Size – What Are Its Effects In A Design?

In design and art, shapes and lines carry different meaning and significance. Depending on how they are used, shapes and lines create a world of structure, emotion and mystery. A skilled designer may be able to manipulate balance, unity and emphasis in a design with the use of size variation and repetition.



Size in design

Size is an element of design and art that defines the relationship between the area occupied by one shape or line to that of the space occupied by the other. Size differences create interesting dynamics in a design. Putting in a large shape  in a design requires an existence of a smaller one to maintain balance.

Size Variation

By varying the size of a shape or shapes in a design, a designer can control and maintain balance. Size difference greatly affects unity and emphasis. Since human eyes are instinctively drawn to the larger size, the larger and more dominant shape is emphasized. This emphasis creates tension in a design but can also be very useful in conveying scale and grandeur.

However, by exaggerating size differences tension can be overwhelming. The larger shapes will pose as a threat to the smaller shapes.This tension may be avoided by controlling size differences.

A comfortable size difference lessens the tension in a design but exaggeration of size difference may also be used to add impact into a design.The designer will be able to maintain balance or create imbalance with this technique.

Repetition

If shape size is repeated without any change, they become monotonous thus, boring. Although repetition gives motion to a design, it may create imbalance if exaggerated and may tire out the viewers eyes. Every designer wants to capture viewers with their design, not look away.However, repetition with variation can be both interesting and comfortably familiar.

Visual perception

Size affects depth and space perception. It also affects design projection toward the viewer. A simple way to add interest. Linear perspective in the real world makes things look smaller in the distance.

In a design, a large shape or object may look closer than a smaller shape or object. Relative size is a constant clue that allows you to determine how close objects are to an something of known size. This can be used to create a realistic feel in a design. Although some find realism boring, it is proven to be very useful in design.

Size is a very powerful element in design. Proper size manipulation is proven to be very effective in modern designing.