- Color Your World
- Using Nature's Elements in Design
- Putting It into Practice
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Using Nature’s Elements in Design
Cristian Boian’s image that opens this chapter is composed of various elements working in harmony to create a whole and integrated pattern. When simple elements interact, they enhance and amplify one another, and become the more complex relationships that you experience as pattern. This process is called emergence and is recognized in science as well as philosophy, the arts, and systems theory. The patterns that create and are created through emergent properties combine as a visual gestalt of relevance (more on gestalt in Chapter 7, “Structure: Building Beauty”) in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Elements understood as a whole are more meaningful than as several individual connections because they contain simultaneous relationships with varied opportunities for interpretation. They culminate as an encompassing relationship instead of several unrelated ones. Design doesn’t have to suffer the visual clutter of additional information to have meaningful value. By making more relationships with less information, you leverage the most meaning with the least material. This is how nature conducts business.
In the exercises at the end of this chapter, you’ll make connections between your physical senses and how they interpret your experiences, how your senses relate to the elements, and how understanding these relationships can facilitate richness and informational depth in your design. In Chapter 7, you’ll look at an element as a tangible component of the design process. Your genius is in finding the subtle relationships that complement and expand upon one another to create more meaningfully expressed design.
Nature Shares Genius
- “All children are born geniuses. 9,999 out of every 10,000 are swiftly, inadvertently, de-geniused by grown-ups.”
- —Buckminster Fuller
There are many levels of genius, but all humans are born with a substantial aptitude for problem solving. Experiencing the subtle nuances of relationship is a quality of genius because connections are where you find solutions—and sometimes in the most surprisingly obvious places. When Sherlock Holmes resolves a particularly perplexing case or Albert Einstein refined the theory of relativity into the eloquent E=mc2 formula, each reconciled a thousand loose ends into a single manageable conclusion. All ideas considered in the realm of genius are brilliant for this simple reason: They follow the trajectories of exponentially diverse information and weave it back into its point of origin. The most mundane, seemingly irrelevant, or the too complex is brought into alignment and returned—or at least clearly related to—its original, elemental, and understandable form. The meandering curve of the question mark is brought to finality with the succinct period point of an answer to complete a story of relationship. Even the word “genius” refers back to itself in the word’s etymology of inborn nature. Nature shares genius by embedding it directly into your genes. Your genius and nature’s is one and the same. The only difference is that humans have consciousness to feel and think the experience. Nature simply is the experience. When you understand the relationships between the most basic elements, you can evolve more complex relationships out of essential ones, just as nature does.
From Holmes to Einstein—and to you as designer—genius is in the genesis of the thought made relevant. I know what you’re thinking: You’re just designing an ad layout! But what you may not realize is that the process of design uses the same thinking a “genius” does by sorting, identifying, and relating meaningful patterns. This kind of thinking meanders its way through multiple possibilities to reveal the intersections of relationship. The geniuses of the world sense an overall pattern and find ways of connecting the obscure to the relevant through trial and error, and the medium of intuition. They come to astounding realizations using the very same processes you do. The primary difference between a genius and a “normal” person is persistence. Where there’s a will, there’s a way is an adage because it is the truth.
Your goal as a designer is to create an ambiance and mood immediately upon the viewer seeing your design without any linear thinking or explanation necessary. You do this by connecting into natural relationships everyone instinctively knows. Any visual statement can be finessed and well executed—humans are quite the clever species—but none of it matters in the long run if you don’t get the fundamentals right to begin with. Shiny new things attract, but if they prove superficial and fleeting on closer inspection, their value disintegrates along with interest and retention.
Design is discovery for you and your viewer. The more you know about the basics and can encode them into your work, the stronger you’ll be as a designer, the more fun you’ll have designing, and the more response you’ll get from your audience. The tables in the following sections will help you to cross-reference the five elements and their specific properties to integrate sensual qualities into your design. You can understand them best by noticing how you experience them firsthand.
The Classical Elements
The five classical elements—air, fire, water, earth, and ether—reflect the simplest essential properties and principles of all worldly matter and matters. They are the realms of universal energy. The classical elements are common to all life on the planet at all times ( Figure 6.11). Weather, chemistry, the directions, math, mythology, and many other systems—all systems—are connected to the classical elements. Each of the elements is associated with specific traits and relationships that remain stable over time.
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6.11 An antique visual representation of how the classical elements relate to the worldly properties of hot, cold, dry, and wet. La Sphere du Monde by Oronce Fine (c. 1549). Image courtesy of Houghton Library, Harvard University. MS Typ 57.
In Figure 6.12, a classical diagram of the relationships between the classical elements and their properties of wet, cold, hot, and dry is described as one square at a 45-degree angle within another square with its translations.
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6.12 The properties of hot, wet, cold, and dry in relation to the elements (with their associated alchemical symbols). Illustration: Mauricio Martínez, Mexíco.
Tables 6.1 through 6.5 chart the relationships between the elements and their various properties and manifestations. The illustrations in Figure 6.13 by Tommy Cash Sørenson illustrate each of the four worldly elements with a combination of typography, illustration, and graphic design. Ether, or quintessence, is an element of another (but pervasive) realm that is often disregarded when you think of the “earthly elements.”
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6.13 The worldy manifestations of the elements combined as illustration, design, and typography. Illustrator: Tommy Cash Sørenson, Norway.
AIR
Air (Table 6.1) represents the mind and intelligence, communication, telepathy, inspiration, imagination, ideas, travel, knowledge, dreams, and wishes (Figure 6.14).
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6.14 Realistically illustrated and rich with saturated color, this ad campaign by Ars Thanea/Poland engages your most fundamental senses in a way that is impossible to ignore. The “Air” ad for the Martini Asti series. Design Director: Peter Jaworowski.
TABLE 6.1 Air
Gender |
Masculine |
Human element |
Mental and mind |
Physical humor |
Blood |
Attitude |
Courageous, amorous |
Temperament |
Artisan (healing) |
Creative process |
Development and imagination |
Consciousness |
Intelligence |
Action |
To dare |
Judgment |
Scientific |
Jungian |
Thinking and thought |
viewpoint |
Outward |
Direction |
East |
Energy |
Projective |
Matter |
Gas |
Quality |
Warm and moist |
Symbols |
Sky, wind, breezes, clouds, feathers, breath, vibrations, smoke, plants, herbs, trees, flowers |
Elementals |
Sylphs, zephyrs, fairies |
Time |
Dawn |
Cycle of life |
Infancy |
Season |
Spring |
Colors |
Yellow, white, ice blue, sky blue, violet |
Sense |
Smell |
Stones |
Topaz, pumice, rainbow stones, crystals, amethyst, alexandrite |
Metals |
Tin, copper |
Vegetation |
Clove, myrrh, pansy, primrose, vervain, dill, lavender |
Trees |
Acacia, almond, aspen, hazel, linden, maple, pine |
Animals |
Eagle, raven, spider |
Chemical |
Oxygen |
FIRE
Fire (Table 6.2) represents energy, inspiration, love, sexuality, passion, and leadership. Fire is the element of transformation. It is the most physical and spiritual of the elements (Figure 6.15).
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6.15 The “Fire” ad for the Martini Asti ad campaign. Design Director: Peter Jaworowski, Ars Thanea/Creative Agency.
TABLE 6.2 Fire
Gender |
Masculine |
Human element |
Life force |
Physical humor |
Yellow bile |
Attitude |
Bad tempered, anger, intensity |
Temperament |
Idealist (protection) |
Creative process |
Idea and intent |
Consciousness |
Will |
Action |
To know |
Judgment |
Faith |
Jungian |
Intuition |
Viewpoint |
Future |
Direction |
South (north for southern hemisphere) |
Energy |
Projective |
Matter |
Energy |
Quality |
Warm and dry |
Symbols |
Flame, lightning, volcano, rainbow, sun, stars, lava, heat |
Elementals |
Salamanders, firedrakes |
Time |
Noon |
Cycle of life |
Youth |
Season |
Summer |
Colors |
Red, gold, pink, crimson, orange, purple |
Sense |
Sight |
Stones |
Ruby, fire opal, volcanic lava, agate |
Metals |
Gold, brass, iron |
Vegetation |
Garlic, hibiscus, red bells, cinnamon, coffee, beans, seeds, chile peppers |
Trees |
Alder, ash, cashew, cedar, chestnut, fig, juniper, mahogany, oak, holly, rowan, walnut |
Animals |
Dragon, cat, lion, horse, snake, cricket, mantis, ladybug, bee, scorpion, phoenix, coyote, fox |
Chemical |
Nitrogen |
WATER
Water (Table 6.3) represents emotions, fertility, absorption, subconscious, purification, movement, wisdom, fluidity, the soul, and the emotional aspects of love and femininity (Figure 6.16).
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6.16 The “Water” ad for the Martini Asti ad campaign. Design Director: Peter Jaworowski, Ars Thanea/Creative Agency.
TABLE 6.3 Water
Gender |
Feminine |
Human element |
Emotional body |
Physical humor |
Phlegm |
Attitude |
Calm, deep |
Temperament |
Rational (vision) |
Creative process |
Reception |
Consciousness |
Wisdom |
Action |
To know |
Judgment |
opinion, subjective |
Jungian |
Feeling and emotion |
Viewpoint |
Inward |
Direction |
West |
Energy |
Receptive |
Matter |
Liquid |
Quality |
Cold and moist |
Symbols |
ocean, river, shell, spring, lake, well, rain, fog, cup |
Elementals |
Undines, nymphs, mermaids, water babies |
Time |
Twilight, dusk |
Cycle of life |
Maturity |
Season |
Autumn |
Colors |
Blue, aqua, turquoise, green, gray, sea green |
Sense |
Taste |
Stones |
Aquamarine, amethyst, blue tourmaline, pearl, coral, blue topaz, fluorite |
Metals |
Mercury, silver, copper |
Vegetation |
Ferns, lotus, mosses, bushes, water lilies, gardenia |
Trees |
Apple, apricot, birch, cherry, elder, elm, rose, willow |
Animals |
Dragon, water snakes, dolphin, fish, cat, frog, turtle, swan, crab |
Chemical |
Hydrogen |
EARTH
Earth (Table 6.4) is the nurturing quality that is represented by strength, abundance, creativity, stability, prosperity, wealth, and femininity (Figure 6.17).
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6.17 The “Earth” ad for the Martini Asti ad campaign. Design Director: Peter Jaworowski, Ars Thanea/Creative Agency.
TABLE 6.4 Earth
Gender |
Feminine |
Human element |
Physical body |
Physical humor |
Black bile |
Attitude |
Despondent, irritable |
Temperament |
guardian (teaching) |
Creative process |
Form |
Consciousness |
Memory |
Action |
To keep silent |
Judgment |
Experience |
Jungian |
Senses and sensations |
Viewpoint |
Past |
Direction |
North (south for southern hemisphere) |
Energy |
Receptive |
Matter |
Energy |
Quality |
Cold and dry |
Symbols |
Rocks, fields, soil, salt, caves, clay |
Elementals |
gnomes, dwarfs, trolls |
Time |
Midnight, night |
Cycle of life |
Age |
Season |
Winter/Spring |
Colors |
Black, green, brown, russet, citrine, tan, olive |
Sense |
Touch |
Stones |
Rock crystal, emerald, onyx, jasper, salt, azurite, amethyst, quartz |
Metals |
Iron, lead |
Vegetation |
Ivy, grains, oats, rice, patchouli, lichen |
Animals |
Cow, bull, dog, horse, ant, bear, wolf |
Chemical |
Carbon |
ETHER
Ether (also called Spirit; Table 6.5) is the prime and essential element present in all things, providing space, connection, and balance for all other elements to exist. Ether is immaterial, unlike air, fire, water, and earth. It is essential to your sense of connectedness and well-being, and represents the sense of joy and union (Figure 6.18).
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6.18 The amalgamation of the properties of pattern, shape, and color combine to create a Photoshop illustration by Romanian digital artist Cristian Boian. Although abstracted images such as this are open to individual interpretation, there are basic elements of fluidity, diversity, unity, and separation that encompass the idea of “ether.”
TABLE 6.5 Ether
Gender |
Androgynous |
Human element |
Spiritual |
Physical humor |
— |
| Attitude | — |
| Temperament | — |
| creative process | Flow |
| Consciousness | Enlightenment |
Action |
Exist |
Judgment |
— |
Jungian |
Archetype |
Viewpoint |
Universal |
Direction |
Universal |
Energy |
Universal |
Matter |
Singularity |
Quality |
Being |
Symbols |
The slender and subtle connection: cord or rope |
Elementals |
Angels or spiritual guides |
Time |
Now |
Cycle of life |
Eternity, transcendence |
Season |
The wheel of year |
Colors |
White, clear, black |
Sense |
Higher receptions, sound (vibration) |
Stones |
Diamond, quartz crystal, jet, black onyx |
Metals |
— |
Vegetation |
Mistletoe, hemlock, wolfbane, nightshades, fir, coltsfoot |
Animals |
Dove, mythical creatures, sphinx, unicorn |
Chemical |
— |