Elements and Principles of Art

Exposing the Mystery of Technique

There are SEVEN Elements of Art

LINE

SHAPE

COLOR

VALUE

FORM

TEXTURE

SPACE

3

Elements of Art

ColorTEXTURE

Value

Line

4

“A line is a dot that went for a walk.” –Paul Klee

• The path of a moving point

• It is longer than it is wide

• Refers to various types of mark making

• May not be continuous or physically connected

• Can be actual or implied

Shape

5

• An area of two-dimensional space

• Defined by edges or lines

• Can be geometric or organic

Kandinsky

Color

8

primary

secondary

tertiary

cool

warm

complementary

analogous

Van Gogh

• Refers to relative lightness or darkness of a color

• Black, white, and all shades of grey in between

• Tints, Tones, Shades

Value

Form Form is three-dimensional and takes up space Form is created by the presence of shape and space with

values added to create the illusion of dimension

Texture

15

• The quality of a surface

• Can be actual

• Can be implied

Texture in Nature

Space

Space exists around us. We use illusion to make space in art. Proportion is a way to create illusion Perspective and dimension help create the

illusion of space

mc Escher

There are SEVEN Principles of Art (design)

BALANCE

PATTERN

CONTRAST

RHYTHM

EMPHASIS

UNITY

MOVEMENT

Georgia O’Keeffe

BalanceFormal Balance usually is achieved by the artist placing objects in the work in a symmetrical or equal-sided arrangement. Informal Balance is created when an asymmetrical layout is used. Radial Balance occurs within a circle design.

Frida Kahlo

Mark Rothko

James Whistler

Rose Window at Notre Dame

Gustav Klimt

PatternPattern means the repetition of an element (or elements) in a work.An artist achieves a pattern through the use of colors), lines, or shapes .

Andy Warhol

Gee’s Bend Quilts

Ancient Greek Geometric Period Vase

Kurt Schwitters

contrastContrast occurs when an artist creates something that looks different from the rest of the artwork. An artist may use contrast (variety) to make you look at a certain part or make the artwork more interesting.

Joseph Cornell

James Rosenquist

Robert Rauschenberg

Piet Mondrian

RhythmRhythm is movement in which some elements recur regularly.  Like a dance it will have a flow of objects that will seem to be like the beat of music. Repetition.

Andy Goldsworthy

Cy Twombly

Jasper Johns

Andrew Wyeth

emphasisEmphasis is when the artist manipulates the Elements of Art so that your eye is drawn to a particular area.

FrancescoGoya

Commemorative Bronze, Kingdom of Benin

Hokusai

Jacob Lawrence

UnityUnity is the feeling that everything in the work of art works together and looks like it fits.

Egyptian Hieroglyphics

Paul Klee

Louise Nevelson

George Bellows

MovementDirectional Movement is a visual flow through the composition. It can be the suggestion of motion in a design as you move from object to object by way of placement and position.

Edvard Munch

Antoni Gaudí

Vincent Van Gogh

You Decide…