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Design is what makes the art work different. As it is said “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” and this statement indicates how different we perceive things. Design allows the artist to put this personal touch that differ his work from others. The focal point on an art work is made obvious to the viewer because the artist uses a particular design on this area of his work.

The similarities between “Design Principles for Visual Communication” and “the design principle of Japanese gardens” is that both focus on the importance of design in art work. They explain how design makes a work unique (the Japanese garden). The first article tells us how visual design makes communication effective. The more the design is detailed and précised, the more effective is the communication process both texts elaborate on taking simple things and transforming them into unique and effective artworks. Both texts agree that design is used to transmit a message.
The difference about these texts’ approach is that when the first one elaborates on communication networking which is all about shapes and lines, the second one is about the beauty of the gardens, most focused on matching colors. The first text aimed to reach a result that is practical and could be used in the daily life while the second text is only for the beauty of the artwork. Designing those gardens does not give them more productivity or any direct impact on human daily life but it is has as much value in artistic point of view.
The last artwork that I will be talking about is “Georges de la Tour, Joseph the Carpenter”. This painting catches my interest because of the details that the artist has put on his work. Even in the dark, we can still distinguish all the parts the man and the little boy’s bodies. The artist has design his work in such precision that it makes the painting realistic to me. The focal point demonstrated by the use of the light from which everything radiates outward represent to me the personal touch of the artist. This light makes the painting different from any other painting of a carpenter during a work time. The light emphasis on the boy rather than the adult worker and it also show the connection between the boy and the adult through their regard. This painting is so realistic that it looks like a photograph.
All these artistic works tell us that design is not only important in art work but indispensable. Design makes the art work because it gives the artistic meaning to the work. Design incites our imagination and takes us into the artist world.
If the Japanese gardens could speak it would say: “I am not just a garden, I am the result of the human imagination”.
The “Joseph the Carpenter painting would say: “look at the face of this innocent boy, it will bring peace to you.”
The image posted along with this essay represents a example of a visual communication design.