Elements of Art

What are the elements of art?

The Elements of Art are the “tools” that artists
use to make art. There are 7 of them:
 A. Line
A line is a path that a point takes through
space. Lines can be thick, thin, dotted or
solid. They can make straight movements,
zig-zags, waves or curls.

They may be horizontal

vertical
diagonal
Horizontal Lines are generally restful, like the
horizon, where the sky meets land
Vertical lines seem to be reaching, so they may
seem inspirational like tall majestic trees or
church steeples
Diagonal lines tend to be disturbing. They
suggest decay or chaos like lightening or
falling trees
 Curved Lines show calmness, softness, grace,
flexibility and sensuality.
Crooked Lines or jagged lines – are reminiscent
of violence, conflict or struggle.
 B. Shape
Shape is created when a line becomes
connected and encloses space. It is the
outline or outward appearance of
something. Shapes are 2 Dimensional (2-D)
which means there are 2 ways they can be
measured.
You can measure its HEIGHT and its WIDTH.

There are two basic types of shape.

 The 2 types of shape

1. Geometric shapes have smooth even

edges and are measurable. They include
the square, the circle, the triangle and the
rectangle.
2. Organic shapes have more complicated edges
and are usually found in nature. Leaves,
flowers, ameba, etc.
 C. Form
A Form is a shape that has become 3-
Dimensional (3-D) Form has HEIGHT,
WIDTH and DEPTH--which is the 3rd
dimension.Depth shows the thickness of
the object. Forms are NOT flat like shapes
are!
 Turning Shapes into Forms
A triangle becomes a cone or a pyramid

A square becomes a cube

 Turning Shapes into Forms
A rectangle can become a box or a cylinder

In order to turn a circle into a sphere, you

must shade it. You can’t add another side to
it!
 D. Space
Space is basically divided into 3 parts: Foreground, Middle Ground
and Background

Generally, the background area is considered to be the upper 1/3

of the picture plane. The middle ground area is considered to
be the middle 1/3 of the picture plane. The foreground area is
considered to be the lower 1/3 of the picture plane.
 Space
Space can be shallow or deep depending on
what the artist wants to use. Shallow space
is used when the artist has objects very
close to the viewer.
 Space
Deep Space
may show
objects up
close but
objects are
shown far
away
too.
 Space
Positive and Negative space is a way that an
artwork is divided. When planning a work of
art, both areas must be examined so that they
balance one another. Drawing items running
off the page and zooming in on objects are
ways to create visual interest within a work.
Positive space is the
actual object(s) within
the artwork
Negative Space is the
area in and around the
objects. It is the
“background” and it
contributes to the
work of art---you can’t
have positive space
without negative space
 Space
Perspective is also a way of showing space in a work
of art. Perspective is when the artist uses a
vanishing point on the horizon and then creates a
sense of deep space by showing objects getting
progressively smaller as they get closer to the
vanishing point.
 Space
Objects may overlap as well. When objects are
overlapped it is obvious that enough space had to
be in the picture to contain all the objects that
have been included
 E. Color
Color can add interest and reality to artwork. The use of a
12-step color wheel will help us understand color more
effectively. When light is reflected through a prism, colors
can be seen

These colors are: Red, Yellow, Orange, Green, Indigo, Blue

and Violet
Remember the anagram: ROY G BIV
 Color Wheel
A long time ago, artists decided that these
colors would be more useful to them if they
were placed in a wheel fashion. This
became known as the color wheel
 Color
There are 3 primary colors:
Red, Yellow and Blue

These colors are primary for 2 reasons:

1. They can’t be mixed to be made
2. They make all the other colors on the color
wheel
 Color
When you mix 2 primary colors together, you
get a secondary color. For example:
Red and Yellow=Orange

Red and Blue=Violet

Yellow and Blue= Green

 Color
When you mix a primary and a secondary color
together you get an intermediate (or tertiary) color
For example:

Red and Orange= Red-Orange

Yellow and Green=Yellow-Green
Blue and Green=Blue-Green
Red and Violet=Red-Violet
Yellow and Orange=Yellow-Orange
Blue and Violet=Blue-Violet
 Color Schemes
Color is divided into groups based on the way they
are placed on the color wheel:
3-4 colors “next-door-neighbors” to each other
creates an analogous color scheme
 Color schemes
2 colors that are directly opposite each other
(going across the center) creates a
complimentary color scheme
 Color Schemes
A Split-Complimentary color scheme is a
complimentary color and the two colors on
either side of its compliment.
 Color Schemes
A Triadic color scheme uses 3 colors that are
equally spaced apart on the color wheel
 Color Schemes
When you use only one color plus its tints and
shades, you are using a monochromatic color
scheme

A tint is a color plus white

A shade is a color plus black
 Colors have temperatures
Colors can convey emotion and feelings too.

Have your ever felt “blue?”

Been “green’ with envy?
Called a “yellow” coward?

It is important that artists understand the effects of

color when they are trying to get the viewers of their
art to feel a particular way.
 Color Temperatures
Warm colors are those that have Reds, Yellows
and Oranges. Warm colors seem to advance
(or come forward) in an artwork.

Cool colors are those that have Blues, Greens

and Violets. Cool colors seem to recede (or go
back into) an artwork.
 Value
Value is the lightness or darkness of a color.
Value makes objects appear more real
because it imitates natural light. When
showing value in a work of art, you will
need a LIGHT SOURCE.

A light source is the

place where the light is
coming from, the
darkest areas are
always on the opposite
side of the light.
 Value
In order to have a successful drawing, you will need
to show a full value range, which means that
there are very light areas, middle tones, and very
dark areas. This is a way of giving a work of art
Contrast.
In drawing value
can be added
several ways:
 Ways value can be added:
Cross-hatching is when you use irregular lengths of
parallel lines
that cross over each
other diagonally. The
closer together the
lines are placed, the
darker the value.
 Ways value can be added
Stippling is the use of dots to create shade. This is
accomplished by
placing dots very
close together to
create dark values
and farther apart
to create lighter
values.
 Ways value can be added
Soft shading is when you use your pencil to
create soft gradual movements from one
value to the next using full value range.
 F. Texture

Texture is the way the surface of an object

actually feels.

In the artistic world, we refer to two types of

texture---tactile and implied
 Tactile (or Real) Texture
Tactile (or Real) Texture is the way the
surface of an object actually feels.
Examples would be sandpaper, cotton balls,
tree bark, puppy fur, etc.
 Implied Texture
Implied Texture is the way the surface of an
object looks like it feels. This is the type of
texture that artists use when they draw and
paint. Textures may look rough, fuzzy,
gritty, or scruffy, but can’t actually be felt.
The Principles of Design

What we use to organize the

Elements of Art,
or the tools to make art.
 Balance

The distribution of the visual elements in

view of their placement in relation to
each other.

The way the elements are arranged

to create a feeling of stability in a work.
 BALANCE

Alexander Calder
 Symmetrical Balance

The parts of an image are organized

so that one side mirrors the other.
 Symmetrical Balance

Leonardo DaVinci
 Asymmetrical Balance

When one side of a composition

does not reflect the design of the other.
 Asymmetrical Balance

James Whistler
 Radial Balance

When the design is reflected on all 4 sides

Radial Design
 Emphasis

The focal point of an image, or when one

area or thing stands out the most.
 EMPHASIS

Jim Dine Gustav Klimt

 Contrast

A large difference between two elements

to create interest and tension.
 Space Contrast Compl
ement
ary
colors

Salvador Dali
Ansel Adams
 Rhythm and Movement

A regular repetition of elements to

produce the look and feel of
movement.
 Rhythm and
Movement

Marcel Duchamp
Vincent VanGogh
Pattern and
Repetition
⚫ Repetition of a design motif to create a
pattern
⚫ Regular
⚫ Alternating
⚫ Random
Pattern and Repetition Gustav Klimt
 UNITY
When all the
elements and
principles
work together
to create a
pleasing
image.

Johannes Vermeer
 Variety

The use of differences and change to

increase the visual interest of the work.
 Variety

Marc Chagall
 Proportion

The comparative relationship of one part to

another with respect to size, quantity, or
degree; SCALE.
 Proportion

Gustave
Caillebotte
Proportion