ATCF & AI Principal Exam Study Notes: Principles of Design and Fashion Drawing

Principles of Design

  • Balance

    • Definition: A state of equilibrium or evenness within a design.
    • Symmetrical Balance: Both sides of the design look the same, resulting in a formal appearance.
    • Asymmetrical Balance: The sides differ from one another but possess equal visual weight, resulting in an informal appearance.

  • Rhythm

    • Definition: A continuous flowing movement that moves the eye across a design.
    • Repetition: Consists of repeating a single design element.
    • Alternation: Consists of repeating 2+2+ elements in an alternating sequence.
    • Gradation: Characterized by a gradual change in a design element.
    • Radiation: Occurs when design elements fan out or radiate from a central point.

  • Emphasis

    • Definition: Draws attention directly to a focal point or intentionally redirects focus away from a specific area.
    • Methods of Creation: Created by grouping details, utilizing contrasting lines, shapes, textures, and colours, or placing decoration on a plain background.

  • Contrast

    • Definition: The juxtaposition of 2+2+ features that are very different or completely unrelated.
    • Purpose: Serves to relieve monotony (defined as a lack of variety).
    • Applications: Can be achieved through variations in line, direction, shape, texture, and colour.

  • Harmony

    • Definition: The state of consistency in a design where elements are alike and arranged in a pleasing manner.
    • Requirement: The design must suit its surrounding environment.

  • Unity

    • Definition: Occurs when all elements and principles work together as a cohesive, connected whole.
    • Requirement: A good design maintains visual interest and variety while remaining completely orderly.

  • Evaluating Designs

    • Subjectivity: Design evaluation is partly subjective, relying on personal opinion and individual taste.
    • Assessment Criteria: Requires consideration of functional and aesthetic features, overall strengths and weaknesses, and the specific elements and principles of design utilized.

  • Factors Affecting Design

    • Aesthetic Factors: Refer to visual appeal and encompass line, direction, shape, size, texture, and colour.
    • Personal Taste Influences: Personal taste is affected by culture, individual preferences, education, history, values/beliefs, and changing fashions.
    • Functional Factors: Refers to items designed specifically for a target end use and judged primarily by their performance.
    • Process and Feature Mappings:
    • Dyeing→Colour\text{Dyeing} \rightarrow \text{Colour}
    • Printed Patterns→Line / Direction\text{Printed Patterns} \rightarrow \text{Line / Direction}
    • Silhouette / Pattern Making→Shape / Size\text{Silhouette / Pattern Making} \rightarrow \text{Shape / Size}
    • Embroidery / Beading→Texture\text{Embroidery / Beading} \rightarrow \text{Texture}
    • Seams / Closures / Zippers→Function\text{Seams / Closures / Zippers} \rightarrow \text{Function}

  • Exam Memory Core Mappings

    • Balance = evenness
    • Rhythm = movement
    • Emphasis = focal point
    • Contrast = difference
    • Harmony = consistency
    • Unity = everything works together
    • Aesthetic = looks
    • Functional = works

Fashion and Concept Drawings

  • Fashion Drawings

    • Purpose: Designed specifically to show apparel, costumes, and wearable textile arts.
    • Formatting Requirements: Typically presented on A4A4 paper with both front and back views included, and containing no text labels.
    • Rendering Details: Colour, shading, and rendering techniques are applied to illustrate the final finished design; physical fabric swatches may also be attached.
    • Figure Representation: Features a fashion figure that is stylised and elongated.
    • Croquis Specifications: A croquis is a specialized fashion figure used as a template to draw designs upon. A standard croquis is 9−109-10 heads high, contrasting with a normal human proportion of 7−87-8 heads high.

  • Concept Drawings

    • Purpose: Used to illustrate furnishings, non-apparel items, and non-wearable textile arts.
    • Formatting Requirements: Typically presented on A4A4 paper and includes front, back, and side views.
    • Figure Representation: Drawn with realistic proportions rather than stylised forms.
    • Contextual Elements: May depict the design placed directly within a complete setting and drawn using spatial perspective.

  • Key Distinction Summary

    • Fashion Drawings: Feature stylised clothing drawn on an elongated figure.
    • Concept Drawings: Feature realistic depictions of objects or non-wearable designs.

  • Rendering

    • Illustrates texture, colour, shading, and finished surface quality of the visual design.

Here are active recall questions based on your note to help test your memory:

  1. Principles of Design

    • What is the main difference between symmetrical balance and asymmetrical balance?
    • What are the four ways to create rhythm in a design?
    • How is emphasis created in a design, and what is its purpose?
    • Why is contrast used in design, and what does it prevent?
    • What is the difference between harmony and unity?

  2. Fashion and Concept Drawings

    • What is a croquis, and how many heads high is a standard fashion croquis compared to normal human proportions?
    • What are the formatting and view differences between a fashion drawing and a concept drawing?
    • How do figure representations differ between fashion drawings and concept drawings?

  3. Mappings & Core Concepts

    • Which design elements do the following processes map to: Dyeing, Printed Patterns, Silhouette/Pattern Making, Embroidery/Beading, and Seams/Closures?
    • What are the core exam memory shortcuts for Balance, Rhythm, Emphasis, Contrast, Harmony, and Unity?