Design

Fundamentals

Amrita Panda
What is Design?
“All that we do, almost all the time, is design, for design is basic to all human activity.”

“Design is the conscious & intuitive effort to impose meaningful order.”

“The ultimate job of design is to transform man’s environment and tools and, by extension, man
himself.”

Not a lot of difference between the caveman who made a stone-tool and a contemporary
industrial designer.
- Victor Papanek
Design for the Real World- Human Ecology and Social Change
What is Design?

Design is a discipline of study and practice focused on the interaction between a

person — a ‘user’— and the man-made environment, taking into account
aesthetic, functional, contextual, cultural and societal considerations. As a
formalised discipline, design is a modern construct.

- International Council of Design

Design as profession

“Designers, too long the servants of producers, better serve humanity as the
ambassadors of the end-users” (Montréal Design Declaration)

The establishment in the twentieth century of national designer associations,

and later international associations, represented the first steps on the pathway
to professionalism.

- International Council of Design

Design as profession
“A whole range of occupations are called the ‘design disciplines’ — these
include designers across the spectrum of specialisations as well as architects,
urban planners, landscape architects and others. For all of these disciplines,
the act of designing is at the core of their practice.”

- International Council of Design

Why Design?

• To solve problems.
• To make human life more comfortable.
• To make processes faster and smoother.
• To add aesthetic to everyday things.
• To democratize access to useful “things”- mass production.
• The concept of “design” emerged in the daily life of people in the 16th century
in Italy, later spreading to other European countries. At that time it had a
different meaning: the word combination disegno intero meant an original
idea or the first sketches of a future work of art created by the artist.

• At the end of the 19th century, the Arts and Crafts movement emerged in
England, the main inspirers of which were William Morris, John Ruskin. They
were ardent opponents of faceless production and called for the aesthetic
and artistic value of products to be taken into account in their design.
 Leonardo da Vinci
• Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) was an
Italian polymath, regarded as the epitome of the
"Renaissance Man", displaying skills in numerous
diverse areas of study. Da Vinci had envisioned many
ideas long before the technology to build them existed.
• He was renowned in civil engineering, chemistry,
geology, geometry,
hydrodynamics, mathematics, mechanical
engineering, optics, physics, pyrotechnics,
and zoology.
• Town plan of Imola created in 1502 in order to win
the patronage of Cesare Borgia (An Italian Cardinal).
Borgia was so impressed that he hired him as a military
engineer and architect. Leonardo also produced a map
of Chiana Valley in Tuscany, which he surveyed, without
the benefit of modern equipment, by pacing the Leonardo's accurate map of Imola
distances. for Cesare Borgia.
• He drew "anatomy" of machines and devices
with unparalleled mastery, producing the first
form of the modern technical drawing,
including a perfected "exploded view"
technique, to represent internal components.
• He understood the principles
governing momentum, centripetal
force, friction and the aerofoil and applied
these to his inventions. His scientific studies
remained unpublished with, for example, his
manuscripts describing the processes
governing friction predating the introduction
of Amontons' laws of friction by 150 years. A machine for
grinding convex
lenses
Henry Dreyfuss
Henry Dreyfuss (1904-1972) was an American
industrial designer. He is known for designing the
Western Electric Model 500 telephone, the Westclox
Big Ben alarm clock, and the Honeywell T87 Round
Thermostat.
• “if the point of contact between the product and people
becomes a point of friction, then the designer has failed. if, on
the other hand, people are made safer, more comfortable, more
desirous of purchase, more efficient – or just plain happier -by
contact with the product, then the designer has succeeded.”

- Henry Dreyfuss
Disciplines of design
Visual communication designers (including
graphic designers)

They apply themselves to the visual

environment, using their knowledge of
semiotics, typography, layout, hierarchy of
information, human perception, etc. to
design a very broad spectrum of visual works
extending through graphic design
applications: books and magazines,
websites, apps, wayfinding, illustration,
motion designs, etc. to more abstract
systems of identity, branding and strategic
planning.
Disciplines of design
Industrial designers (sometimes also
called 'product designers’)

They apply themselves to objects that

will be produced industrially, using
their knowledge of materials,
manufacturing techniques and
ergonomics to design furniture,
electronics, household goods,
equipment, vehicles and more.
Disciplines of design
Fashion designers

They apply themselves to clothing, accessories

and other garments, using their knowledge of
materials, tailoring, pattern-making and garment
manufacture to design technical wear, “fast”
fashion, shoes and handbags and more.

Technological advances enable the integration of

health and communications capacities to clothing
and accessories, enhancing the scope of the
fashion designer’s reach.
Disciplines of design
Interior designers/ Architects
They apply themselves to interior
spaces, using their knowledge of
materials, building components,
decorative surfaces, space planning,
sourcing, light, color, sound and
ergonomics to design functional and
pleasing interiors for restaurants,
offices, homes, retail spaces, hotels,
etc. improving quality of life and
safeguarding health in private, public,
commercial and work environments.
Disciplines of design
UI/ UX designers
They work within the digital
realm to the design of a user
interface (UI) or user
experience (UX), applying their
knowledge of technology,
psychology, ergonomics to
design websites, web
applications and other digital
tools.
Disciplines of design
Service designers
They apply themselves to the design of
an intangible good, a service, using their
knowledge of psychology, logistics and
communication to design systems and
processes to provide a service.
Other disciplines of design
• Architecture
• Product design
• Interior design
• Industrial design
• Information design
• Web design
• Game design
• Lighting design
• Packaging design
• Motion graphic design
• Exhibit design…….
Exercise 1
• Quick research on your favorite product/service incorporating
Dieter Rams 10 principles of good design where applicable.
• Note atleast 5 features that make it a good product/service.
• Scope of improvement.
Good Design / Bad Design
10 Principles of good design
by Dieter Rams

Good design is innovative

The possibilities for innovation
are not, by any means,
exhausted. Technological
development is always offering
new opportunities for innovative
design.
Biometric facial recognition tech for easy & seamless user
access
Good Design / Bad Design
Good Design Makes a Product
Useful
A product is bought to be used. It has
to satisfy certain criteria, not only
functional but also psychological
and aesthetic. Good design
emphasises the usefulness of a
product while disregarding anything
that could possibly detract from it.

Dieter Rams
Portable Transistor Radio and Phonograph (model TP 1)
1959
Good Design / Bad Design
Good Design Is Aesthetic
The aesthetic quality of a
product is integral to its
usefulness because
products are used every day
and have an effect on people
and their well-being. Only
well-executed objects can be
beautiful.

The Lunetta Baking Company

Good Design / Bad Design
Good Design Is Unobtrusive
Products fulfilling a purpose are like
tools. They are neither decorative
objects nor works of art. Their design
should therefore be both neutral and
restrained, to leave room for the
user’s self-expression.

S 32 V Cantilever Chair - Marcel Breuer

Good Design / Bad Design
Good Design Is Honest
It does not make a product more
innovative, powerful or valuable
than it really is. It does not attempt
to manipulate the consumer with
promises that cannot be kept.
Good Design / Bad Design
Good Design Is Long-
lasting
It avoids being
fashionable and
therefore never
appears antiquated.
Unlike fashionable
design, it lasts many
years — even in today’s
throwaway society.
Good Design / Bad Design
Good Design Is
Thorough Down to the
Last Detail
Nothing must be
arbitrary or left to
chance. Care and
accuracy in the design
process show respect
towards the consumer.
Good Design / Bad Design
Good Design Is
Environmentally Friendly
Design makes an important
contribution to the
preservation of the
environment. It conserves
resources and minimises
physical and visual pollution
throughout the lifecycle of the
product.

Monday’s Child is an ecommerce brand that produces

children’s clothing. Their packaging is designed so that it
doubles as a dollhouse once the dress has been removed.
Good Design / Bad Design
Good Design Is as Little Design as
Possible
Less, but better — because it
concentrates on the essential aspects,
and the products are not burdened with
non-essentials. Back to purity, back to
simplicity.
An Update on Good design
Art
Art is the expression and application of creative skill and imagination. There
are seven common forms of art, but we can refer specifically to the creative
visual arts, such as painting, photography, or sculpture, when comparing art
to design.
Art uses creativity combined with technical proficiency to translate beauty,
emotional power, or conceptual ideas into a visual format.
Art represents a sense of self. What the artist feels, thinks, and how they
perceive the world, or how they want it to be. Some artist on the contrary are
very realistic in their artworks. Different artists choose different kinds of
aesthetics.
Art is a mode of communication. Everyone has different ways of expression
and art is one of them.
Design
Design is a plan or specification for creating an object, system, activity, or
process. Users are always central to the design process. Designs strive to
create solutions for people, systems, or physical items.
Design plays an important role in our life. Everything we see, we use is
specially designed the way they are. Hence design demands practicality and
feasibility.
Self-expression is not the prime objective of a good design. A designer’s artistic
skills and creativity are still essential, but creating a practical item, tool or
experience is the top priority.
Art vs Design
Art Design
May be commissioned but still more creative Designers always work from a brief with
freedom of expression specific requirements
Art only needs to exist Design always needs functionality
Artists work intuitively using their instinct Designers work methodically with a data-
driven or mathematical process
Art is perceptual Design is rational
Art is for oneself Designs are created for others
Artists do not have to make compromises Designers must compromise their vision if it
conflicts with commercial aims and goals
Art is unconstrained A design has many constraints, such as
clients, business goals, and user needs.
Art = Design

Design and art share the same fundamental creative visual principles: Shape, color, line,
contrast, balance, rhythm, etc.
Both designers and artists study artistic methods such as drawing, painting, or sculpting to
develop their creative abilities.
Both designs and artworks can be visually attractive.

Designs and artworks can both be used to tell stories.

Art & Design
Throughout history, art
has influenced design,
and sometimes design
has influenced art.
Modern and
contemporary art can
be closely linked to
design trends.
Modern art
movements like Pop
Art were heavily
influenced by design
disciplines such as
advertising,
publishing, and
product design.

Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans, 1962

Art & Design
Success of a piece of art might be measured by its ability to make people
ask questions of themselves and the world around them. To
challenge, or set people on a path of reflection.

Design, on the other hand, is intended to answer questions, beginning

with “what is its purpose?” It does not challenge; it assists.

A piece of design starts also to be considered a work of art when

artisanal techniques and production methods take priority over
industrial processes. In other words, when objects are made or
finished by hand so that every single piece is slightly different,
making it unique rather than another example of cookie cutter
manufacturing.
Elements of
Design
Elements of Design

DOT
SHAPE FORM VALUE
& LINE

TEXTURE COLOR SPACE

Dot
The smallest and most simple element.
Dots in a design can be used to create a layered effect, create a
pattern, as a part of motif
Exercise 2
• Select a song or poem of your choice and extract 20 words from it.
• Depict each word within a box of 3”x3” using a maximum of 2
dots.
Types of dots applicable
Line
Connection of dots forms a line.
It is characterized as a mark of
length, direction, thickness or
formation
Shape
Connection of lines forms a
shape. A shape is defined as a
two-dimensional enclosed
space with a visible boundary.
Types of shapes: Organic,
geometric and abstract
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqUOgqlZ8bc
Exercise 3
• Choose 5 emotive words of your choice.
• By creating dots, lines or shapes with your body, create
compositions to depict the chosen word, one composition for
each word.

Limitations: Stick to creating only the 3 elements of design with your bodies,
without relying on facial expressions or body language.
 Form
Form is the three-dimensionality of an object. In
other words, Form is height, width and depth . In 2-D
works, the appearance of height, width, and depth.
For e.g., Shading a circle in a certain manner can
turn it into a sphere.

Vortex Sprouts | Herschel Shapiro | Cloud Gate, stainless-steel sculpture by Anish

Abstract Relief Sculpture Kapoor, 2006; in Millennium Park, Chicago.
 Value
Value simply refers to how light or dark design
elements appears.
White is the lightest value, while black is the
darkest. All other colours have value and sit within
the range of light to dark.

HIGH KEY

TINT

LOW KEY
SHADE
Value decides contrast
 Texture
Texture is the way a surface feels or the way it is perceived to feel.
Texture is an element of design that defines the surfaces of shapes and forms.

VISUAL/ IMPLIED

TACTILE/ PHYSICAL
 Space .

Space is the bounded or boundless“ container” of objects.

Perspective in arts, such as a drawing, is an approximate
representation, on a 2D/ flat surface , of an image as it is
perceived by the eye.
It is one of the most important pictorial devices, for
organizing forms in space.

• Reduction of figure size,

• Convergence of diagonal lines, and

• Blurring of distant forms

Size Variation
Non Linear
Perspective

Over Lapping

Position
Color
The sum of all the wavelengths composing the visible spectrum, natural light may be
disassembled or fragmented into the individual colors of the spectral band.

ANALOGOUS COLORS

COMPLIMENTARY COLORS
Principles of
Design
Principles of design

EMPHASIS/ UNITY/
BALANCE CONTRAST
FOCAL POINT HARMONY

PATTERN/ PROPORTION/
MOVEMENT VARIETY
RHYTHM SCALE
Emphasis/ Focal Point
Emphasis plays up. It is used to draw our
attention to an area or focal point.

Position, contrast, size and color

intensity are strategies used to create
emphasis.

The counter part to emphasis is

subordination. Subordination plays
down. It is areas of neutral or less
interest that help to keep the attention on
the area of emphasis
Balance
Balance is the achievement of equilibrium among various parts of a composition.
Symmetrical balance (axial balance)

Crystallographic
balance or allover
pattern.

This is achieved
through the equal
emphasis over the
entire composition
(absence of focal
point).
Radial balance
Unity/ Harmony
Unity is the appearance or condition of oneness. It is used to describe the feeling that all the
elements in a work belong together and make up a harmonious whole. Unity and harmony
are essentially the same. An important aspect of visual unity is that the whole must be
predominant over the parts: You must first see the whole pattern before you notice the
individual elements.
Contrast
Contrast means showing differences in two different sections of the design or showing
somehow that the design being created is very different from other designs because of its
contrast. Contrast can also be used to show emphasis in any part of the design.
Movement
Movement is the suggestion or illusion of motion in a painting, sculpture, or design. Sense of
movement is created by actual or implied change of position.
Implied motion in drawings, painting, photography or sculpture is linked with the repetition of
shapes, the action of lines or other rhythmic elements, such as Op Art which is a type of
painting that gives the optical illusion of movement.
Rhythm/ Pattern
Rhythm refers to any kind of movement or structure of dominant and subordinate elements in
sequence, in other words, a pattern. Referring to the movement of the viewer’s eye, rhythm and
pattern are based on repetition, particularly repetition of similar elements or recurring motifs.
Variety
Unity and variety are complimentary concerns. While unity is the appearance of oneness,
variety provides diversity. Variety is the counterbalance to unity.
Proportion/ Scale
Scale and proportion both relate to size. Scale refers to the size of an object seen in relation
to other objects in the environment. Proportion is the size relationship of parts to a whole
and one another (within the same object), or size measured against a mental norm or
standard.
Exercise 4
• Select 5 products of your favorite fashion/interior/graphic
designer/brand.
• Identify various elements and principles of design present/used
in each product. Explain how the use of certain elements
satisfy any of the principles.
Gestalt Psychology
• Gestalt psychology is a movement that led to the development of the Gestalt
principles. It began in Germany in 1910.

• After watching flashing lights at a railroad crossing, psychologist Max

Wertheimer noticed that the lights appeared to be moving, even though he
knew they were simply individual lights turning on and off.

• “…perception involved more than simply combining sensory stimuli.”

This became known as Gestalt psychology.

• Gestalt in german means “shape”

• Gestalt theory posits that when we look at a complex image or design consisting of many
elements, our brains will try to create some form, pattern, or structure. The Gestalt
principles are the common unconscious shortcuts our brains use to make meaning out of
our environments.
• Gestalt Principles help designers make order out of chaos, concentrate on things that are
important and convey a lot of information in design, without overloading the audience
with too many things at once.
Figure and Ground
Proximity
Similarity
Continuity
Closure
Simplicity
Common fate
Connectedness
Symmetry and order
Geometry in nature
 Symmetry
Reflectional symmetry Helical symmetry

Translational symmetry

Rotational symmetry
Hexagons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pypd_yKGYpA
Fibonacci sequence
• Fibonacci sequence, the sequence of numbers
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, …, each of which, after the
second, is the sum of the two previous
numbers; that is, the nth Fibonacci number
Fn = Fn − 1 + Fn − 2

• The sequence was noted by the medieval Italian

mathematician Fibonacci (Leonardo Pisano) in
his Liber abaci (1202; “Book of the Abacus”),
which also popularized Hindu-Arabic numerals
and the decimal number system in Europe.

Fibonacci (Leonardo Pisano), statue by

Giovanni Paganucci, 1863; in the
Camposanto, Pisa, Italy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pg1NpMmPv48
Golden Ratio
The golden ratio, also known as the
golden number, golden proportion, or
the divine proportion, is a ratio
between two numbers that equals
approximately 1.618. Usually written
as the Greek letter phi, it is strongly
associated with the Fibonacci
sequence.
Vitruvian man, a figure
study by Leonardo da Vinci
(c. 1509) illustrating the
proportional canon laid
down by the Classical
Roman architect Vitruvius;
in the Academy of Fine
Arts, Venice
In modern mathematics, the golden ratio occurs in the description of fractals, figures that
exhibit self-similarity and play an important role in the study of chaos and dynamical systems.
Exercise 5
• Select 5 organic/naturally occurring objects of your choice.
• Explore the object and it’s form by abstracting and stylizing it by
playing with various dots, lines and shapes. Minimum 5
variations of each object.
Fractals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_MNQBWQ5DI
 Color Theory
Color theory is the study of
how colors work together
and how they affect our
emotions and perceptions.
It's a toolbox for artists,
designers, and creators to
help them choose the right
colors for their projects.
Color theory enables you to
pick colors that go well The ancient theory of color which carried through the Renaissance,
together and convey the was that all colors were mixtures of darkness and light—black and
right mood or message in white. Aristotle, for instance, held that dark crimson comes from
your work. the mixture of black with sunlight or firelight.
It was Isaac Newton who first fully developed (published in Opticks
in 1704) a theory of color based on a color wheel.
Sir Isaac Newton established color theory
when he invented the color wheel in 1666.
Newton understood colors as human
perceptions—not absolute qualities—of
wavelengths of light. By systematically
categorizing colors, he defined three groups:

Primary (red, blue, yellow).

Secondary (mixes of primary colors).

Tertiary (or intermediate—mixes of primary

and secondary colors).
Neutral colors
The four most common neutrals
are black, white, brown and
grey. These neutrals don’t have
hue undertones, causing them
to be considered “pure”.

All other neutrals are considered

near-neutrals. Near neutrals
appear to be without color, or
have neutral-like tendencies, but
have a hue undertone. Near
neutral examples are tans and
darker colors.
Hue
Hue is the attribute of color that distinguishes it as red, blue, green or any other specific color
on the color wheel.
Value
Value represents a color's relative lightness or darkness or grayscale and it’s crucial for
creating contrast and depth in visual art.
Saturation
Saturation, also known as chroma or intensity, refers to the purity and vividness of a color,
ranging from fully saturated (vibrant) to desaturated (grayed).
Color Temperature
Color temperature is measured in Kelvin and varies from warm, for a cozy atmosphere, to cool
for a clean and modern look. Choosing a color temperature is very subjective and everyone has
his own preference when creating an ambiance.
Color Tone
Achieved by adding grey to a hue
Reading references
www.colormatters.com

The Complete Color Harmony, Tina Sutton and Bride M. Whelan

Exercise 6
• 3 types of tessellations (translation, rotation and reflection)
created with any random shape of your choice. Size 3”x 3”
Note: (“= inch)
• Create perfectly joining puzzle with each type of tessellation with
ivory sheets.
Exercise 7
• Choose 3 logos and study the Gestalt principles used in the logo
that you can identify.
• Design a logo for your label/brand using any combination of
gestalt principle suitable for the logo.