Elements and Principles of Design
There are four ELEMENTS OF DESIGN:
1.Line
2.Shape
3.Texture
4.Colour
And there are five PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN:
1.Balance
2.Proportion
3.Rhythm
4.Emphasis
5.Harmony
Element of Design: Line
• Line refers to an elongated mark that connects two or more points. Line in fashion
can be created by the structure or decorative features of a garment. Structural lines
are created by the structure of the garment.
• For example, the seam lines that are used to hold the garment together create lines.
Decorative lines are created for visual appeal, but unlike structural lines, they are not
necessary for garment to stay together. Trims and line patterns in fabric are
examples of decorative lines.
• Line in fashion is important because line affects how someone sees a fashion. Our
eyes follow lines, and eyes can be lead up or down or side to side or around a
garment.
• Lines have direction (vertical, horizontal, diagonal, curvy, jagged) and weight (thick,
thin). The direction and weight of a line can affect how a garment looks on a body.
• Wise selection of lines can flatter the wearer’s appearance.
Line: Structural versus Decorative Lines
This garment has both structural and decorative lines. Structural lines are created by
the seams. You can see a good example of a seam line running down the centre back
of the dress. Can you see the diamond-shaped seam lines on the front of the dress that
make a diagaonal pattern? The diagaonal lines created by the seams are also structural.
These structural lines hold the garment together. The stripes on the fabric itself are
decorative lines. Imagine how different this dress would look made out of solid coloured
fabric.
Line: Vertical Direction
The above photos all have vertical lines. Notice the
difference in the weight of the lines. Some of the
vertical lines are thin, while other vertical lines are
much wider. A thin vertical line looks longer than a
thick vertical line. Vertical lines are formal, dignified,
conservative.
Vertical lines lead the eye up and down the garment.
Use these lines where you want to look taller because
they reinforce length, height, and narrowness.
Line: Horizontal Direction
The above photos all have
horizontal lines. Notice the
difference in the weight of the
lines. Some of the horizontal
lines are thin, like in two
centre photos, while the other
two photos have much wider
horizontal lines. A thin
horizontal line looks less wide
than a thick horizontal line.
Horizontal lines lead the eye
across the garment. Use
these lines where you want to
look wider because they
reinforce width and add bulk.
Line: Diagonal
Direction
The above photos all have diagonal
lines. Diagonal lines hold the eye’s
attention longer than horizontal or
vertical lines. They create the illusion
of activity, excitement, drama, and
motion. Diagonal lines are often
found in v-necks, open collars, ties,
stripes, flared skirts or pants, zippers,
shoes with criss-cross straps,
etcetera.
Diagonal lines draw the eye’s
attention to where they are used.
Use these lines to add emphasis to
an area of the body, or to add interest
to a look.
Line: Curvy Shape
The above photos all
have curvy lines. Curvy
lines hold the eye’s
attention longer than
straight lines. They
create a gentle, romantic,
soft, casual, feminine,
graceful, sensual illusion.
Curvy lines are often
found in necklines, bows,
lapels, sleeves, ruffles,
skirts, and gathers.
Curvy lines lead the eye
around the garment.
Curvy lines can increase,
emphasize, or reinforce
body curves. They can
counter angular body
areas.
Line: Jagged Shape
The above photos all
have jagged lines.
Jagged lines create bold
interest for the eye. They
suggest the illusion of
excitement, drama,
motion, and confusion.
Jagged lines are often
featured in the patterns of
fabrics or in the design of
graphics and logos.
Jagged lines draw the
eye’s attention to where
they are used. Uses
these lines to add
emphasis to an area of
the body, or to add
interest to a look.
Element of Design: Shape
• Shape refers to the silhouette of a garment.
• There are basic shapes for women’s and men’s fashions. Popular shapes in fashion
change over time.
• Shape or silhouette in fashion is important because it affects how someone sees a
fashion. Our eyes perceive shapes, which have an impact on how the garment is
perceived.
• Wise selection of shapes can flatter the wearer’s appearance.
Shape: Hourglass
The above photos
show the hourglass
silhouette, a popular
shape for women’s
fashions. This
fashion shape shows
the bust and hip at
approximately the
same width, while the
waist is narrower.
The hourglass shape
draw the eye’s
attention to the curves
of a woman’s body.
Use this shape to
draw attention to the
natural shape of a
woman’s body.
Shape: Wedge
The photos show
the wedge
silhouette, a
popular shape for
both women’s and
men’s fashions.
This fashion shape
shows width at the
shoulders, while
the garment
narrows in at the
bottom.
The wedge shape
draw the eye’s
attention to the
shoulder area.
Use this silhouette
to make shoulders
appear broader.
Shape: Tubular
The above photos
show the tubular
silhouette, a
popular shape for
both women’s and
men’s fashions.
This fashion shape
shows the shoulder,
waist, and hip with
little definition.
Tubular shaped
garments do not
cling to the body.
The tubular shape
draw the eye’s
attention up and
down the length of
the body. Use this
shape to smooth
out the body’s lines.
Shape: Bell
The photos show the
bell silhouette, a popular
shape for women’s
fashions. This fashion
shape shows a fitted
top, with a full, bell-
shaped skirt.
The bell shape draw the
eye’s attention to the
waist and hip area.
Shape: A-Line
The photos show the A-
Line silhouette, a
popular shape for
women’s fashions,
usually dresses or
skirts. Theses fashions
resemble the shape of
the capital letter A. This
fashion shape shows a
garment that is narrow
at the top which
broadens out toward the
bottom.
The A-Line is not a fitted
shape, and it flatters all
figures. It is often used
for summery, flirty
garments. Use this
style to smooth out the
body’s lines.
Element of Design: Texture
• Texture refers to the surface quality of goods.
• Fabric can have a variety of textures, all of which can affect the look of a garment or
fashion accessory. The weave and texture of a fabric has an impact on the way it
drapes, which, in turn, affects the way a garment looks when it is worn.
• Texture can be used all over the garment or for embellishment. All-over texture
refers to the weave of the garment’s main fabric. For example, a sweater made with
thick, heavy yarn has a chunky, bulky texture. Embellisments can create texture for
garments too. For example a top may have a sequined, sparkly area that looks
different from the rest of the garment.
• When coming up with outfits, people often mix textures. For example, a tweed jacket
could be paired with a skinny jean, or textured pants might be paired with a crisp shirt.
• Wise selection of textures can flatter the wearer’s appearance. Some textures create
the illusion of added weight, such as bulky or shiny fabrics.
Texture: All-Over Garment
The photos show some
examples of popular
textures. Entire garments
can be made out natural
or synthetic wool, fur, or
leather.
Texture: As Embellishment
The above photos show contrasting textures in garments. The garment is
constructed out of a primary fabric, while embellishment is added with a secondary
fabric.
Texture: In Outfits
The above photos show contrasting textures in outfits. Mixing and matching various
textures creates interest in one’s look.
Element of Design: Colour
Colour is the most important element in fashion design, and there are many different
colour schemes that work together. A quilter’s wheel shows compatible colour
combinations and can be useful when trying to decide if certain wardrobe items go
together.
Neutral colours, in fashion, can be worn with any other colour, making them good
colours for wardrobe-building. Colours such as beige, black, grey, brown, and white are
neutral colours because of their versatility to match with other colours.
In fashion, colours can be described as warm or cool. Warm colours are made with
orange, red, yellow and combinations of them all. As the name indicates, they tend to
make you think of sunlight and heat. Warm colours advance (or seem bigger in space),
so they give the illusion of enlarging size. Cool colours such as blue, green and light
purple have the ability to calm and soothe. Where warm colors remind us of heat and
sunshine, cool colors remind us of water and sky. Unlike warm colors, cool colors look
as though they recede (or seem smaller in space), giving the illusion of reducing size.
Colour: Colour Charts
Warm & Cool Colours Neutral Colours
Principle of Design: Balance
Balance in fashion design can be achieved with the use of features such as seams,
hemlines, and necklines. Symmetrical balance occurs when there is consistence in the
element of a garment. For example, a straight hemline has symmetrical balance. Most
clothing is created with symmetrical balance. Asymmetrical balance can be effective
too. For example, a skirt that has a deliberately jagged, uneven hemline has
asymmetrical balance. Balance in fashion follows trends. For example, bell-bottoms
that have asymmetrical balance between the top and bottom of the pants fall in and out
of fashion; the same is true of asymmetrical necklines. Asymmetrical balance is more
complex and trickier to achieve than symmetrical balance. For example, a one-shoulder
gown might look interesting with its asymmetrical neckline, but a jacket with one lapel
larger than the other would just look bad.
Principle of Design: Balance
Symmetrical balance is well illustrated by
the trees in the above photo. See how
balance appears in the photo of the dress
below. The left and right sides of the front
are mirror images of each other. Same with
the left and right side of the back.
These photos show
asymmetrical
balance in neckline
and/or hemline.
Principle of Design: Proportion
Size and scale are important aspects of proportion. Proportion means the size of a part i
to the size of the whole. When considering bodies, it would be unusual to have a head tha
than the torso. The same goes with garments. It would be unusual to have sleeves which
bigger than the whole outfit. Proportion in fashion design is the principle that says variou
components of a garment or accessory look good together (i.e. with balanced size and sca
pleasing, most fashions are made with balanced proportions to bring out the natural shape
body.
When choosing outfits, proportion is important when dressing to try to achieve certain effec
many fashion tips are based on this design principle. For example, a short person (who w
look taller) would avoid wide, baggy pants. A tall person (who wants to look shorter) would
very long, skinny jeans. Sometimes people who are small avoid large pieces of jewellry, w
people avoid small pieces. What other fashion tips can you think of?
Of course, not all outfits are proportionate, and designers often challenge this principle – fo
worse, depending on your taste. Some people like following proportion norms, while other
breaking them.
Principle of Design: Proportion
These fashions all
challenge the design
norms of propotion.
What fashion suggestions
can you think of that would
follow the proportion
principle?
Principle of Design: Rhythm
Humans’ eyes are designed to move. Rhythm is a fashion principle that invites the
observer’s eye to move over a garment. The following techniques create rhythm:
Repetition – repeating lines, shapes, colours, or textures
Gradation – increasing or decreasing lines, shapes, colours, or textures
Radiation – creating lines or colours emerging from a centre, like petals on a flower
Principle of Design: Rhythm
Look at the fashions. Can you see why each has rhythm?
Principle of Design: Emphasis
Emphasis means the interest is concentrated in a particular part or area of a
design. Emphasis in clothing may be achieved with contrasts of colours or
textures, lines, or unusual shapes.
Principle of Design: Emphasis
Notice how the contrast of colour provides emphasis to the man’s tie and
belt and the woman’s belt and decorative embellishment on her dress.
Principle of Design: Harmony
Harmony depends a lot on personal taste. Harmony means that there is
pleasing visual unity of all aspects of a design. It is a summary of all of the
other elements and principles of design. It means that all parts of the design
look as if they belong. There is no excess variation that could displease or
detract from appreciating the entire design or look.
What one person thinks has harmony, another may not.
Do you think this fashion layout has “perfect harmony” as its caption says?
https://www.google.com/search?biw=1360
&bih=657&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=vKHaW8G
SF4v0rAG8-
6fIDQ&q=wedge+body+shape&oq=wedge
+body+shape&gs_l=img.3...7164.7164.0.8
032.1.1.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1c.1.64.img..1
.0.0....0.uf6TkqeYElc#imgrc=1w9bfVjsETn
EpM: ( mechanical technique)
https://in.pinterest.com/pin/5875797012314
7112/ curve designs
https://in.pinterest.com/pin/3797098123128
12501/ abstract design
https://in.pinterest.com/pin/1962584962454
12982/ abstract design art
