Design Principles | Final Compilation
3/2/25 - 28/2/25 (Week 5 - Week 7)
Kimberly Miaw Jya Nee | 0366836
Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media | Taylor's University
Design Principles
Final Compilation
[Table of Contents]
5.
Reflection
Task 1: Exploration
3/2/25 - 17/2/25 (Week 1 - Week 3)
Fig. 1. 1899, The Water Lily Pond, Claude Monet
Title: The Water Lily Pond
Artist: Claude Monet
Year: 1899
Size: 93 cm x 74 cm
Medium: Oil paint on canvas
I have always been fascinated by the Impressionism movement, and Claude
Monet is one of its most iconic figures, with the movement itself named
after his famous painting Impression, Sunrise. Among his works, The Water Lily Pond is my
favourite.
This painting of his garden in Giverny captures a peaceful, serene
atmosphere. This is achieved by using analogous colour palette and the
softly painted elements harmonising together. The use of
lighting in this piece suggests that it was painted either on a
bright morning or during sunset, as seen in how the water lilies, trees
and bridge are softly illuminated. I also admire the way he paints
water. The floating water lilies in the painting suggests there are movement. It looks weightless and blend seamlessly into the reflective
surface of the water below.
Despite the absence of harsh lines (except for the bridge), the forms
remain recognisable by viewers. In another words, it's the process of
creating the illusion of detail instead of drawing every little thing.
We can still make out what is in the painting which I think is amazing.
It reminds me of the quote "less is more", which shows how softness and
suggestion can just be as powerful as clarity and detail.
Design principles observed in The Water Lily Pond:
1. Gestalt Theory
(a) Principle of Figure Ground
- The bridge in the painting stands out prominently as the main figure
- The water lily pond and foliage serves as a background, which creates depth in the composition
(b) Principle of Close Proximity
- The water lilies are placed close together, which created a sense of unity in the pond
2. Emphasis
- The bridge is the dominant element in this painting due to its placement (Rule of Thirds), strong geometric structure, and contrast against the lighter background.
3. Balance
(a) Symmetrical & Asymmetrical
- The bridge creates a centre dividing line, but the composition is not perfectly symmetrical
- The reflections of the foliage on the pond's surface add slight asymmetry
(b) Rules of Third
- The bridge is positioned around the upper third of the composition which creates a strong focal point
4. Repetition
- Water lilies and foliages are repeated throughout the painting
5. Movement
- The irregularly placement of the water lilies suggests natural movement, as if they are floating around the water.
- The curved bridge guides the viewer's eye across the painting
- The leading lines of the pond adds flow and direct attention toward the centre of the scene
6. Harmony & Unity
- The analogous colour palette of this painting and soft brushstrokes creates harmony between each elements
- The elements unites the whole painting together
Task 2: Visual Analysis & Ideation
17/2/25 - 3/3/25 (Week 3 - Week 5)
Fig. 2. 1899, The Water Lily Pond, Claude Monet
Title: The Water Lily Pond
Artist: Claude Monet
Year: 1899
Size: 93 cm x 74 cm
Medium: Oil paint on canvas
Observation
This painting is in a square format. The top half of the
composition features a curved bridge. Beneath it, is a pond filled
with water lilies floating on the surface, leading the viewer’s
eye toward the background, which provides a sense of depth and
defines where the pond ends. Surrounding the pond are trees and
dense foliage. The dominant colours in the painting are shades of
green, yellow, blue, purple, and pink for the water lilies. The
brushstrokes are short, loose and organic, which allows the
elements to blend together harmoniously without distinct outlines.
The only exception is the bridge, which has a structured form and
is painted with more defined, contrasting lines, making it stand
out as the focal point of the composition.
(108 words)
Analysis
This painting applies several design principles that bring the
composition together. The bridge stands out as the main figure, while the pond and foliage create depth as the background through figure and ground. The close placement of the water
lilies creates a sense of unity. The bridge is the focal point because of its strong structure, contrast against the
lighter background, and placement using the rule of thirds. The
composition balances symmetry and asymmetry since the
bridge acts as a central divider, but the reflections on the pond
add slight variation. Repetition of water
lilies and foliage ties everything together, while movement is suggested
by their irregular placement, that they are floating naturally.
Additionally, the curved bridge, and leading lines of the pond
guide the viewer’s eye through the scene. Lastly, the analogous
colour palette and soft brushstrokes create harmony, which makes everything blend together into a peaceful scene.
(149 words)
Interpretation
This is an oil painting titled “The Water Lily Pond” done by
Claude Monet. I believe this is a painting of his garden that
was designed by Claude Monet himself when he moved to Giverny in
the 1890’s. It looks like it was painted either in the early morning or at
sunset. Monet might have wanted to capture the
peaceful moment when the light hits his garden just right, which
makes the garden feel almost enchanted. The art style of the
painting is called Impressionism, which places emphasis on the
accurate depiction of natural light by making small, brushstrokes
that forms organic shapes, along with unblended colours (Sothesby. n.d.). In a letter, Monet described how he had planted the
water lilies for fun, he had never intended painting them.
However, once they established themselves they almost became his
only source of inspiration. He wrote: "I saw, all of a sudden,
that my pond had become enchanted... Since then, I have had no
other model." (Source)
(123 words)
Task 3: Development & Design
3/2/25 - 28/2/25 (Week 5 - Week 7)
Fig. 4. Final Artwork (PDF) - Kimberly Miaw Jya Nee_Beneath Monet's Bridge_Task
3
Title: Beneath Monet's Bridge
Rationale:
i) The decisions made in your design.
For this piece, I aimed to reimagine Monet’s The Water Lily Pond from a
different perspective, which focuses on depth, light, and colour. Rather
than emphasizing the bridge, I shifted the focus to the lily pads,
particularly their underside, which is often overlooked. I wanted to
show how they interact with the light filtering through the water while
creating a sense of depth and layering. The bridge remains in the
background, slightly blurred, serving more as a framing element rather
than the focal point.
ii) The meaning / purpose of the design.
- The composition is structured to guide the viewer’s eye upward and toward the right side which also creates a natural sense of movement.
- Light and color play an important role in adding depth, with subtle adjustments to saturation and blending modes used to create an iridescent effect.
- The lily pads and their undersides were given more detail and texture to emphasize their presence in the foreground, contrasting against the softer background.
iii) The design principles that are employed to create the
design.
1. Gestalt Theory
(a) Principle of Figure Ground
- The lily pads serve as the dominant figure, standing out against the softer background elements like the bridge and pond.
(b) Principle of Close Proximity
- The water lilies are placed close together, which created a sense of unity in the pond
2. Balance
(a) Asymmetrical Balance
- Although both sides of the composition feature water lilies, they are arranged at a slant, which creates a sense of visual balance without perfect symmetry.
(b) Rule of Thirds
- The composition is divided into three sections: the top and middle feature the bridge and water lilies, while the bottom showcases the roots. This creates a structured yet dynamic visual hierarchy.
3. Movement
- The arrangement of the water lilies naturally guides the viewer’s eye through the composition, while the blurred bridge subtly suggests the gentle movement of water.
4. Harmony & Unity
- A cohesive colour palette and consistent lighting tie the composition together.
5. Rhythm
- The repetition and directional flow of elements guide the viewer’s eye naturally across the artwork, creating a sense of rhythm.
[PDF Compilation - Blog Posts]
Download the PDF compilation here
Kimberly Miaw Jya Nee_202502_Design Principles Blog (PDF)
[Reflection]
What have I learnt in this module?
Design principles are essential in creating a visually appealing
and cohesive work. Other than that, studying and applying these principles correctly can help improve
our design skills. It reinforces the importance of being intentional
when composing a design.
What did I enjoy the most?
I enjoyed this module as a whole. I loved that the projects were
more open-ended in the sense that they allowed us to choose an
artwork or design to study. I appreciated the opportunity to create
sketches based on our own interpretations of how the piece could be
improved. I think this not only sharpens our observation skills but
also helps us dissect the techniques of master artists while gaining
a deeper appreciation for art history and culture.
What did I not enjoy the most?
To be honest, there wasn’t anything significant enough for me to
remember as an experience I didn’t particularly enjoy. I realized
that the parts I struggled with came from within myself, especially
my tendency to be a perfectionist when working on projects. This
habit sometimes holds me back from even starting my work because I
have this mindset of "If I have to do it, I must do it well." While
aiming for quality is good, this way of thinking isn’t exactly
healthy for my mind or my progress, as it creates unnecessary
pressure and slows me down.
What have I learnt about myself through this module?
I often underestimate my ability to produce good work. When I was
doing my first sketch for Task 2, I was surprised that I managed to
create a sketch (by my own standards) in just half an hour without
referencing any images. I think this was the first time I drew
something purely from my own visualization and imagination. Of
course, having references while drawing is still important and
helpful, but this experience made me realize that I can trust my
instincts more.
What has changed and what has not in my learning journey?
I feel like my workflow has improved compared to the previous
semester. Since this is a short semester, I realized I don’t have much
time to execute my work, so my approach has been to just start now and
refine any imperfections later. I find this method much more time- and
effort-efficient, as I no longer wait until the last minute to begin
my work.
One thing that hasn’t changed in my learning journey is my
interest in experimenting with different ideas and perspectives.
Since starting college, I’ve made it a habit to explore different
subjects each semester and integrate them into my work. I still
enjoy working at my own pace, even though my workflow has
improved.
What are my aspirations?
My current goal is to keep myself surrounded by the creative world
and draw inspiration from it to create my own works. I also aim to
learn something new every day and continue experimenting until I
develop a style that truly feels like my own.
