Principles and Elements of Art

Elements

Colo

r

LINE

Shape

S P A C E

TEXTURE

V L E A U

Color

The Old Guitarist by Pablo Picasso, painted with oil on canvas

Color is the reflection of light, when hitting an object. There are three parts to color: Hugh (the name given to the color), Intensity (strength and vividness of the color) and Value (the lightness or darkness of a color)

LineThe Last Supper, by Leonardo Da Vinci

Painted with tempera on stone wall

Line: a continuous mark. In art, used to define a space, create an outline or pattern, imply movement or texture and allude to mass or volume.

Shape

Robe violette et Anemones, by Henri MatisseOil on canvas

Shape: An enclosed space whose boundaries are defined by other elements of art such as line and color.

Space

Landscape with Butterflies, by Salvador Dali

Space: distances or areas around, between or within components of a piece. Space may be either positive or negative, open or closed, shallow or deep, two or three dimensional.

Oil on canvas

Texture

Visual Music by Paul KleeOil on canvas

The visual “feel” or interpretation of medium on a two dimensional work. The literal feel of a three dimensional piece of work

Value

Portrait of Frédéric Bazille Painting The Heron with Wings Unfurled

by Pierre Auguste RenoirOil on canvas

Value: The lightness or darkness of a color.

PrinciplesBALANCE

UNITY

Move

ment

PrOpOrTiOnS

Repetiti

on

EMPHASIS

Variety

Balance

The Two FridasBy Frida Kahlo

Balance: elements arranged so that no one part overpowers the other. Three types of balance are symmetrical, asymmetrical and radial.

Unity

Starry Nightby Vincent Van Gogh

Unity: The arrangement of various elements of art to effectively complete the piece.

Movement

No Swimming by Norman Rockwell

Movement: the arrangement of elements of the arts to convey a sense of kinesthetic movement.

Proportion

The Statue of David by Michael Angelo

Proportion: a measurement of the size and elements within a composition, so that it reflects either distorted reality or is actually realistic.

Repetition

Water Lilies by Claude Monet

Repetition: demonstrates consistency with color and line.

Emphasis

The KissBy Gustav Klimt

Emphasis: occurs when elements or portions of the piece are given dominance over others.

Variety

Marilyn by Andy Warhol

Variety: utilizing different forms or types. May utilize a notable change in size, contrast, or color.