Hi, everyone. My name is Mario. And I'd like to welcome you to today's lesson, which is going to be on dot.
So we're going to learn about the dot element and then also touch upon why it's important in individual design process. So as also, feel free to pause, fast forward, and rewind at your own pace. And when you're ready to go, let's dive in.
So let's begin our lesson by defining dot. The dot is a complex made of size and shape that anchors itself to any space. So we have here a single dot. I think it's what most of us think of when anyone mentions a dot, kind of like polka dots or just a simple circle. A dot is a point of emphasis, and, although, here it's the circle, it can really be any shape provided it doesn't visually communicate a line.
So a square placed in the white space of a page is still considered a dot, because it's still the focal point and it still attracts visual attention to it, which is a defining characteristic of a dot. An individual dot is neutral in how it sits in space. It doesn't appear to move vertically, nor does it appear to move horizontally. So the dot doesn't suggest direction. It's just anchored in space. And again, the dot doesn't have to be a circle, but a dot has a size and unified shape, and a position in space.
Now, what happens if you introduced a cluster? A cluster is a number of dots or elements that are in close proximity. And you may notice that even adding a secondary dot creates tension, a strange relationship between elements. The dots are still areas of interest on their own, but the closer you move these dots, the more tension there is.
It's kind of like if you put two strangers in an empty room, each one of them id a focal point or a dot, but as one moves uncomfortably close, then the area of focus shifts to their proximity. All that tension is held in that tiny bit of space left between those two dots. That's actually kind of creepy.
So that wraps up our lesson for today, a quick one. Here are our key terms-- dot, tension, and cluster. I hope you've enjoyed this lesson with me today. My name is Mario. And I will see you next lesson.
