Design Principle Harmony | John Lovett Design (2024)

Design Principle Harmony | John Lovett Design (1)

Principles of Design

Design Principle Harmony | John Lovett Design (2)

Harmony is the visually satisfying effect of combining similar or related elements.

Harmony in a painting or design helps bring about unity. All harmony and no contrast, however, can become monotonous. A balance must be struck between areas of harmony and areas of contrast.

In the painting below the harmonious, repeating rectangles are relieved by the contrasting round forms of the pots and flowers. The overall warm color harmony is given relief by the cool green shutters. Grouping thesubordinate, contrasting organic shapes reinforces the focal point.

Design Principle Harmony | John Lovett Design (3)

Open Shutters – John Lovett, 2006. Mixed Media on 300gsm Arches paper

By keeping the area of contrast smaller than the large harmonious area to be relieved, a visually satisfying balance is achieved. Understatement is usually better – sometimes just a tiny contrasting mark is all that is needed.


A limited palette will keep a tight color harmony. Tonal contrast then becomes the main tool for emphasising a focal point.

In this mixed media painting below, a limited palette ensures a tight color harmony. Strong tonal contrast in the upper right hand side of the shoe, and a protruding, frayed shoelace establish an off centre focal point, breaking thesymmetryof the subject.

Design Principle Harmony | John Lovett Design (4)

One Shoe Off – John Lovett 2003 Mixed Media on 300 gsm Arches paper.

Renzo Piano’sbuildings demonstrate a harmony between form and environment. His Columbus International Exhibition building in Genoa, Italy, makes use of sail structures and intricately rigged booms that pay homage to the history of the ancient sea port on which it sits.

Design Principle Harmony | John Lovett Design (5)

Renzo Piano, Columbus International Exhibition, 1985-1992 Genoa, Italy

Architect John Nicholes designed theKarijini Visitors Centreto weather into the North Western Australian landscape. Most of the exterior of the structure is built from heavy, welded steel panels. These are acid washed to rust, echoing the iron ore outcrops of the surrounding country.

Nicholes building not only relates to the surrounding landscape, but also ties in with the beliefs of the traditional owners of the land. The plan of the building is an abstraction of the goanna, an important symbol to the custodians of the land.

Nicholes worked with the traditional owners to design the internal layout in accordance with their beliefs regarding the importance of thesymbolicareas of the goanna. So as well as a visual harmony with the landscape, the building has a cultural harmony with the traditional beliefs.

Anchor 1

Design Principle Harmony | John Lovett Design (6)

John Nicholes – Karijini National Park Visitors Centre, Western Australia

The principles of harmony and contrast seem completely contradictory, but it is the balance between these two that is vital to the success of any work of art.

Author: John Lovett

Design Principle Harmony | John Lovett Design (2024)

FAQs

What is the principle of harmony in design? ›

The Principles of Design

– Harmony: the combination of unity and variety. All parts of the room or garment work together to create a pleasing, whole design. – Harmony occurs when the parts of a design are related by a unified design and consistency of style. – Harmony is essential to successful design.

What is the principle of harmonious design? ›

Harmony is the visually satisfying effect of combining similar or related elements. Harmony in a painting or design helps bring about unity. All harmony and no contrast, however, can become monotonous. A balance must be struck between areas of harmony and areas of contrast.

What design principle creates a feeling of harmony in the design? ›

Unity is the feeling of harmony between all parts of a work of art, which creates a sense of completeness. the thing that joins the parts together. It shows what things have in common.

Is harmony of the design ensured by design principle? ›

Harmony of the design is simply defined as the concept whereby all the elements and principles of design work together to display visually pleasing garment. Now according to principles of design, this concept of harmony of design is usually ensured by the theme design principle.

What is the basic principle of harmony? ›

Harmony is a complex of principles and rules determining how the tones have to be joined into concords, how they should support the melody in the foreground, how the concords (chords in particular) follow one after another, or how one "resolves" into another.

What are the 7 basic principles of design? ›

The fundamental principles of design are: Emphasis, Balance and Alignment, Contrast, Repetition, Proportion, Movement and White Space. Design differs from art in that it has to have a purpose. Visually, this functionality is interpreted by making sure an image has a center of attention, a point of focus.

What is harmony in interior design? ›

What is Harmony in Interior Design? Harmony is the way the furnishings in a room fit together to create visual calm. Designers mix and match furniture, decor, and room elements with different textures, shapes, and colors that curate a natural sense of belonging.

What two design principles create harmony in a space? ›

Proportion and scale are essential in interior design. Proportion refers to the relationship between different elements in a room, ensuring that they relate harmoniously. Scale, on the other hand, involves choosing appropriately sized furniture and decor for the space.

What are the two parts of harmony in design? ›

Creating a harmonious and visually appealing space involves finding the right balance between symmetry and asymmetry. Using both design principles strategically can transform a room into a captivating and balanced environment.

How do you create harmony in design? ›

The harmony and unity have been maintained by repeating the same colors and shapes. Using different proportions of the same shapes created variation which, in turn, created interest. Remember to keep it simple: a couple of colors, one or two shapes, add a dash of contrast for variety, and you've got it.

Which principle of design is similar to harmony? ›

Visual unity is best described as harmony, which is a design principle in its own right. It can apply to colors, using styles that work well together, and in some cases, repeating styles to maintain visual consistency.

What is design philosophy about harmony? ›

Harmony. The visual effect of combining similar, related elements, like adjacent colours on the colour wheel, similar shapes etc. Adopting a harmony effect hence creates calmness, serenity and comfort to the interior design concept.

What is harmony as a principle of design? ›

Harmony can be described as sameness, the belonging of one thing with another. The repetition of design elements like colour, texture, shape, and form is one of the easiest ways to achieve harmony to create a composition.

What is the difference between harmony and unity in principles of design? ›

What is the difference between “Unity” and “Harmony”? Unity is achieved when each element of a design fits in with the overall concept of the production. It is defined by how those elements relate to the production as a whole. Harmony, on the other hand, is defined by how those same elements relate to each other.

What is the difference between harmony and rhythm in design? ›

Rhythm and harmony are closely related concepts in spatial design. Harmony is the feeling of balance, unity, and order that results from the arrangement of elements in a space. Rhythm is one of the ways to achieve harmony, by creating a visual flow that guides the eye and the body through the space.

What are the 5 aspects of harmony? ›

In any composition principles of harmony have five aspects of harmony: (1) line and shape, (2) size, (3) texture, (4) idea, and (5) color. Harmony of lines in a composition: The types of lines in a composition can be reduced to three main groups: Harmony through repetition of lines in a composition.

What are the 12 principles of design? ›

There are twelve basic principles of design: contrast, balance, emphasis, proportion, hierarchy, repetition, rhythm, pattern, white space, movement, variety, and unity. These visual and graphic design principles work together to create appealing and functional designs that make sense to users.

What are the 7 elements of design? ›

The elements of design are the fundamental aspects of any visual design which include shape, color, space, form, line, value, and texture. Graphic designers use the elements of design to create an image that can convey a certain mood, draw the eye in a certain direction, or evoke a number of feelings.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Neely Ledner

Last Updated:

Views: 6188

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (62 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Neely Ledner

Birthday: 1998-06-09

Address: 443 Barrows Terrace, New Jodyberg, CO 57462-5329

Phone: +2433516856029

Job: Central Legal Facilitator

Hobby: Backpacking, Jogging, Magic, Driving, Macrame, Embroidery, Foraging

Introduction: My name is Neely Ledner, I am a bright, determined, beautiful, adventurous, adventurous, spotless, calm person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.