What are the Principles of Design

For me, design is a viewpoint of visions that are grounded in reality.

As an art lover, I’ve always been fascinated by beautiful things. Looking at aesthetically pleasing and well-designed objects always fills me with a sense of awe and wonder. This may also be the reason why I enjoy thinking about how ideas merge with reality.

A few years back, I was a costume jewelry designer focused on making unique, handmade pieces catering to a niche market. The selling point was that each of my creations was entirely unlike the other. In this sense, my designs were simply ideas inside my head, which I managed to turn into a tangible creation.

Designs start from an idea. An inspired thought translated to a tangible creation. I can definitely relate to the artisans that we work with here at Fair Anita. Design is one thing; execution is another.

Although I thoroughly enjoy the design process. I realized that to go from an idea to a necklace, there needs to be a semblance of structure.

Here are some of the essential categories that I live by when designing any form of art.

Balance and Movement

Imagine stringing together many beads in a variety of colors, sizes, shapes, and materials. Maintaining a flow between these pieces needs a certain amount of balance; aside from a bracelet or necklace’s visual weight, you also need to consider its actual weight. Two main types of balance are symmetrical and asymmetrical.

My rule of thumb is to “consider and commit “ before deciding between symmetrical and asymmetrical balance. If it had a visually appealing statement piece, I would choose symmetry by using materials that flow with the weight of the design. In contrast, natural materials such as wooden beads have an innate asymmetrical quality.

But remember, just trust your best judgment. Learn to adapt to changes whenever you feel that --despite meticulous planning-- your design is not on par, trust your instincts, and see what comes.

Unity and Variety

Choosing the right materials for making jewelry can be daunting since there are so many materials to choose from. Like the jewelry collections of Fair Anita, which vary from precious recycled metals, beads, leather, and more! My personal recommendation is to come up with a specific theme that unites your overall design. For example, sing repetition in colors can inspire the universal “mood” of your artwork.

Texture, shading, and depth are important elements for establishing your chosen theme. To test the limits of variety, you should expand your horizons as much as possible. You never know when you will come across unexpected elements for your designs.

Energy and Rhythm

One of my favorite design principles is energy and rhythm; it serves as art or an “imaginary life-force” found in inanimate objects. Defining borders should have a good visual presence for patterns used in a piece of jewelry. When used correctly, accessories used to accentuate other fashion, namely clothes and other accessories, benefit from standing out.

One great example of this is the patterns woven with hand-loomed fabrics. Through a repeating set of lines, these fabrics mimic a sense of movement. This goes to show that arrangement plays a part in composing a well-designed piece.

These are a few design principles, but there are plenty more out there. Using these principles, you will establish your creative vision’s final outcome. Study up on the aspects you are drawn to and use them to grow your artistic identity.