PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN AND ART
HOW TO USE THESE TOOLS TO CREATE YOUR PERSONAL STYLE…
SHAPE
You are a bundle of shapes, i.e. your body, face and features. You can emphasize or diminish these shapes using art principles. Love your eyes — add more circles to what you wear. Want to offset your hips and create an hourglass — de-emphasize your bottom and highlight your upper body.
PROPORTION
Proportion is about the relationship and size of one object to another. Are you long or short waisted? Are your legs long or short for your body? Learn this and you will know what length pants, jackets, dresses, etc., are most complementary to your overall appearance.
EMPHASIS
Artists use emphasis to draw their audience into the most important part of the composition. What feature/s do you want to emphasize?
SCALE
The relationship between objects with respect to size can be used to match your personal scale. Petite women: wear small scale designs and patterns. Curvier women can get away with larger, chunkier designs.
COLOR
You carry a palette of colors with your from the hues in your skin, hair and eyes. Artists use the color wheel to dictate which colors to combine to create beautiful designs; you can do the same thing with your natural array of color.
CONTRAST
Contrast can be used to direct the audience to a focal point. It also helps to emphasize, create variety, visual interest and drama. You have a natural contrast level in the relative dark or lightness of your hair vs. your skin tone. Consider matching this with the clothes you wear.
REPETITION
Repeating patterns in art creates harmony and symmetry and also leads the eye to a specific element in the design. When you repeat color, patterns or design elements it creates visual appeal. This is especially effective when you repeat the shape of a favorite physical feature, such as your eyes or lips.
UNITY AND VARIETY
Unity is the harmony of all visual elements in a composition. No single element takes over. Variety uses different elements in an overall design to create visual interest. Consider doing this as you design your personal style.