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CHAPTER TWO 
 

The language of Basic Design 
Mary Emodi-Nnoruka, & Vivian Okpalauba 

 
Introduction 

The word "design" refers to a deliberate plan to 
imagine, create, or form ideas, to bring them to 
actual reality.  “basic design” on the other hand 

entails the fundamentals or insights into design areas, 
starting from scratch, with special focus on the application 
of the basic elements of design in terms of line, colour, 
shape, space, and form. Literally, they are the fundamental 
languages of design.  

As a subject, Basic Design focuses on leading the 
students into a candid understanding of the formal 
elements, guiding principles, and their application to two-
dimensional designs, as well as to three-dimensional 
design. Therefore, basic design is an all-encompassing 
subject which covers visual communication design, 
textiles, painting, drawing, and other aspects of three-
dimensional art, including installation and assemblage 
techniques.  

To design is to “contrive” to “formulate”, it is an 
intentional action to create on purpose. Hornby (2010) 
explains design as the general arrangement of the different 
parts of something that are made, such as a building, 
book, machine, etc.  Design is the art or process of 
deciding how work would seem, by drawing plans, making 
models, etc. It is also a drawing of a plan from which 

T 



The Language of Basic Design  

13 
 

finished work may be made. The purpose may be 
functional, it may be decorative, educative, informative, 
and it may be for entertainment, therapeutic, or economic 
purpose. Though, the outcome of the design must be 
pleasing and attractive to the eyes.  

Basic design is a careful arrangement of elements 
with or without forms which develops into a careful 
compositional arrangement of all the elements of design.  
 
Elements of Design 

The element of Basic Design is the same as the 
elements of Art. In Visual Art, those elements are the 
basic ingredients the artist applies to produce imagery. 
elements of Art are those materials or tools that the artist 
used in deriving his/her artistic objectives. Applying these 
elements of art results in the utilization of the visual 
language of art. They are those qualities of a design that 
can be seen and worked with independently of its 
figurative content. Elements of Art are the alphabets of 
the visual language. The statements and expressions of the 
artist come into being with the aid of an organized and 
careful use of the elements. These elements of art are as 
follows; line, shape texture, value, space, form and colour.  
 
Line 

This is any mark made on any surface by a moving 
point or dot (.). It is an expression of an artist through 
which communicates emotion as well as direction and 
movement. Line is a force derived from the artist who 
drew it. It is a long narrow mark, which is made on a 



Emodi-Nnoruka & Okpalauba  

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surface; it varies from one another, in thickness, and 
length. It is made by the man who drew it. The physical 
characteristics of line are many; line may be straight, either 
vertical or horizontal,  may be curved, direct, meandering, 
short, long; thin or thick, zig-zag line, or serpentine line. 
Lines can be grouped into curved (Rhythmic line) and 
straight lines (structural line). In art, line is also used as a 
symbol that artists use in making statements or expressing 
ideas. These characteristics of line have built-in 
associations that the artist or designer or user can 
command. A line may be of any length and breadth. An 
infinite number of combinations of a long and short, thick 
and thin line can be according to their uses, divided, 
balanced or unbalanced, a pictorial area or a designing 
surface.  
 
 
 
 
 

Fig 1: various types of lines. Emodi, 2021 

 
Shape 

Shape is a line enclosing an area. Shape can be 
defined as any visually perceived area of value, texture, 
colour or line or combination of these elements. Shape is 
two-dimensional while form is three-dimensional. Shape is 
the outer edge of an object. When a line covers a space, 
we have a shape. In pictorial design, shapes are flat or 
two-dimensional in the three-dimensional forms of art, 



The Language of Basic Design  

15 
 

shapes are more often solid masses. There are absolute 
shapes which are geometrical; they can be described with 
rulers and squares. The relative shape is organic mostly 
from nature.  
 
Texture 

Texture is the surface appearance of any object or 
composition, that is to say, the surface character of a 
material that can be experienced through touch or the 
illusion of touch. It shows the amount of roughness or 
smoothness of a body, material, or object.  
 

 
 

Fig 1: Visual texture suggesting movement. Source: https://254-
online.com/texture-as-a-visual-element-in-graphic-design/  

 
Texture can be tactile, which possesses real physical 

touch value, as in the feel of sand, paper, glass, or wool. 
These have a sense of touch. Texture can also be 
stimulated or visual, i.e. it cannot be felt. It is made to look 



Emodi-Nnoruka & Okpalauba  

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so to the eyes, whether it is decorative effects of colour, 
pattern, tone, or line.  
 
Value  

Value, also sometimes referred to as tone, is the 
relative lightness and darkness of an object (Farley, 2009). 
It is a relative degree of light or dark. Value can be 
referred to as the degree of darkness or lightness of a 
picture, or an object when placed with others. 

 
Fig 1: Silhouette of dogs showing various levels of shades. Source: 

https://www.sitepoint.com/principles-of-design-value/ 
 

Value is very important in any design or work of 
Art. It enables the artist to create contrast which aids one 
to distinguish one form from the other. Value can also 
suggest the lightening of an object by a variation in the 
thickness of a line but, its main concern is with what 
might be called the objective reality of a solid thing. Value 
can also be referred to as Tone. 
 
Space 

It is an interval or measurable distance between 
points or images. It is the area where artwork or a design 



The Language of Basic Design  

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is created. Space can be described as the distance between 
and around forms.  
 
Form 

Form is that which is used in defining the shape of 
anything with volume or mass. In art, form has three 
dimensions, length, breadth, and depth. Form is used to 
describe the inner structure of a particular object. Form 
can be seen as the organization and arrangement of visual 
elements that develop unity in designs or artwork. It is the 
total appearance or organization of a design or an artwork.  
 
Colour 

Colour is an integral part of a design. It is the visual 
response to different electromagnetic wavelengths of the 
sunlight, identified as red, green, blue, cyan, magenta and 
yellow. They have the physical properties of hue, intensity, 
and value. These wavelengths can be in form of light or 
pigments. Pigments are the actual colours we see and mix 
to realize other colours. Colours are arranged in order. 
The first order is known as the primary colours (Red, 
yellow, and blue). The second order of colours is 
otherwise known as secondary colours, while the last but 
not least is the third order of colours. This is also known 
as the tertiary colours. 
 
The Principles of Design 

Principles of design are the basic rules or guides of 
art. Egonwa (2012) sees principles of art as the basic 
aesthetic considerations that guide the organization of a 



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work of art. Principles of design are the same as principles 
of art. Ndubisi (2010) opines principles of art as principles 
of design which guides and helps the artist or the designer 
to make good use of his tools which are the elements of 
art/design effectively, to achieve some order, unity, and 
produce pleasing work of Art. These principles of design 
are Balance, Variety, Rhythm or Continuity, Dominance 
or Emphasis, Repetition, and Proportion.  
 
Balance  

This can be achieved between line and space or 
between form and value. Balance is the arranging of 
elements so that no one part of a work overpowers or 
seems heavier than any other part, Ngumah, Ayoola, 
Dalhatu, and Samkay (2013). There are two types of 
balance, Asymmetrical and Symmetrical balance.  

Asymmetrical Balance is otherwise known as 
informal balance, and it occurs when elements are visually 
imbalanced. Ndubisi (2010) defines it as dynamic balance.  
 Symmetrical Balance can be seen when the balance 
is formal and equal on both sides. Symmetrical balance is 
attained when a design is split by a line of symmetry; 
appears to be the same on both sides. The human body is 
an example of symmetrical balance. Symmetrical is a good 
technique for good balance, but not necessarily the best 
for all types of designs. 
 
 



The Language of Basic Design  

19 
 

 
 

Fig 2: Illustration shows symmetrical and asymmetrical balance in 
design. Source; https://www.invisionapp.com/ defined/principles-

of-design 
 
Variety is the use of different sizes or shapes or colours to 
create interesting visual differences in a work of art. It 
could be seen as showing differences between different 
sections of a design. Contrast, highlight, and emphasis are 
usually employed to show this.  
 
Rhythm means the arrangement of art elements in a 
repeated manner to achieve harmony. It is also known as 
continuity. Rhythm is an organized movement of 
elements, which are characterized by a proper relationship 
and inter-dependence of parts of one another and the 
whole. It is the flowing of designs into one another. It is 
the movement featured by repetition of different 
conditions, Ndubisi (2010). Rhythm is the movement or 
variation characterized by repetition or alternation of 
different qualities, quantities, or conditions.  



Emodi-Nnoruka & Okpalauba  

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Fig: Repetition creates rhythm in design. Source: 
https://www.selfmadedesigner.com/graphic-design-principles/ 

 
The more elements are repeated, the stronger we 

associate them with a certain idea or effect. Also, the more 
we repeat an element, the more rhythm a composition has 
(Ramirez, 2022). It is like routine work resulting in a 
pattern and shows that the design of such artwork has a 
„beat‟ or „flow‟ going with it. This means keeping your 
design in a certain format. It is the suggestion or illusion 
of motion in a design.  

Dominance principle, otherwise known as emphasis, is 
when extra attention is given to an area within the design. 
This can be because that area is more important or has 
peculiarities worth emphasizing, that is a "focal point". 
Dominance is extra attention given to an area within an 
artwork due to the vital contributions of such an area. 
Dominance is also similar to emphasis. This is achieved 
when a certain part of a design is highlighted or 



The Language of Basic Design  

21 
 

emphasized to get attention as a focus centre with a 
variety of shapes, colours and lives. 
 
Repetition is sometimes related to rhythm and continuity. 
It is achieved when a unit of design is repeated severally to 
create what is seen as a visual flow in a design 
composition. Repetition occurs when elements that have 
something in common are repeated regularly or irregularly. 
 
Proportion is a measurement of the size and quantity of 
elements within a composition. It is the relationship of 
one part with the other parts in a given artwork or any 
design. Proportion is a comparative relationship between 
elements in a design. It is the placing of designed elements 
in relative proportion to a space. Proportion is to be 
considered in terms of a given space or surface within an 
art working space to fit the size and quantity of elements 
within a composition. It is the relationship of one part 
with the other parts in given artwork.  
 
Harmony in design is when an artwork achieves a sort of 
unified form, a comfortable feeling of completeness. This 
makes the design seem to be unified, with no friction or 
conflicting parts. Some forms of pattern repetition and 
wholesomeness are usually used to show harmony.  
 
 
 
 
 



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Question 
1. Define the concept of design  
2. Explain in detail the term "basic design" 
3. State the elements of basic design  
4. Carefully explain the principles of design.  
 

References 

Egonwa, O.D. (2012): Nigerian Art: Introductory Notes. 
Ibadan: Ababa Press Ltd. 

Farley, J. (2009). Principles of Design: value. 
https://www.sitepoint.com/principles-of-design-
value/ 

Hornby A.S. (2015) Oxford Advanced Learner‟s 
Dictionary of Current English (6th Edition) Oxford 
University Press. 

Ndubisi Ogomma A. (2010) A Hand Book on Textile, 

Emyn Nigeria, Hugetez Publisher.  

Ngumah, H. C, Ayoola, O.,  Dalhatu, S., and Samkay, A. 
(2013) Cultural and Creative Arts for Junior 
Secondary Schools. Ibadan: Evans Brothers Nigeria 
Ltd. 

Ramirez, Reuben. (2022). 6 Graphic Design Principles 
You Need To Master Today. 
https://www.selfmadedesigner.com/graphic-
design-principles/ 

 


