elements and principles

     In  this article by Sidney Johns he finishes his writing by suggesting that learning the Principles and Elements he has laid out , anyone will then be capable of decorating their home or creating beautiful works of art. I find a couple of issues with his theory.
     First being that one must not simply read and memorize the list he has provided. In order to really become familiar with these elements and principles you must also see how they have been used successfully in design or art. Just reading a quick definition is not always going to provide your mind with an image.
    Johns also fails to address the fact that his list of Principles and Elements may vary from lists compiled by others.People have created several different versions of the the principles and elements, many looking very different than the next. A list of Design Principles may vary from a list of Art  Principles. Furthermore, how these Principles and elements are practiced in each different discipline will also vary.

source of images here