Shape yourself to shapes...

We live in a three-dimensional world. Every object you see or touch has three dimensions that can be measured into Length, Height & Width. The room where you are placed, your monitor you’re looking at & the clothes you are wearing all are three dimensional. Even you can be described by these three dimensions.

Geometry is the study of the size, shape and position of 2 dimensional & 3 dimensional figures. Everyone uses it daily consciously or unconsciously by exploring the spatial sense and geometric reasoning. Which in every turn is found in art, architecture, engineering, robotics, land surveys, astronomy, sculptures, space, nature, sports, machines, cars & in varied many more things which goes unnoticed.

What do you feel when you see a circle? A square? A triangle? Are you affected the same when seeing an object with soft gentle curves as you are when seeing another object with sharp jagged edges?  Lines & shapes have meaning which make them an important building block in the visual grammar and visual thinking we have at our disposal as designers.

Shapes have an endless variety of characteristics, each communicating different messages. Even if your page is nothing more than paragraphs of text you’re laying down shapes on the page.

Circles have no beginning or end. They represent the eternal whole having free movement. 

Squares and rectangles are stable. They have right angles and represent order, mathematics, rationality, and formality. The majority of text we read is set in rectangles or squares.

Triangles can be stable when sitting on their base or unstable when not. They represent direct tension, action, and aggression.

Spirals are expressions of creativity. They are often found in the natural growth pattern of many organisms and suggest the process of growth and evolution.

Crosses symbolize spirituality and healing. The 4 points of a cross represent self, nature, wisdom, and higher power or being. Crosses suggest transition, balance, faith, unity, temperance, hope, and life.

Curved shapes offer rhythm & movement, happiness, pleasure & generosity. They are seen as more feminine than sharp shapes which offer energy, violence and, anger. Sharp shapes are lively and youthful seen as more masculine.

Shapes can be used to convey depth by varying their size and position within a design. Larger shapes will appear closer and smaller shapes will appear further away. Shapes that are located lower in a design will seem closer and those higher up further away. Overlapping shapes is another way to create a sense of one in front of the other to add depth to your design.

Look around you observe shapes in designs & nature & think about what they make you feel or what they are communicating? Do they enhance or hinder the message of the designs you see?