The Elements of ArtThe Elements of Art7 BUILDING BLOCKS OF ART

Artists use these blocks to create effects in art

Line• A mark with greater length than width• Lines can be horizontal, vertical, or

diagonal; straight or curved; thick or thin.

• A straight line is static, passive & decorative.

• A curved line is dynamic, ever changing, and naturalistic.

Line

• Straight or Curved

• Notice how lines create light and dark areas

• What other ways are the lines used? .

“Starry Night” Vincent van Gough

How are lines used here?

Shape• A closed line• Shapes can be geometric, like

triangles.• Shapes can be organic, like free

formed shapes or natural shapes.

Geometric Shapes are:• Passive• Decorative• Static

Organic Shapes are:• Active• Dynamic

• These two paintings show use of geometric and organic shapes.

• How do they compare?

“Eye Candy” Bruce Gray “ Persistence of Time” Salvador Dali”

Form• Refers to 3 dimensional shapes

that have length, width, and depth.

• In 2 dimensional design the artist creates the “illusion” of form

• Artists use light effects and value to suggest 3 dimensional form

Value• How light or dark something is• A value scale moves from black to

white.• Creates mood• Dark and light values are dynamic.• Middle values or grays are static and

passive

“Onions and Garlic” JD Hillberry

• Notice how the artist has created light and dark areas (value).

• By using value the artist is able to suggest 3D form.

“The Crucifixion of St. Peter” Caravaggio

• What does the use of value do here?

Texture• Surface quality that can be seen or felt.• Texture can be rough or smooth, soft or

hard• Rough textures are dynamic and active.• Smooth textures are decorative and

passive.

• Notice the tree trunk. Does it look smooth or rough?

• Notice also the dotting technique used on the leaves of the tree.

Color• Colors can create mood• Color can create emphasis• Color can create a sense of space

Color Wheel

Color Schemes are groups of color

Artists organize colors on a Color Wheel

Space• The arrangement of objects on a

picture plane• The COMPOSITION• Radial• Symmetric• Asymmetric

“Mona Lisa” Leonardo da Vinci

“The Scream” Edvard Munch

Which artwork is SYMMETRIC?

Which artwork is ASYMMETRIC?

Which artwork is RADIAL?

Untitled, Andy Goldsworthy

They are

• The elements of art are the building blocks of art creation.

• They can be analyzed, organized, and manipulated by artists.

• They are the visual language of art.

• When looking at a work of art, see if you can identify which elements of art the artist stressed, organized, or used to express a message or to create a mood.