Elements of Art & Principles of Design

In Image

Elements of ArtDefined as the basic parts and symbols of an artwork.

Line – a continuous mark made by a moving point. Lines vary in width, length, direction, color, and degree of curve. Artists use line in many ways, for example, to define a space, create a pattern, or show movement.

Artist: Ando Hiroshige

Title:Fuji from Sagami River

Shape – an enclosed area of space, often defined by line. Shapes are two-dimensional, or flat, but can be made to look like solid three-dimensional objects. Some shapes are geometric, such as a rectangle or circle. Others are organic, having an irregular outline (amorphic).

Artist:Fernand Leger

Title:Disks

Form – an object with three dimensions: height, width, and depth. Like shapes, forms can be geometric or organic. Artist: Deborah Butterfield Title: Riot

Space – is the area around, above, between, inside, or below objects. Positive space is the area occupied by an object. Negative space is the empty area surrounding objects. Artists vary positive and negative space to imply size and distance. Artist: Grant Wood Title: Stone City

Value – refers to the lightness or darkness of a color A light value, such as pink, is a tint. A tint is any color plus white. A dark value, such as dark red (maroon), is a shade. A shade is any color plus black. Artists show transitions between different values to create depth or suggest a mood.

Artist:Leonardo da Vinci

Title: Self-portrait

Color (Hue)- the appearance of an object created by characteristics of light it reflects and absorbs. A red object, for example, reflects red light and absorbs all other colors. Black and White are NOT considered to be colors in but shades and tints.

Title: Georgia O’Keeffe

Title:Red Canna

Texture – refers to the way a surface feels to the touch (tactile texture) or how it appears through the sense of vision (visual texture). Artists work one or both types of texture into their artwork to help viewers understand a surface quality.Artist: Barbara Benedetti Newton Title: Fancy

Principles of Design

Defined as the guidelines that artists use to organize the elements of art in a composition.

Balance – refers to the way the elements of art are arranged to create a sense of stability and equal visual weight. An artwork has balance if no one part visually overpowers another.

Title: Stained glass rose window in the cathedral of St Denis, near Paris, France

Proportion – refers to the relationship between the parts of an artwork to each other and to the whole. An artist painting a portrait, for example, may keep in mind the size relationship of the nose to the face. Artist: Unknown Title: Funerary Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel, Egypt

Emphasis – is the sense of importance given to any one part of the composition. Artists add emphasis when they want to draw attention to a certain object or idea.

Artist: Charles Demuth

Title:Figure Five in Gold

Pattern – is the repeated use of an element, such as line, shape, or color.

Artist:Isy Ochoa

Title: Shell (Coquillage)

Rhythm – is a sense of movement in a composition created by the regular repetition of an element. Rhythm in an artwork can appear vibrant and active or calm.

Artist: Robert Delaunay Title: Rythme N°1

Unity – is the quality of wholeness achieved when the separate parts of an artwork work well together. An artwork with unity often shows repeated elements, such as the frequent use of a shape.

Artist: Henri Matisse Title: Red Bedroom

Variety – refers to the combination of different elements in an artwork. Artists energize their compositions by varying patterns, shapes, and colors. They strive to strike a balance between unity and variety. Artist: Rene Magritte Title: Untitled (The horsewoman)