8/13/2019 Unit Elements Principles
1/11
The Elements and Principles of Design
ElementsandPrinciplesOfDesign
Pembina Trails School Division
An Overview
8/13/2019 Unit Elements Principles
2/11
The Elements and Principles of Design are the building blocks of making, looking
at and talking about art. With an understanding of how artists break down art into
elements and principles the student artist has the tools to look at master artworks
from the past, contemporary art and art of their own making.
Generally speaking, there are five elements of art and six principles of art. This
often varies depending on the source!
Elements1. LineA line is a mark having length but little width. Lines are symbols of direction, of
simple forms and the boundaries of shapes. See example below:
2. Colour / ValueColour is a property of light. It is not an object itself. When a white light is
projected through a prism, six different hues (colours) will emerge.
Colour is divided into three different categories:1. Primary – Red, Yellow, Blue
2. Secondary – Green, Purple, Orange
3. Tertiary – all of the colours in-between (yellow-green, blue- purple, red-orange etc.)Colour Schemes Families)
1. Monochromatic – One colour with many different shades of that colour2. . Analogous – any colours beside each other on the colour wheel3. Complimentary- two colours that are opposite on the colour wheel4. Split-Complimentary- two colours opposite, but split on one end5. Triadic – any three colours that form an equal triangle on the colour wheel
The Elements and Principles of Design
8/13/2019 Unit Elements Principles
3/11
Colour can produce the following effects on the viewer:
Illusion of space Psychological effects Symbolic reference Calming or chaotic effects
alueValue is the degree of light and dark. Value is evident in both black and white and
colour. With black and white pictures, shading is used to create light and dark
value. In colour, white and black are added to colour to create different values. It
is said that the human eye can detect 40 different shades to any colour.
8/13/2019 Unit Elements Principles
4/11
3. TextureTexture - refers to the surface quality of objects. Texture appeals to our sense of
touch. There are generally two types of texture. a.) Tactile and b.) Visual
Tactile Texture – is texture that can be actually felt or touched. Paint that is
applied thick or uneven or the roughnesses of a sculpture are examples of Tactile.
Visual Texture – is when the artist creates the impression of texture on a flat
surface. Pattern work or a still life often gives the illusion of texture.
4. Shape / FormForm is an area created by an enclosing line or colour. Forms can occur naturally
or be created by the artist. Subject matter does not have to be present in order for
forms to appear.
8/13/2019 Unit Elements Principles
5/11
5. SpaceSeveral art forms are three-dimensional and therefore occupy space: sculpture,
ceramics etc. For the purpose of two-dimensional art (drawing and painting) the
artist will use skills to produce an illusion of space. This can be achieved by
various means. For example, through size, value, overlapping, place on the page,
more and less detail etc.
Principles1. Balance
When a painting is divided in half, does it appear to balance properly?
There are basically three different types of balance in art: a.) Symmetrical
b.) Asymmetrical c.) Radial
8/13/2019 Unit Elements Principles
6/11
Symmetrical balance –
Similar images
are repeated in the same position on either side of the imaginary centre line.
Asymmetrical balance – is a “felt” balance that can be achieved by using: colour,value, shape, and texture. People often say, “It just feels balanced”. One side
equally weighs out the other side by unlike objects or colours depending on their placement.
8/13/2019 Unit Elements Principles
7/11
Radial Balance – radiates out from the centre like the spokes of a wheel.
2. RhythmRepeating a shape, line or object enough times that a ‘rhythmic’ pattern is
formed. Certain types of wallpaper or abstract art have patterns on them,
which indicate that a rhythmic pattern is present.
8/13/2019 Unit Elements Principles
8/11
3. ContrastUnlike objects or colours are placed together to form an uneasy balance. Contrast
is the exact opposite of unity.
8/13/2019 Unit Elements Principles
9/11
4. Unity / HarmonyUnity is the characteristics, which pull together all the elements of a
composition into a total visual picture. It is accomplished through repetition of
one or several elements in a picture, e.g., repeated use of color, or shape of a
texture.
Harmony Harmony is the arrangement of similar thing to produce consistency. Nothing
in the picture seems out of place. Everything is working together with respectto size, colour, shape etc.
8/13/2019 Unit Elements Principles
10/11
5. Emphasis Emphasis occurs when our eye is drawn to one particular part of a painting at first
glance. This can be achieved by creating a light area in a huge area of darkness. It
can also be achieved by a solo image, or by making one area detailed while the
rest of the picture is blurry.
8/13/2019 Unit Elements Principles
11/11
6. Movement
The eye is forced to move around the picture dynamically in order to see all
the different elements. Curved forms that keep your eyes moving in a
circular pattern throughout the picture can enhance optical movement.
Similarly, showing multiple overlapping images gives us the impression of
motion. We can see that the person or figure has moved through a series of
poses.
Recommended