Teresa is new to the exchange. I found her artwork online and it's gorgeous. I pulled out the Hipster font that I was doing a few months ago. It reminded me a little bit of some of her work - not nearly as detailed - but good enough for an envelope. I went rogue with the stamp placement. I hope it doesn't get an aggressive grease pencil slash. Maybe Teresa will send me a photo of what it looked like when it arrived. I did enough Hipster envelopes to be able to make something I like. Note to self: go through all the blog posts and find all the styles that made it into the *predictably successful* category. I wonder how many of them I will find. I wish I had penciled in lines for the address. When I bounce the name - I shouldn't bounce the address. There's a principle behind that comment - but I'm not sure which one. Maybe movement. Or harmonious movement. Or balanced movement.
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There are many websites with the elements and principles of design. I chose two off the top of the list. One has twelve and the other has seven.
LINK to twelve principles of design
Emphasis, Balance, Contrast, Repetition, Proportion, Movement, White space, Rhythm, Pattern, Hierarchy, Variety, Unity. Jean asks: What about Scale? Jean says: It can be lumped in with Proportion.
LINK to seven principles of design
Emphasis, Balance and alignment, Contrast, Repetition, Proportion, Movement, White space
I agree that Emphasis and Balance are two things that should be considered on every envelope or any other work of art. Also a meal or an outfit or a garden or a room. Even though I am drawn to minimalism I do like a focal point. But, I can be satisfied without one.
On an envelope, I often emphasize the name. Other times I have something else that is emphasized and the name is understated. The stamp can be the star of the show.
I suppose I should find examples. A recent one was this one:
When I posted this one I couldn't really articulate why I liked it so much. Now I know. It's because I was able to emphasize the stamp by understating the name and address. The principle of Hierarchy is at work in my choices of size and colors for the name and address. Also - there is some strong contrast between the name and address. I wasn't thinking about those things specifically as I composed the envelope. I intended to put the address under the name - but it would have been cramped. Those two two elements were blah - until I found that stamp - and then voila - I loved the stamp with the name and I knew that I had to Balance the address with the stamp - over the name. Once it came together - I had to restrain myself from adding doodads, drop shadows or anything else. I had to convince myself that Jeanette would not be disappointed that I spent so little time on her name. Maybe it looks like it took very little time or thought and that I just threw it together - but it actually took time to consider options and do something with that name that created Harmony.
Why isn't Harmony on either of those lists. That's one of the main Principles. I wonder if there are others that are missing.
And -yes- we're not saying that everything should be harmonious. Dissonance is the flip side and heaven knows that there are a ton of people who thrive on dissonance and create all kinds of controversy.
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