What is Art?

Art - the product of creative human activity in which materials are shaped or selected to convey an idea, emotion, or visually interesting form.

Classification of Arts1. Visual Arts- Artworks that are perceived by our eyes, which may be

classified into graphic and plastic arts.

Classification of Visual Arta. Graphic arts or 2D or Two Dimensional Art - they are flat has a dimension of height and width. Painting or 2-dimensional art viewed only from front side, such as painting, drawing, photography and other products of printing industry.

b. Plastic Arts or 3D or Three Dimensional Art - they are solid and has three dimension of height, width and depth. Examples are sculpture, architectural designs and construction of buildings and other structures: landscape of gardens, furnishing designs etc.

2. Performing Arts- are art forms in which artists use their body, voice, or objects to convey artistic expression - It involves movement, speaking and gestures. Performing arts include a variety of disciplines but all are intended to be performed in front of a live audience. These include the theater, play, dance, and music.

a. Music is the interpretation of sound combined into melody and harmony b. Drama or Theater is the imitation of life on stagec. Dance the expression of human movement on stage performance

3. Literary Arts- in its broadest sense, is any written work. These include the short stories, novels, poetry, drama and essays.

4. Gustatory or Culinary Art - This involves skill in food preparation.

5. Decorative Arts or Applied Arts - The arts concerned with making objects with functional purposes, but for which aesthetic concerns are significant. They are visual objects produces for beautifying houses, offices, offices, cars, and other structures.

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4. Texture5. Color6. Space

B. Curve Lines Types of Curve Lines

Convex Concave Scroll Spiral

The Language of Art To learn how the watch works, you might take it apart and study the pieces. While the parts are spread out before you, however, the watch cannot run. Only when the parts are in place will the familiar ticking tell you that the watch is working.Like watches, works of art are made up of parts. When an artist skillfully puts the pieces of an artwork together, it succeeds as art. You can see how the parts work together to make a unified whole. In this reading you will learn about this parts and how they can be explore, manipulated and organized, as in the paintings below, to make a pleasing whole.

Elements of ArtThe Elements are basic components or parts which can be isolated and defined in any visual design or work of art. They are the structure of the work, and can carry a wide variety of messages. Every drawing, painting, and sculpture uses the 6 elements of art.

The Elements are:

1. Line 2. Shape and Form 3. Tone or Value

I. Line – is the path of a moving point. It is a mark left by a tool - brush, pencil, stick, pen, etc. as it is drawn across a surface and is often defined as a moving dot. It has length and width, but its width is very tiny compared to its length

A. Physical Characteristics of LinePhysical Qualities - Composed of or relating to things that occupy space and can be seen, hold or feel. It is the appearance or width of any line.1. Kinds of Lines

A. Straight Lines Types of Straight Lines

Vertical Horizontal Slant or diagonal Broken Lines

2. Direction – refers to the movement or course, which the line is taking or is pointed towards. Horizontal Line Diagonal Line Vertical Lines

3. Measure – refers to the dimension of line which is length and width

4. Character – refers to the expressive qualities of lines.The character of line shows emotional qualities and is greatly dependent on the nature of the artistic media that the artist uses.

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B. Design Qualities of Lines Design Qualities - How well an (artwork) element is ordered or put together. It is the way lines are arranged or used in an artwork.

1. Outline Outlines show the edges of the shapes and forms

2. Contour Line Contour lines not only show the edges of the shapes being drawn but they also go onto the surface of the object to help describe the 3-dimensional qualities of the form. Contour Line is a line that represents the contour of an object, both the interior contours and the outer edge. 

3. Hatching and Crosshatching Hatching is the placement of lines next to each other as seen in some areas of the drawing above.  Crosshatching - is a series of intersecting sets of parallel lines used to indicate shading or volume in a drawing. Hatching and crosshatching lines help to develop value in the drawing.

Expressive Qualities of Lines Expressive Qualities - The feelings, moods, and ideas communicated to the viewer through a work of art. 1. Vertical lines - suggest stability, solemnity or spirituality strength and majesty 2. Horizontal lines – expresses calmness, repose, relaxation, contemplation and quietude

Objects parallel to the earth are at rest in relation to gravity. 3. Slanting or Diagonal lines – gives us a feeling of motion or action Since objects in a diagonal position are unstable in relation to gravity, being neither vertical nor horizontal, they are either about to fall, or are already in motion.4. Curved lines – such as scroll expresses continuity and the s-lines “ the line of grace”. Curved lines do vary in meaning, however. Soft, shallow curves suggest comfort, safety, familiarity, relaxation. They recall the curves of the human body, and therefore have pleasing, sensual quality. Sharply curved or twisted lines can convey turmoil, chaos, and even violence. 5. Straight jagged lines - that are scattered and broken suggest disorderliness and violent action Diagonal jagged lines - that are harsh and unpleasant connote confusion, disturbance, battle, war and sudden death.

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II. Shape - An element of art, it is an enclosed space defined and determined by other art elements such as line, color, value, and texture. Shape is an area enclosed by line, or seen as an area because of color or value changes. Shapes have 2-dimensions – the height and width. They appear to be flat.

Kinds of Shape 1. Geometric Shapes – shapes that have smooth, even edges and angular corners. They are typically made with straight lines or shapes from geometry, including circle, ovals, triangles, rectangles and squares.

Dimension of Shapes

height

width 2. Organic or Natural Shape – shapes found in nature such as trees, leaves, animals etc. Organic shapes are usually more rounded and appear most often in nature.

3. Positive Shape - filled with something, such as lines, designs, color, or shapes. The subject matter is the representational objects and is usually positive (like the sheep).

4. Negative Shapes - the background (black area) is the negative shape in the composition. The empty area in an artwork, a void.

Expressive Characteristics of ShapesLike the lines, each shape may connote a specific meaning

Square – straightness, enclosure, honesty, dullnessCircle – perfection, endlessness, warmth, protectionTriangle – conflict, tension, action, interactionFree form – uncertainty, chaos, restlessness, confusion 

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III. Form - refers to an element of art that is three-dimensional (height, width, and depth) and encloses volume. For example, a triangle, which is two-dimensional, is a shape, but a pyramid, which is three-dimensional, is a form. Cubes, spheres, ovoids, pyramids, cone, and cylinders are examples of various forms.

Two Important Features of FormVolume - Refers to the space within a form. Thus, in architecture, volume refers to the space within a building. Mass - Refers to the effect and degree of bulk, density, and weight of matter in space; the area occupied by a form such as a building or sculpture. As opposed to plane and area, mass is three-dimensional.

Types of Form

1. Actual Forms Actual means real, you see actual forms in actual three-dimensional works such as sculpture or architecture.2. Implied Forms The first image show the shape of the rounded stone but it becomes a form, an Implied forms, when it is shaded. Implied means not real only suggested or inferred.

IV. Value

Value is the relative lightness or darkness of a surface or a color. In design it refers to the amount of light reflected or absorbed by a pigment or surface. Although value is perhaps easiest to see in black and white, it is also a part of color. Value is described as being high (light), medium or low (dark). White has the highest value and black the lowest.

9 Steps Value Scale and its Value Name

white high light light low light mid-gray high dark dark low dark black

                 

  high key values   low-key low key values  

Value Scale or Tonal Gradation - is a series of steps from pure white to black with thousands of grays in between. A value scale usually begins with black and ends with white.

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 1. Stippling: Drawing with dots. To get darker values you place more of them closer together

 2. Hatching: Lines places parallel (same direction) and often follow the contour of the form being drawn.

3. Crosshatching: Hatching that has crisscross lines

4. Blending - A shading technique in which dark values are added little by little.

Illusion of Spatial Depth

Illusion of Solidity and Mass

To Express Mood and Feeling

The Uses of Value 1. To create the illusion of solidity or mass. 2. To create the illusion of spatial distance or depth in a composition. 3. To create a mood or express feeling or emotion - Value can also be used to set the mood of a work, creating a light and airy sense through the use of light values or a somber tone through he use of predominantly dark values

Ways to Achieve ValueDrawing techniques—different ways of drawing, such as hatching, stippling, contour, blending, or shading

 

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Color Wheel

Warm Colors Cool Colors

V. ColorThe most expressive element of art.

The element of design that is a property of light.

The visual response to the wavelengths of light, identified as red, blue, green, etc.

The visual sensation dependent on the reflection or absorption of light from a given surface.

The Color WheelA Color Wheel is a circular diagram that organizes colors. It is a color circle, based on red, yellow and blue, is traditional in the field of art. There are 12 colors found in a color wheel.

The purpose of the color wheel is to show the relationship of colors to each other. It also helps us to find ways colors look good together (the color harmony or color scheme).

Color wheels also help artists remember how to mix and think about pigments.

Kinds of ColorsColor may be organized into a color wheel system that assists in choosing a color scheme, or a combination of colors that work well together. The colors are divided into groups. There are:

1. Primary Colors The primary colors are what the color wheel is based on, Red, Yellow and Blue and these three colors are primary or basic and can be used to make all other colors in the world. You can mix any color you want using blue, yellow, red, black and white.

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Y YG

YO G

O BG

RO B

R BV RV V

Red, Yellow and Blue

2. Secondary Colors They are created by mixing two primary colors and are placed between those colors on the color wheel. Yellow + Red = Orange Yellow + Blue = Green

Blue + Red = Violet (also known as Purple)

3. Intermediate Colors Intermediate Colors are made by mixing adjacent primary and secondary colors. They are located on the color wheel between those two colors. There are six intermediate colors and are named by using the primary color first. Yellow+Green = Yellow Green Red+Violet= Red Violet Blue+Green = Blue Green Yellow +Orange = Yellow Orange Blue+Violet = Blue Violet Red+Orange = Red Orange

Yellow+Green = Yellow Green

4. Neutrals Why is gray in the middle of the color wheel? Well, gray, black and white are called neutrals. They aren't colors because they don't reflect a single light ray, like colors do. Neutral colors or earth tones are not seen on color wheel.

5. Compound Colors or Chromatic Neutrals Compound colors are colors containing a mixture of the three primaries. All the browns, khakis, tans, beiges and earth colors are compound colors.

Neutral colors can be made by mixing: 1. Back and white

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2. Complementary colors 3. All three primaries together (plus some black and white)

Color Harmony Color Harmony - a plan for organizing colors.

- the pleasing combination or arrangement of colors. - set of colors that are used in an artwork, and the way they are combined in an artwork.

Color schemes are used as a guide to find groups of colors that consistently look good together. They are based on the color wheel. Color schemes are used for decorating in homes, fabric designs and by artists in general. Color schemes may be used to create a mood.

1. Triad Color Scheme

These are colors that create an equilateral triangle on the color wheel. There are only three colors in this color scheme. There is a total of 4 Triad Color Schemes: A. Primary triad color scheme - Red, Yellow and Blue B. Secondary triad color scheme - Green, Violet, Orange C. 2 Intermediate triad color schemes Note: the words primary, secondary and intermediate are not color scheme names. But they do help one understand specifically which triad scheme is being used. What colors complete the triad scheme with yellow orange?

Primary triad color scheme Secondary triad color scheme

Harmony of Related Color

2. Analogous Colors Scheme These are colors that are closely related or next to each other on the color wheel. There must be 3 colors in this color scheme. You may skip the intermediate colors to create this color scheme.

Ex. Yellow, Yellow Orange, Orange

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What are 2 colors that would be analogous with blue? There are several options to that question. What are they?3. Monochromatic Color Scheme This is using just one color in a composition. Mono means one and chroma means color. Tints, tones and shades of the color round out the entire color usage for the composition.There can be no signs of any other color for it to be a monochromatic color scheme.Example: You could use the monochromatic color scheme using: red, maroon, pink, white and black -All of these have the basic hue of red

4. Cool Colors Cool Colors --On one half of the color wheel are the cool colors, from yellow-green to violet. They are associated with water, sky and foliage and suggest coolness. Psychologically, cool colors are calming. They appear to look further away, recede, from the viewer in an artwork

5. Warm Colors Warm Colors -- The adjacent colors in the color wheel visually emitting a warm temperature. They are often associated with fire, heat and sun. and suggest warmth. These colors would be yellow, yellow-orange, orange, red-orange, red, and red-violet. They appear to advance toward the viewer in an artwork

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Harmony of Contrasting ColorsHarmony of contrasting colors is composed of colors opposite each other on the color wheel

6. Complementary Color Scheme These colors are directly across or opposite from each other on the color wheel. They have equal number of colors between them. There are just two colors in a complementary color scheme.Example: Red and Green – red is the complement of green

What is the complement of blue? What is the complement of Red-Orange?

Red and green Yellow and violet

7. Split Complementary Color Scheme These colors are similar to the complementary colors but instead of using the colors complement, you split to the sides and use the colors next to it. For example, the complement of orange is blue, and the two colors on either side of blue are blue-green and blue-violet. Therefore the split complements of orange are blue-green and blue-violet. There are always three colors in this color scheme. Ex. Orange – BG & BV Red- BG &YG What are the colors that are split complements of Red-Orange? What are the colors that are split complements of Blue?

Red Violet – G &Y Yellow Green – V &R

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Look at this delicate pen and ink drawing of a piece of coral. Here the artist used lines to represent the actual texture of the coral. It looks as if you could reach out and touch the rough surface and feel the texture.

If the lines and texture were not added, would you be able to identify what was drawn?

What does Texture add to this work? Does it make the work more interesting?

Three Properties of Color All colors possess three basic qualities. 1. Hue - is another word for color and it is basically means the color pigment present. - the name of colors such as blue, green , red etc.

Some unusual color hues, it reminds us of flowers, gemstones, fruits etc.Which of these has a shade of blue, red, yellow or violet?crimson, burgundy, maroon, carmine, viridian, mint, turquoise, emerald, cerulean, denimcobalt, lapis, tangerine, mustard, lemon, saffron, amber, lavender, lilac, mauve, amethyst

2. Value – is the physical properties of color that distinguishes between the lightness and darkness of a color or the quantity of light a color reflects. A color is made lighter by adding white and darker by adding black. Each color also has natural value. From lightest to darkest are: Yellow, Orange, Red and Green, Blue and Violet.

3. Intensity - is the brightness or dullness of a color. A color can't be made brighter than the way the pigment comes to you in the paint tubeAlso called chroma or saturation. It refers to the brightness of a color (a color is full in intensity only when pure and unmixed). Color intensity can be changed by adding gray, or an opposite color on the color wheel.

VI. Texture

Texture refers to the surface quality in a work of art. It can be the actual surface feel of an area or the simulated or implied appearance of roughness or smoothness. It is a tactile experience.

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Types of Texture

1. Tactile or Actual Texture Texture that can be seen and felt. You can actually feel the texture with your hand. Tactile texture is actual and touchable, as with a surface This texture might be achieved by using thick paint, using layers of paint, using collage, adding objects to the paint etc.

2. Visual or Implied Texture The copying, or imitation, of object surfaces Texture that you can only seen but not felt. It is the illusion of actual texture. By using particular techniques in art a surface can be made to look textured even though it feels smooth. Visual texture is an apparent or simulated surface, read by the eyes.

Principles of Art/DesignIf you want to use a language, knowing the vocabulary is not enough. You must also know how the words go together. You must know the rules of grammar for that language. The same is true to art. Instead of rules of grammar, the language of art has art principles. These principles, or guidelines, govern how artist organize the visual elements to create a work of art. The way in which these principles are applied affects the expressive content, or the message of the work. The principles of art include balance, variety, harmony, unity, emphasis, proportion, gradation, rhythm and movement.

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What is Principles of Design? Principles of Design - the means by which the artist organizes and integrates the visual elements into unified arrangements. The rules by which an artist organizes the Elements of Art to create a work of art. Design – any arrangement of lines, forms, textures, and colors. It involves the problem of choosing these forms and colors and then arranging them. A good design shows an orderly arrangement of the materials and, in addition, creates beauty in the finished productSelecting and arranging have two aims – order and beauTypes of Design 1. Two Dimensional Designs – the designs, which are, made for flat 2D surface such as drawing, painting, producing surface pattern on fabric, rugs, wallpapers, photography, print etc. Decorative Design – the surface enrichment of a structural design. Decoration enriches a surface without denying the essential flatness of its nature.   

2. Three Dimensional Designs – the design made for solid 3D objects. It includes sculpture, architecture, handicrafts, such as jewelry, pottery, and leather work, clothing, and machine made objects such as stoves, automobiles, pencil sharpeners etc. Structural Design – the design made by the size, form, color and texture of an object itself in a space or drawing of that object worked out on paper.

I. The Principle of BalanceBalance – refers to a way of combining art elements to add a feeling of equilibrium or stability to a work of art. - a feeling of equality of weight, attention, or attraction of the various elements within the composition as a means of accomplishing unity. Kinds of BalanceMost successful compositions achieve balance in several ways: symmetrical, asymmetrical and radial.

A. Symmetrical or Formal Balance Symmetrical balance is when the weight is equally distributed on both sides of the central axis or the elements of art on both sides of a central vertical line appear to be about equal in shape, weight, value and color, Symmetry is the simplest and most obvious type of balance.

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James Abbott Whistler American, Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1: Portrait of the Artist's Mother, 1871.

Visual Weight – the potential element or area of a drawing to attract the eye. 2. Asymmetrical or Informal Balance – A balance achieved through the use of dissimilar parts or both sides of the central axis are not identical, yet appear to leave the same visual weight. It is a "felt" equilibrium or balance between the parts of a composition rather than actual. Asymmetrical balance is achieved with dissimilar objects on either side of the vertical axis in a work of art. Objects may be dissimilar and have the same visual weight.

There are no rules or limits with asymmetrical balance. That does not mean that anything goes. Careful adjustments in size, shape, color and placement of the elements in the format are required before balance is achieved.

3. Radial Balance – is a type of balance based on a circle with its design extending from its center. A star, the iris around each pupil of your eyes, a wheel with spokes, and a daisy (among many flowers and other plant forms) are examples of radial balance.

Sometimes an artist wants the viewer to look particularly close at a specific area of the work. The artist will manipulate the Elements of Art so that your eye is drawn to a particular area. How is this done? Let's see some works that show good use Emphasis.

II. The Principle of Emphasis

Emphasis – stresses one element or area in a work of art to attract the viewer's attention and to create one or more center of interest in a work. - the part of the artwork that is visually dominant over the rest of the piece.

Dominance - The part of a composition that is emphasized, has the greatest visual weight, the most important, powerful, or has the most influence. Subordination -When there is dominance there must be subordination

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(things lower in ranking). In art this means that some things get more attention and some get less. Figure dominates ground for instance.Emphasis may be achieved using several techniques

1. Emphasis through placement – derives from the rule of thirds. It is achieved when one element or object is arranged so that other things in the composition point to it. Placement in a strategic position (usually at the center) will call attention to a particular element of a design, but sometimes it is not best to place emphasis in center of the picture plane.

2. Emphasis through isolation - Isolation is a kind of placement -- where something is put, is achieved by setting one element or object in a work of art apart from the others. If most of the elements in a work of art are grouped closely together, an object by itself stands out as a focal point.

3. Emphasis by contrast is created when one element contrasts with, rather than continuing, the prevailing design scheme. Some possibilities for differences may be in color, value, line quality, texture, line direction, size or type of shape.

Contrast - refers to the use of opposites or to the pronounced difference —such as light and dark, rough and smooth, big & small — in close proximity to each other.

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Shapes + Colors + Lines = Pattern

Simple way to create a pattern

III. The Principle of Rhythm

Rhythm – is the principle of art concerned with the repeating element to make a work seem active or to suggest vibration. To create rhythm, an artist will repeat not just elements but also the same exact objects over and over. When this is done, a pattern is formed.Rhythm created in works of art with the Repetition of similar elements of art.

Pattern - The repetition of any thing -- shapes, lines, or colors in an organized way -also called a motif, in a design.

Ways to Create Rhythm

1. Regular Rhythm – the usual repetition of elements. Ex. AB-AB-AB-AB

2. Alternating Rhythm - involves repetition of two or more motifs which alternate with one another to produce a regular sequence in the work of art. Ex. ABA-CDC-ABA-EFE-ABA-CDC-ABA-EFE

3. Progressive Rhythm – progression occurs when there is gradual increase or decrease in the size, number, color, or some other quality of the elements repeated. Ex. AB-AABB-AAABBB-AAAABBBB

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IV. The Principle of Harmony and Unity

Harmony – refers to a way of combining art elements to accents their similarities, commonness and bind the picture parts into a whole. It is often achieved through the use of repetition and simplicity.An agreement or accord. A union or blend of aesthetically compatible components.

Harmony - brings together a composition with similar units.  If your composition was using wavy lines and organic shapes you would stay with those types of lines and not put in just one geometric shape. (Notice how similar Harmony is to Unity - some sources list both terms)

The Principle of UnityUnity – visual connections between the elements that allow the viewer to see the work as a whole, the visual linking of various elements of the work.

It refers to the quality of oneness or wholeness that is achieved through the effective use of the principles of design. Unity is seen in a painting or drawing when all the parts equal a whole (the feeling of wholeness or oneness). Your work should not appear disjointed or confusing.

Most common ways to achieve Unity 1. Unity by proximity The simplest method of making objects appear to belong together is to group them closely together. This allows us to see a pattern. Putting the separate elements close together so that they are seen as a total, related pattern rather than as separate entities.

3. Unity by repetition implies that elements which repeat within a work of art will tend to unity a design.

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Piet Mondrian"Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow" 1930

George Seurat (French) 1859-1891, A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, 1884-86.

4. Unity by continuation is a way to achieve unity when one element of the composition is connected, usually by a line or edge to another element in the composition. Something continues (such as a line, edge or direction) from one form to another, carrying the viewer's eye smoothly from one to the next.

5. Unity by similarity or theme - this means that the elements used relate to the ideas or concept being expressed. A person perceives similar objects as a group or whole, whether it be similar shape, size, color, location, angle or value; similarity is necessary before difference can be perceived.

Unity is a very difficult concept to understand, but, if you create a piece of art that just doesn't look right, or appears as if it needs more work, then you need to unify the Elements of Art.

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