Principles of Design and Elements of Art
Principles of Design and Elements of Art
This section tests the vocabulary of design and your ability to explain why a garment looks balanced, not just whether you like it.
Elements of art
Line can be vertical, horizontal, curved, or diagonal. Shape and form describe silhouette and volume. Colour has hue, value, and intensity. Texture is the surface quality; space is the area around and within the design; pattern is a repeated motif. In dress, vertical lines lengthen, horizontal lines widen, diagonal lines add movement, and curved lines soften.
Principles of design
Balance may be symmetrical or asymmetrical. Rhythm comes from repetition, gradation, or radiation. Proportion relates parts to the whole; emphasis creates a focal point; harmony and unity make the design read as one. Proportion is not the same as scale: proportion compares parts, while scale compares size with the body or setting.
Colour schemes
Monochromatic, analogous, complementary, split-complementary, and triadic schemes are examinable. Warm colours tend to advance; cool colours recede; strong value contrast draws the eye.
Worked example
A short, wide-bodied client wears a dress with narrow vertical stripes, a wide contrasting belt, and a large shoulder bow. Analyse the design. The vertical stripes create length. The wide belt cuts the body into two and adds horizontal emphasis at the waist, while the shoulder bow adds width and a focal point at the top. For better balance, reduce the belt width and keep emphasis upward without adding shoulder bulk. The reasoning uses line direction, emphasis, and proportion rather than personal taste.
Traps that cost marks
Do not list balance as an element; it is a principle. Do not say complementary colours are adjacent on the colour wheel. Do not confuse texture with pattern. Do not explain a design only as looking nice.