but somewhere in my collections each of these need to be represented. For the assignment, you asked us to chose 3 Elements or Principles to explore. If I had to choose only 3, it would be Color, Texture, and Line. I'll dig into each of farther down the page.

Workshop Project - My Vocabulary of Design - image 1 - student project

Workshop Project - My Vocabulary of Design - image 2 - student project

Workshop Project - My Vocabulary of Design - image 3 - student project

COLOR - TEXTURE- LINE In-depth study

COLOR

Like so many artists I enjoy working with color, as it is what our eyes see first, so it's very important to have it mean something and be related to the design. Color can evoke emotion, it can be either energetic, beautiful, jarring, or calming just to name a few. I'm very drawn to multi-colored, combinations and I almost always include some neutrals in the collection, gray, white or putty so the viewer's eye has a place to rest. My color palette almost always includes some shade or tone of blue, mostly a turquoise shade.

Workshop Project - My Vocabulary of Design - image 4 - student project

I get a thrill out of making, and then looking at my watercolor swatches!

Workshop Project - My Vocabulary of Design - image 5 - student project

This a photo of the rug in my living room. Like I said, I love multi-colored! To my eye, the multi colors combined evoke, joy, happiness! , and if I could I'd work with these colors all the time.

Workshop Project - My Vocabulary of Design - image 6 - student project

1 - Project Prompt: Find a combination of colors that buzz........

I came up with this palette for this exercise and I love it! I'm going to use it for my next collection, titled Small Town Chic.

Workshop Project - My Vocabulary of Design - image 7 - student project

TEXTURE

While working on the Design Elements I made a page full of textures, I love them. Then I thought, I think I'll paint them with my new watercolors... Big mistake! The black pen I used was NOT waterproof!! It's OK because I enjoyed the process, and I have the photo before paint!

Texture plays an important part in compositions because it creates the "feel" or sets the stage for the viewer's eye to stop and go while looking around the rest of the design, and then for a resting spot. which is why I always include some neutrals in the collection, gray or sandy colors.

I LOVE when LINES create TEXTURE!!

LINE

2 - Project Prompt: Draw 25 Lines

Workshop Project - My Vocabulary of Design - image 8 - student project

Before I read the project prompts I explored texture created by lines. Then I thought oh, I'll use my new friend "watercolor paints" and really zing them up. Well, exactly the opposite happened, as the black pen I used to create them was NOT waterproof.

Workshop Project - My Vocabulary of Design - image 9 - student project

While I was exploring lines and texture I ran across this sketch from a while back, revived it and really like it in these bright happy colors.

Workshop Project - My Vocabulary of Design - image 11 - student project

Workshop Project - My Vocabulary of Design - image 12 - student project

So this is a good start...... I'm jazzed and juices are flowing!

3 - Project Prompt: Create a Texture Dance ........

As an experiment, this was fun. I'm not sure how I might use it in my collection, maybe use parts of it. I was thinking about an arial view of the Bunny Hop, "put your right foot in, and shake it all about", going around my yard..... It's not horrible.

Workshop Project - My Vocabulary of Design - image 13 - student project

4 - Project Prompt: Draw a familiar object, break it down, reassemble in a new way ........

As you can see, I chose an eggplant, made a repeating pattern. I REALLY don't like this pattern so when I'm done with it here, it will be re-worked. Also, I lost the original file and no longer have the vectors needed ..... so that's a sign!

Workshop Project - My Vocabulary of Design - image 14 - student project

Workshop Project - My Vocabulary of Design - image 15 - student project

The white lines DO NOT show up in the pattern.......... I know there is a way to remove these... but can't recall what it is. I made this as a replacement for the one on top. Curated which pieces of the EggPlant I would use for my pattern.

Workshop Project - My Vocabulary of Design - image 16 - student project

5 - Project Prompt: Create a garden of shapes ........I created the one on the left quickly earlier in the week, and after looking at it, I didn't like it, it was too rigid and not quirky enough for me. So I reworked it, here on the right. I did watercolor swatches, and added some of "your" spatter punk! I like it better now.... still not sure it works.

Workshop Project - My Vocabulary of Design - image 17 - student project

Exercises along the way

I don't think of myself as a watercolor painter.. but I can see where it will really help me round out my collections.

Workshop Project - My Vocabulary of Design - image 19 - student project

I made a half drop repeating pattern, and I changed the colors with color picker.
Workshop Project - My Vocabulary of Design - image 20 - student project

Peggy's class was awesome too, and I'd done a couple of her classes prior to realizing she was also involved with this workshop.

Workshop Project - My Vocabulary of Design - image 22 - student project

Workshop Project - My Vocabulary of Design - image 23 - student project

I'm very happy with the amount of work I was able to accomplish with this workshop. Dylan asked if I had any big discoveries while working on these assignments, and I guess this workshop just confirmed my commitment and enjoyment of this medium.

Thanks for any feedback you feel would help me move along.

Donalee Kennedy

Artist, Designer, Quilt maker

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