Understanding Design

Our first project aims to help us get exposed to the foundation of design. The basic components that make up design rules like the elements, principles, composition and pattern.

We are to do research based on those components and compile our study in the form of a booklet.

In this little assignment, studying the theory part of design can seem boring. But it's actually not. Because we got to show examples to show how each component of design is like - through taking pictures, sketching of our understanding and ideas and applying it in designing a motive which reflects your character, which will then be turned into a pattern.

Overall, I enjoyed this assignment because after classes, I would be having mini photoshoots with my friends, jumping around in front of a blank wall in campus just to find the right composition, and train rides around the city to capture design elements and principles in the surroundings.

Being grounded in the basics of design, understanding how design is is essential because you need to apply them everywhere. Each element, principle and composition of design brings out a meaning to your future creations so it is important to know how to apply according to your client's or aim's requirements.

Also, searching the definitions and writing it down is just not enough. You need to explore the theory yourself too by noticing them in your surroundings and sketching them down right away. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect :)

Here are the features of my study booklet.

My Design Booklet from Carmen Chan