Piper Wolfe

Concepts of visual design are themes that can be used to make a piece of work stronger. Certain concepts can provide emphasis, or help communicate a message. There are many concepts to choose from, and one can even utilize more than one concept at once. Design concepts ensure that the message of a piece is understood correctly by the audience. 

 

1. Visual Balance

When a viewer glances at a piece, the brain automatically looks for balance, and notices any asymmetry. This unequal distribution of an element causes emphasis on a certain area. Another aspect of balance could look like radial symmetry. This is simply symmetry around a central axis. 

 

 

 

 

 

Image via Wikimedia Commons

2. Rhythm

Another innate instinct is to recognize patterns. Pieces can emulate repetition via a continuous design, or copying an aspect of the work more than once. The three types of rhythm are regular, flowing, and progressive. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image via the Noun Project

3. Proportion

The interpretation of size is an important aspect of creating visual pieces. While some art is abstract, largely the aim is to make elements make the most sense possible. However, proportion can also be used to draw attention to certain elements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image via Flickr

​4. Dominance

By placing emphasis on one element in a piece, the message can be portrayed more clearly or even shift. In fact, emphasis is one of the best methods to create dominance. Another way to create dominance is by designing contrast. Contrast utilizes at least two elements with large differences in order to create a focal point. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image via the Noun Project

​5. Color

One concept that is often overlooked is color, or the hues and shades used to create a piece. Color is integral to the message conveyed by a piece because of color’s ability to invoke emotions in people. For example, many fast food restaurants include red and yellow because they have shown that they invoke or encourage hunger.