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CPAR - Lesson 1 - Elements and Principles of Visual Arts - Modified
CPAR - Lesson 1 - Elements and Principles of Visual Arts - Modified
Visual Arts
The visual arts are those that we perceive with our eyes. They may be classified into two
groups; graphic (flat, or two-dimensional surface), and plastic arts (three-dimensional).
• Lines
Line is used to lead the viewer’s eyes throughout the artwork. It can
lead your eyes into, around, and out of the visual images within the artistic
frame. A line has width as well as length, but usually, it is the length that
occupies more space than its width.
o Vertical Lines move up and down. They express stability and show
dignity, poise, stiffness, formality and upward mobility.
o Organic Lines are the types of lines found in nature. They are
irregular, curved, and often fluid. They convey a sense of
gracefulness, dynamism, and spontaneity
(http://healthymamainfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/types-of-lines.jpg)
• Space
Space refers to both outer and inner space, the emptiness and area
between, around, above, below or within objects. It may be flat or
twodimensional, such as in painting, or three-dimensional, such as in
monumental sculpture.
o Negative spaces are the empty spaces between the shapes or forms.
2
ELEMENTS AND PRINCIPLES OF VISUAL ART
Texture
Texture refers to how things feel when touched. Tactile texture is
experienced when you touch something to feel its texture. Visual texture is felt
when you look at a photograph or an image that has texture, and it reminds you
how those objects actually feel. Visual texture is the illusion of a three-
dimensional surface.
Roughness or smoothness of a visual texture is determined by the light
or dark values it has. A rough texture is characterized by a surface that reflects
light unevenly. Smooth surface, on the other hand, reflects light evenly.
Color
Color is an element of art that results from the light waves reflected from
objects to your eyes.
o Hue is the name of a specific color in the color spectrum or the bands
of color that are present in a color wheel.
(http://lundgrenart.weebly.com/uploads/3/8/0/6/38064807/4082341_orig.jpg)
(http://www.canyoncrest.provo.edu/Site_School/0023/media/images/Unity%20Poster.jpg)
• Balance
Balance is concerned with equalizing visual elements in an artwork.
• Proportion
Proportion has to do with the comparative size of the parts of a single
work. It is the relative relationship of shapes to other shapes within the artistic
frame in terms of size, degree, number, etc. When it comes to the human figure,
proportion can refer to the size of the head compared to the rest of the body.
• Emphasis
Emphasis is how the artist catches the attention of the audience by making a
specific area in the work stand out by contrasting it with other areas. The artist
can do this by making the area different in size, color, texture, shape, etc.
• Movement
Movement is the direction that the audience’s eye goes through the
artwork, often to focal areas. This is done by directing the audience’s eyes along
lines, edges, shape, and color.
(http://blogs.murdoch.edu.au/michaelhind/files/2010/03/movement.jpg)
• Pattern
Pattern is when an object or symbol is repeated all over the artwork.
• Repetition
Repetition is used to make the artwork seem active. Repeating elements
creates unity within the artwork