Elements of Art

What makes up an art work?The Elements of art

Elements of ArtThe composition of an art work is made up of the arrangement of the elements.These are known as the Elements of Art

Elements of ArtCOLORLINESHAPE

SPACEVALUEFORM

COLORPrimary colors- yellow, red and blue. (colors that can not be made by mixing other colors.

Secondary colors- purple, green and orange (colors mixed from a combination of any two primary colors)

Primary colours Roy Lichtenstein

Color SchemesComplementary Colors colors directly across from each other on the color wheelMonochromatic color scheme - uses only one color and tints and shadesAnalagous colors- colors that have something in common. They are next to each other on the color wheel. One color will be in harmony with another.

Complementary coloursGauguin

Complementary colours scheme

Monochromatic color schemeM.C. Escher

Colour schemes

Communicating with colourCool colors recede - go away from you

Van Gogh

Warm colors come toward the viewer (advance); Cool colors recede Mark Rothko

Rothko

ValuePencil Value Scale

ValueStippling Value Scale

Line The ObviousSTRAIGHTHORIZONTALVERTICALDIAGONAL

Simple to Complexin terms of line . . .

Lines can be implied . . .

IMPLIED LINESNot really there but guide the eye or organize the image

Implied Line

SHAPELate Gothic/ Early Renaissance from 1305BOLD DIAGONALGiotto, Pieta (Lamentation) fresco

Caravaggio The Calling of St. Matthew, 1599-1600

Gentileschi, Judith Slaying Holofernes, 1620

Diego Rivera, The Flower Carrier, 1935, 48x48 in.Note lines implied by directional gazes

Pierre-Auguste Renoir Le djeuner des canotiers, 18801881 Oil on canvas, 129.5 172.7 cm

Morandi, Giorgio Still Life (The Blue Vase) 1920 Oil on canvasThe blue lines point out . . .IMPLIED LINES

Morandi, Giorgio Still Life (The Blue Vase) 1920 Oil on canvasimplied

Caravaggio, Supper at Emmaus, c.1601

Kenneth Noland, Thrust, 1963 45 x 45 in.

A VENETIAN WOMAN John Singer Sargent (American, b.1856, d.1925) 1882 oil on canvas 93 3/4 x 52 1/2 in. (238.1 x 133.4 cm)

Barnett Newman, Dionysius, 1944, 67x49in.

Barnett Newman, Yellow Painting, 1949

Barnett Newman, Untitled (The Cry), 36x24in., ink on paper

Late Gothic/ Early Renaissance from 1305BOLD DIAGONALGiotto, Pieta(Lamentation)fresco

CaravaggioThe Calling of St. Matthew,1599-1600

Gentileschi,Judith Slaying Holofernes,1620

IMPLIED LINESNot really there but guide the eye or organize the image

Diego Rivera, The Flower Carrier, 1935, 48x48 in.Note lines implied by directional gazes

Pierre-Auguste RenoirLe djeuner des canotiers, 18801881Oil on canvas, 129.5 172.7 cm

Morandi, GiorgioStill Life (The Blue Vase)1920Oil on canvasThe blue lines point out . . .IMPLIED LINES

Morandi, GiorgioStill Life (The Blue Vase)1920Oil on canvasimplied

Schiele, EgonSeated Girl1911Watercolor and pencil48 x 31.5 cm

Caravaggio, Supper at Emmaus, c.1601

Kenneth Noland, Thrust, 196345 x 45 in.

A VENETIAN WOMANJohn Singer Sargent (American, b.1856, d.1925)1882oil on canvas93 3/4 x 52 1/2 in. (238.1 x 133.4 cm)

A VENETIAN WOMANJohn Singer Sargent (American, b.1856, d.1925)1882oil on canvas93 3/4 x 52 1/2 in. (238.1 x 133.4 cm)Lines used to create emphasis

Lines can curve . . .

Hokusai, KatsushikaThe Great Wave Off KanagawaFrom "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji"1823-29Color woodcut10 x 15 in.

Jean Honore Fragonard, The Bathers, 1761

Cy Twombly, Untitled, 1970

This artless scribbleDefines an areaCreates an illusion of depth (volume)

Look again

Brice MardenAmerican, born Bronxville, New York, 1938Cold Mountain 2, 1989-1991Oil on linen, 108 1/8 x 144 1/4 in.

What lines lurk in this texture?

Jackson Pollock, Lavendar Mist No. 1, 1950

Consider the expressive quality of the jagged lines in this work . . .

Clyfford Still, 1957, No.1

Georgia OKeeffe, Red, White and Blue, 1931

The Obvious AgainSTRAIGHTCURVED SMOOTH, JAGGED

Johann KoerbeckeGerman, c. 1420 - 1491The Ascension, 1456/1457tempera on panel, 92.7 x 64.8 cm (36 1/2 x 25 1/2 in.)

Curved, smooth Jagged Jagged, zig-zag straight

Clyfford StillAmerican, 1904 - 19801948-C, (1948)Oil on canvas80 7/8 x 68 3/4 in.complex contour lines formed by these complex shapes

Lines create or imply shapesShapes can be open or closedLines around a shape are CONTOUR lines

SHAPEopen/closed

geometric/biomorphic or organic

Picasso, Femmean open shape, a biomorphic form

Frank Stella, Wolfeboro II, 1966closed, geometric

THE UPSTAIRSCharles Sheeler (American, b.1883, d.1965)1938oil on canvas19 1/2 x 12 3/4 in. (49.5 x 32.4 cm)Lines create planes; planes suggest volume

VOLUMEImplied in painting; actual in sculptureLINE SHAPE VOLUME

Kenneth SnelsonRador, 1975brass & stainless steel21 x 17 x 6 inches

Kenneth SnelsonAmerican, born Pendleton, Oregon, 1927

Needle Tower, 1968Aluminum and stainless steel720 x 243-1/2 x 213-3/8 in.

RodinBalzac

Frank Lloyd Wright, Fallingwater, 1936-7

VolumesC ANC R E A T ELINES

Frank Lloyd Wright, Fallingwater, 1936-37

Frank Gehry, Disney Concert Hall

Giusti Garden, Verona, Italy

Henry MooreKnife Edge Mirror Two Piece1976-1978, bronze534.5 x 721.1 x 363.1 cm (210 1/2 x 284 x 143 in.)

Bird in Space, 1923 Constantin Brancusi (French, born Romania, 18761957) Marble; (with base) H. 56-3/4, Diam. 6-1/2 in.

BrancusiAdam and Eve1921

BOTTOM LINEThe concept of line plays a role in compositions of music and art, ranging from the simple to the complex.

LINEWhat is a line in Art?Line a series of points; an area whose length is considerably greater than its width; an indication of direction, an apparent movement. A line is a point moved or moving through space. This applies to drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, clay/pottery, and architecture.Characteristics of lines: lines can be actual or implied; a line which denotes or describes an outside edge of an object is a contour line. A contour line divides the plane or delineates an edge of a volume.A directional line points or moves the eye in a particular direction. Horizontal often read as across, quiet, stable. Vertical: reaching up, spiritual, uplifting, rising. Diagonal: dynamic, moving.Lines can be interpreted as having expressive qualities; particular qualities thick or thin, weighty or straight, hard-edged or soft can indicate moods or feelings.ON HANDOUT

SpaceLinear Perspective

Positive and Negative Space

SPACEBrett WhiteleyLarger lines in the foregroundSmaller lines in the back ground give an illusion of distances, space and perspective.

Texture

COLORColor is very expressive and an exciting element of art. It appeals strongly to the senses and emotions.Art works can communicate by color alone. It can cause emotional reactions.

LinesLine in art may mean a single thin strokeIt may signify the meeting edge of two areasIt may refer to the contours, or edgesLine can suggest movementLine can produce a sense of tranquility

Line Clement Meadmore

Line can create volumeM.C. Escher

Lines can create movement M.C. Escher

Lines can create movementBrett Whiteley

Brett Whiteley

Brett WhiteleyLarger lines in the foregroundSmaller lines in the back ground give an illusion of distances, space and perspective.

Lines create pattern and shapeJohn Olsen

Value or ToneTone can be flat or graduatedValue Can be created by using shading, line or dots.Lines can be used to create tone in hatching or cross-hatchingDots can be used to create different tones or values.

Rick Amor

ToneRick Amor

Tone can be:subtlestrongcontrasting

Value Hatching and cross-hatching Rembrandt

Value Mattia PretiHow does value attract our attention to the focal point of the painting? (EMPHASIS)

TextureGrainedRoughCorrugatedSmoothFurryShinyprickly

TextureVan Gogh

TextureWhen we actually touch and feel a surface we experience real textureReal texture; the feel of a surface - cactus, feathers, scales, fur, sharp stones

When we look at a photograph or a painting of the texture of a surface such as glass or velvet leather, we see patterns of light and dark that create the effect of textureSimulated or Implied texture; a two dimensional surface that imitates real texture, simulated textures copy or imitate real textures.

Implied / Simulated textureimitates real textureMax Ernst

Real texture - the feel of a surfaceClaus Oldenburg

Shape / FormA shape is an area that is defined in some way by a line, an edge, a colour or a texture. If we traced around its outline we would have a shape; silhouetteShapes are flat they have only two dimensions height and widthGeometric shapes look as if they were made with a ruler.Organic shapes look irregular like the uneven shapes of nature.

ShapeHenri Matisse

Shape / FormForms are similar to shapes. Both have height and width, but form also has the third dimension of DEPTH.

Forms have volume and occupy 3-D space.

Two dimensional = painting (height and width)Three dimension = sculpture (height, width and depth)

Elements of Art

Every artwork can be described by one or more of these five elements of visual perception.For example, a work will have the presence of strong lines or absence of line. A work may be full of tone or a complete lack of tone.

Principles of Design These are the nine main principles of designContrastRepetition Movement Rhythm Direction

SpaceBalanceProportionEmphasisUnity

Principles of ArtThe artists use the principles to combine the elements in a satisfying way.

Ways to create spaceDivide the picture into the fore-ground, middle ground and backgroundStrong details is used in the foreground, with gradual loss of detail as the image fades into the back groundLarge objects in the fore ground graduating to smaller objects in the back groundOverlapping of objects give the appearance of objects being in front of each otherWarm colours in the foreground and cool colours in the back ground

DegasSpace

BalanceRefers to the distribution of weight in an art work so that no one part overpowers another or seems heavier that another.Artists may choose to create imbalance of a particular purpose. Sydney Long

ProportionThe relationship between the size of the objects within an artwork.Eugene von Guerard

EmphasisAn artist can create a centre of interest by allowing one area of an art work to dominate. Picasso

Contrast Picasso Girl Mirror

RepetitionJohn Brack - Collins St 5pm

RhythmRichard Mock

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http://www.nga.gov/

***************Brice Marden American, born Bronxville, New York, 1938 Cold Mountain 2, 1989-1991 Oil on linen 108 1/8 x 144 1/4 in. (274.5 x 366.4 cm.) HOLENIA PURCHASE FUND, IN MEMORY OF JOSEPH H. HIRSHHORN, 1992 (92.22) During the 1960s and 1970s, Brice Marden was known for monochromatic canvases distinguished by subtly textured encaustic surfaces, restrained brushwork, and accidental drips. In the mid-1980s, the artist, who had an interest in Asian cultures, discovered a book of poetry by the eighth-century Chinese hermit Han Shan ("Cold Mountain"), who took his name from the mountain on which he lived. The book included Chinese calligraphy in groupings of several characters. Exploring new painting materials and methods, Marden adapted that form as a visual principle for his "Cold Mountain" series. The series includes Marden's largest works to date, measuring 9 by 12 feet each. With a brush attached to a stick, Marden drew rows of abstract symbols over thin washes of color reminiscent of the atmospheric landscapes in Chinese paintings. In Cold Mountain 2, as in Chinese calligraphy, the "writing" displays a controlled tension between careful planning and spontaneous execution. While the series' lyrical lines represent a new direction for Marden, they also continue his longstanding preoccupation with color modulation, light, and surface textures within a reductive but expressive vocabulary. Text adapted from "Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden: 150 Works of Art" (1996), entry by Anne-Louise Marquis.

*******Looking up in amazement as Christ ascends into heaven are the twelve apostles. Kneeling with them is the Virgin, the only one to have a halo. Although few of the men can be identified, John the Evangelist is recognizable. He is the blond, beardless youth dressed in green who solicitously puts his arm around Mary. Surrounding the risen Christ are a group of Old Testament personages who either predicted or foreshadowed events of his life on earth.The gold background, bright colors, and compact space reveal the lingering influence of the International Gothic. However, a new spirit of visual observation also can be detected. The sharp, angular folds of the drapery evoke the perception of real human forms beneath the material. Further, the faces of the apostles reveal a broad variety of human emotions.This panel was once part of the high altar in the Cistercian abbey church of Marienfeld at Mnster. At its center was a richly gilded sculpture of the Virgin and Child. Folding wings extended from this core with pictures on the fronts and backs. When the shutters were open, eight scenes -- including the National Gallery's painting -- revealed the story of Mary's life. In the closed positions, eight other subjects recounted Christ's Passion.nga*Clyfford Still American, born Grandin, North Dakota 1904 - 1980 1948-C, (1948) Oil on canvas 80 7/8 x 68 3/4 in. (205.4 x 174.6 cm.) JOSEPH H. HIRSHHORN PURCHASE FUND, 1992 (92.8) North Dakota native Clyfford Still played a pivotal role in the rise of the postwar vanguard on both the East and West coasts. An influential teacher at the California School of Fine Arts in San Francisco from 1946 to 1948, he was also involved with the formation of the "Subjects of the Artist" School, an informal New York group closely associated with the Abstract Expressionist movement. During the 1940s, Still developed a personal style of abstraction distinguished by deeply troweled surfaces and expanses of rich color. Responding to a variety of sources, from the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche to the art of Native Americans, Still sought to evoke in his work the power of primordial nature and primal symbolism. The painting 1948-C, reveals the painter's expressive gesture in its characteristic jagged forms and richly textured surface and his reduced subject of suggestive shapes within fields of color. His practice of using dates and letters to identify canvases reflected the Abstract Expressionists' efforts to transcend the bounds of language and communicate on a universal level. Still experimented with technique by varying the color, texture, and shapes within similar canvases; several variants of the composition of 1948-C, exits. This painting is notable for the subtle variation of its intense golden hues, while the bright yellow streak across the upper right energizes the composition with the force of a lighting bolt. Combining sublime color with emotive mystery, 1948-C exemplifies Still's mastery of color and texture in an expansive field. Text adapted from "Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden: 150 Works of Art" (1996) entry by Judith Zilzcer.

********Kenneth Snelson American, born Pendleton, Oregon, 1927 Needle Tower, 1968 Aluminum and stainless steel 720 x 243-1/2 x 213-3/8 in. (1828.8 x 618.5 x 541.8 cm) Gift of Joseph H. Hirshhorn, 1974 (74.4) Kenneth Snelson conceived and built Needle Tower in 1968 as part of his exhibition of five monumental sculptures in New York's Bryant Park. In these works, he adapted engineering principles and mathematical calculations to create a new kind of tensile structure. Instead of the solid mass and weight traditionally expected of monumental sculptures, the tapered, five-story-high Needle Tower is made from aviation-quality aluminum tubes and stainless-steel wire, making it lightweight enough for three installers to lift. The tubes are held together in perfect balance by a single continuous wire threaded through two small holes in the ends of each. The tower rests only on the thin rims of three tubes, yet the structure is so well designed that it withstands severe storms. While the technology is fascinating, the sculpture also conveys a metaphysical message. Snelson's idea evolved from a fantasy he had of constructing a gossamer tensile structure so tall and finely tapered that the top point would seem to disappear into infinity. Standing directly under the sculpture and looking up, the viewer discovers that the tubes form the shape of a star, inspiring the astrophysical, astrological, and religious associations of that symbol, while heightening the sense of perpetuity. Adapted from text written by Valerie J. Fletcher.

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Elements of Art