Designing Intervals
Organizational principles, in any art, are based on control of the intervals between elements. For the visual artist, such as the graphic designer, intervals exist in a spatial dimension: between shapes, sizes, colors, etc.
The fundamental methods for organizing intervals are largely the same from art to art, and across dimensions. Here are three of the most basic organizing principles for intervals.
- Repetition: Uses a one-dimensional arrangement of identical intervals between elements to create predictable, reassuring patterns.
- Harmony: Uses rhythm to emphasize a particular “beat” within an arrangement of intervals.
- Discord: Uses large, contrasting intervals between elements to maximize tensions and heighten recognition.