ELEMENTS OF ART “My belief is that it is most

important for an artist to develop an approach and philosophy about life-if he has developed this philosophy, he does not put paint on canvas, he puts himself on canvas.”

o-Jacob Lawrence (1917-2000)

LINE LINE: The path of a moving point

through space.

Line is a mark made by a pointed tool-brush, pencil stick, pen, etc. It is a moving dot and often suggests movement.Line can be considered in two ways. The linear marks made with a pen or brush or the edge created when two shapes meet. - When thinking about line, think about:

DIRECTION All lines have direction - Horizontal, Vertical or Oblique.

- Horizontal suggest rest and calmness. - Oblique (Diagonal) suggests movement and

action.

- Vertical gives a feeling of balance/stability.

LINE Direction can have a powerful influence on the mood of a

piece of art. It is something often overlooked, but making a conscience decision about the dominant direction in an artwork can have a noticeable effect on the atmosphere of the work.

Sometimes the subject will dictate the dominant direction. Sometimes the subject will allow you to impose a direction on it.

LINE In the paintings below the subject dictates the direction.

The strong horizontal lines of the water, boats and buildings in the first example give a feeling of stillness and calm. In the second example, the diagonal lines of the shoreline and the rocks reinforce the feeling of movement. The third example has a dominant vertical direction which adds a static orderly influence to what might be a random chaotic painting.

SHAPE SHAPE:

A shape is a self contained defined area of geometric or organic form. A positive shape in a painting automatically creates a negative shape.

- 2-D: Shape has length and width; it is two-dimensional.

SPACE SPACE: 

Refers to the emptiness or area between, around, above, below or within objects. Shapes and forms are defined by space around and within them.

TEXTURETEXTURE:Texture is the surface quality of a shape - rough, smooth, soft hard glossy etc. Texture can be physical (tactile) or visual. (How things look or feel.)

COLORCOLOR: An element that is

derived from reflected light.

COLORCOLOR- Color depends on light

because it is made of light. There must be light for us to see color.

A red shirt will not look red in the dark, where there is no light. The whiter the light, the more true the colors will be.

COLOR Color has three properties:

1) Hue: The name of a color in the color spectrum, such as red, blue or yellow.

2) Value: Describes the lightness or darkness of a color. (Also an art element.)

3) Intensity: The brightness or dullness of a hue.

TINT- Adding white to a color.

SHADE- Adding black to a color.

COLOR SCHEMES WARM COLORS- Red, Orange, Yellow

COOL COLORS- Blue, Purple, Green

PRIMARY COLORS- Red, Yellow, Blue

SECONDARY COLORS- Purple, Green, Orange

COLOR SCHEMES TERTIARY COLORS- Fall between

primary and secondary. (Blue-green, Red-violet).

NEUTRAL COLORS- Colors containing a mixture of the three primaries. All the browns, khakis and earth colors are compound/neutral colors.

COLOR SCHEMES Monochromatic: One color.

- A monochromatic color scheme uses only one color and the tints and shades of that color/hue.

COLOR SCHEMES Analogous: Colors that sit side by side on the

color wheel and have a common hue. (Minimum 3)

COLOR SCHEMES Complementary: The colors opposite each other

on the color wheel.

-Mixing a color with its complement dulls the hue or lowers the intensity. Eventually, the hue will lose its own color quality and appear a neutral gray or brown.

COLOR SCHEMES Color Triads: Composed of three colors spaced an

equal distance apart on the color wheel.

-The contrast between triad colors is not as strong as that between complements.

-Primary Triad: Red, Yellow, Blue

-Secondary Triad: Purple, Green, Orange

COLOR SCHEMESSplit Compliments: The combination of one color plus the colors on each side of its complement.

VALUEVALUE- Value is the lightness

or darkness of a color. Value is also called Tone. Value depends on how much light a surface reflects. (Value is one of the three properties of color.)

FORM FORM- Form describes volume and mass, or the three

dimensional aspects that take up space.

-Height, width and depth. Forms are either geometric or organic (free-form.)

-Forms can and should be viewed from many angles. When you hold a baseball, shoe or small sculpture, you are aware of their curves, angles, indentations, extensions and edges-their FORMS.

Principles of DesignBALANCE- Equalizes visual forces,

or elements, in a work of art.

A large shape close to the center can be balanced by a small shape close to the edge. A large light toned shape will be balanced by a small dark toned shape (the darker the shape the heavier it appears to be)

BALANCETYPES OF BALANCE

Symmetrical: (Type of Formal Balance) Occurs when equal elements are placed on opposite sides of the central axis.

-Essentially, we could cut it directly in half and have mirror images.

Asymmetrical: (Informal) A balance of unlike objects (which make it appear balanced.)

Radial: Occurs when the forces or elements of a design come out (radiate) from a central point.

-The axis is the center point.

MOVEMENT

The principle of art used to create the look and feeling of action and to guide the viewer’s eyes throughout the work of art.

PATTERNVisual Repetition

-Has no movement. May or may not have rhythm.

CONTRAST CONTRAST- Strikingly different.

-Refers to differences in values, colors, textures, shapes and other elements.

-Creates visual excitement and adds interest to the work.

**Examples include:

-Opposite colors on the color wheel: Red & Green, Blue & Orange

-Contrast in tone or value: light / dark.

-Contrast in direction - horizontal / vertical. 

CONTRAST The major contrast in a painting should be located

at the center of interest. Too much contrast scattered throughout a painting can destroy unity and make a work difficult to look at. Unless a feeling of chaos and confusion are what you are seeking, it is a good idea to carefully consider where to place your areas of maximum contrast.

RHYTHM The repetition of visual movement-colors, shapes, and

lines.

Variety is essential to keep rhythms exciting and active and to avoid monotony.

Movement and rhythm work together to create the visual equivalent of a musical beat.

RHYTHM

RHYTHM **REPETITION- Repetition with variation

is interesting, without variation repetition can become monotonous.

 

The five squares above are all the same. They can be taken in and understood with a single glance.

RHYTHM

When variation is introduced, the five squares, although similar, are much more interesting to look at. They can no longer be absorbed properly with a single glance. The individual character of each square needs to be considered.

If you wish to create interest, any repeating element should include a degree of variation.

UNITY The visual linking of various elements of the work. One of the most important aspects of well-designed

art. Planned by the artist. Provides a cohesive quality to the work. WHEN ALL THE ELEMENTS IN A WORK LOOK AS

THOUGH THEY BELONG TOGETHER, THE ARTIST HAS ACHIEVED UNITY.

EMPHASIS

Creates dominance and focus in artwork.

Artists can emphasize color, value, shapes, or other elements to create dominance.

Various kinds of contrast can be used to emphasize a center of interest.

**DOMINANCE- Dominance gives a painting interest, counteracting confusion and monotony. Dominance can be applied to one or more of the elements to give emphasis.

Principles of Design

Serenity is not freedom from the storm, it is the peace within.