Elements and Principles of Design

Space (depth)
The Medicine Creek winding back into the distance

This week I created a presentation to teach the elements and principles of design to 5th graders. I took photographs to represent each of the elements and principles. Here are a few of my favorites!


Unity/Variety
Tires of different sizes, styles, and textures




Movement
Animal tracks lead eyes through the photo.

Emphasis
One tree stands out due to size, color, and placement.

Balance
The sky reflecting on Lake Sharpe to create horizontal symmetry

 This would be a great activity for elementary students. They could use digital cameras to capture images of the various elements and principles. Each student could capture 3-4 elements and principles and then all the students' photos could be displayed and labeled. The students could see which of the other elements and principles they could identify in their classmates' photos.