The Definition of Form in Art

by Lisa Marder
Updated June 05, 2017

The term form can mean several different things in art; form is one of the seven Elements of Art
and connotes a three-dimensional object in space; a formal analysis of a work of art describes
how the elements and principles of art work together independent of their meaning and the
feelings or thoughts they may evoke in the viewer; form is also used to describe the physical
nature of the artwork, as in a metal sculpture, an oil painting, etc.

When used in tandem with the word art as in art form, it can also mean a medium of artistic
expression recognized as fine art or an unconventional medium done so well, adroitly, or
creatively as to elevate it to the level of a fine art.

An Element of Art

Form is one of the seven Elements of Art, which are the visual tools that an artist uses to
compose a work of art. In addition to form, they include: line, shape, value, color, texture, and
space.  As an Element of Art, form connotes something that is three-dimensional and encloses
volume, having length, width, and height, versus shape, which is two-dimensional, or flat. A
form is a shape in three dimensions, and, like shapes, can be geometric or organic.

Geometric forms are forms that are mathematical, precise, and can be named, as in the basic
geometric forms: sphere, cube, pyramid, cone, and cylinder.  A circle becomes a sphere in three
dimensions, a square becomes a cube, a triangle becomes a pyramid or cone.

Geometric forms are most often found in architecture and the built environment, although you
can also find them in the spheres of planets and bubbles, and in the crystalline pattern of
snowflakes, for example.

Organic forms are those that are free flowing, curvy, sinewy, and are not symmetrical or easily
measurable or named.
They most often occur in nature, as in the shapes of flowers, branches, leaves, puddles, clouds,
animals, the human figure, etc., but can also be found in the bold and fanciful buildings of the
Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926) as well as in many sculptures.

Form in Sculpture

Form is most closely tied to sculpture, since it is a three-dimensional art and has traditionally
consisted almost primarily of form, with color and texture being subordinate. Three-dimensional
forms can be seen from more than one side. Traditionally forms could be viewed from all sides,
called sculpture in-the-round, or in relief, those in which the sculpted elements remain attached
to a solid background - including bas-relief, haut-relief, and sunken-relief. Historically sculptures
were made in the likeness of someone, to honor a hero or god.

The twentieth century broadened the meaning of sculpture, though, heralding the concept of
open and closed forms, and the meaning continues to expand today. Sculptures are no longer
only representational, static, stationary, forms with a solid opaque mass that have been carved
out of stone or modeled out of bronze. Sculpture today may be abstract, assembled from different
objects, kinetic, change with time, or made out of unconventional materials like light or
holograms, as in the work of renown artist James Turrell.

Sculptures may be characterized in relative terms as closed or open forms. A closed form has a
similar feeling to the traditional form of a solid opaque mass. Even if spaces exist within the
form, they are contained and confined. A closed form has an inward-directed focus on the form,
itself, isolated from ambient space. An open form is transparent, revealing its structure, and
therefore has a more fluid and dynamic relationship with the ambient space.  Negative space is a
major component and activating force of an open form sculpture. Pablo Picasso (1881-1973),
Alexander Calder (1898-1976), and Julio Gonzalez (1876-1942) are some artists who created
open form sculptures, made from wire and other materials.

Henry Moore (1898-1986), the great English artist who, along with his contemporary, Barbara
Hepworth (1903-1975), were the two most important British sculptors in modern art, both
revolutionized sculpture by being the first to pierce the form of their biomorphic (bio=life,
morphic=form) sculptures.

She did so in 1931, and he did in 1932, noting that “even space can have form” and that “a hole
can have as much shape meaning as a solid mass.”  

Form in Drawing and Painting

In drawing and painting, the illusion of three-dimensional form is conveyed through the use of
lighting and shadows, and the rendering of value and tone. Shape is defined by the outer
contour of an object, which is how we first perceive it and begin to make sense of it, but light,
value, and shadow help to give an object form and context in space so that we can fully identify
it.
For example, assuming a single light source on a sphere, the highlight is where the light source
hits directly; the midtone is the middle value on the sphere where the light does not hit directly;
the core shadow is the area on the sphere that the light does not hit at all and is the darkest part
of the sphere; the cast shadow is the area on surrounding surfaces that is blocked from the light
by the object; reflected highlight is light that is reflected back up onto the object from the
surrounding objects and surfaces. With these guidelines as to light and shading in mind, any
simple shape can be drawn or painted to create the illusion of a three-dimensional form.

The greater the contrast in value, the more pronounced the three-dimensional form becomes.
Forms that are rendered with little variation in value appear flatter than those that are rendered
with greater variation and contrast.

Historically, painting has progressed from a flat representation of form and space to a three-
dimensional representation of form and space, to abstraction. Egyptian painting was flat, with the
human form presented frontally but with the head and feet in profile. The realistic illusion of
form did not occur until the Renaissance along with the discovery of perspective. Baroque artists
such as Caravaggio (1571-1610), explored the nature of space, light, and the three-dimensional
experience of space further through the use of chiaroscuro, the strong contrast of light and dark.

The portrayal of the human form became much more dynamic, with chiaroscuro and
foreshortening giving the forms a sense of solidity and weight and creating a powerful sense of
drama. Modernism freed artists to play with form more abstractly. Artists such as Picasso, with
the invention of Cubism, broke up form to imply movement through space and time.

Analyzing an Artwork

When analyzing a work of art, a formal analysis is separate from that of its content or context. A
formal analysis means applying the elements and principles of art to analyze the work visually.
The formal analysis can reveal compositional decisions that help to reinforce content—the
work’s essence, meaning, and the artist’s intent—as well as give clues as to historical context.

For example, the feelings of mystery, awe, and transcendence that are evoked from some of the
most enduring Renaissance masterpieces, such as the Mona Lisa (Leonardo da Vinci, 1517),
The Creation of Adam (Michelangelo, 1512),  the Last Supper (Leonardo da Vinci, 1498) are
distinct from the formal compositional elements and principles such as line, color, space, shape,
contrast, emphasis, etc., the artist used to create the painting and that contribute to its meaning,
effect, and timeless quality.

What is the Definition of Color in Art?

by Shelley Esaak
Updated February 10, 2017

Definition:

(noun) - Color is the element of art that is produced when light, striking an object, is reflected
back to the eye.

There are three (3) properties to color. First is hue, which simply means the name we give to a
color (red, yellow, blue, etc.).

The second property is intensity, which refers to the strength and vividness of the color. For
example, we may describe the color blue as "royal" (bright, rich, vibrant) or "dull" (grayed).

The third and final property of color is its value, meaning its lightness or darkness. The terms
shade and tint are in reference to value changes in colors.

Basic color schemes

- Introduction to Color Theory
With colors you can set a mood, attract attention, or make a statement. You can use color to energize,
or to cool down. By selecting the right color scheme, you can create an ambiance of elegance, warmth
or tranquility, or you can convey an image of playful youthfulness. Color can be your most powerful
design element if you learn to use it effectively.

Content
The Color Wheel
Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Colors
Warm and cool colors
Tints, Shades, and Tones
Color Harmonies - basic techniques for creating color schemes
- Complementary
- Analogous
- Triadic
- Split-Complementary
- Rectangle (tetradic)
- Square
 

Colors affect us in numerous ways, both mentally and physically. A strong red color has been shown
to raise the blood pressure, while a blue color has a calming effect.

Being able to use colors consciously and harmoniously can help you create spectacular results.
The Color Wheel

The color wheel or color circle is the basic tool for combining colors. The first circular color diagram
was designed by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666.

The color wheel is designed so that virtually any colors you pick from it will look good together. Over
the years, many variations of the basic design have been made, but the most common version is a
wheel of 12 colors based on the RYB (or artistic) color model.

Traditionally, there are a number of color combinations that are considered especially pleasing. These
are called color harmonies or color chords and they consist of two or more colors with a fixed
relation in the color wheel.

ColorImpact is designed to dynamically create a color wheel to match your base color.

Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Colors

In the RYB (or subtractive) color model, the primary colors are red, yellow and blue.

The three secondary colors (green, orange and purple) are created by mixing two primary colors.

Another six tertiary colors are created by mixing primary and secondary colors.

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The above illustration shows the color circle with the primary, secondary and tertiary colors. Click on
the labels to turn the colors on / off.

Warm and cool colors

The color circle can be divided into warm and cool colors.

Warm colors are vivid and energetic, and tend to advance in space.

Cool colors give an impression of calm, and create a soothing

impression.

White, black and gray are considered to be neutral.

Tints, Shades, and Tones

These terms are often used incorrectly, although they describe fairly simple color concepts. If a color
is made lighter by adding white, the result is called a tint. If black is added, the darker version is
called a shade. And if gray is added, the result is a different tone.

Tints - adding white to a pure hue:

Shades - adding black to a pure hue:

Tones - adding gray to a pure hue:

Color Harmonies
- basic techniques for creating color schemes
Below are shown the basic color chords based on the color wheel.

Complementary color scheme

Colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel are considered
to be complementary colors (example: red and green).

The high contrast of complementary colors creates a vibrant look

especially when used at full saturation. This color scheme must be
managed well so it is not jarring.

Complementary color schemes are tricky to use in large doses, but

work well when you want something to stand out.

Complementary colors are really bad for text.

Analogous color scheme

Analogous color schemes use colors that are next to each other on the
color wheel. They usually match well and create serene and
comfortable designs.

Analogous color schemes are often found in nature and are

harmonious and pleasing to the eye.

Make sure you have enough contrast when choosing an analogous

color scheme.

Choose one color to dominate, a second to support. The third color is

used (along with black, white or gray) as an accent.
Triadic color scheme
A triadic color scheme uses colors that are evenly spaced around the
color wheel.

Triadic color schemes tend to be quite vibrant, even if you use pale or
unsaturated versions of your hues.

To use a triadic harmony successfully, the colors should be carefully

balanced - let one color dominate and use the two others for accent.

Split-Complementary color scheme

The split-complementary color scheme is a variation of the
complementary color scheme. In addition to the base color, it uses the
two colors adjacent to its complement.

This color scheme has the same strong visual contrast as the
complementary color scheme, but has less tension.

The split-complimentary color scheme is often a good choice for

beginners, because it is difficult to mess up.

Rectangle (tetradic) color scheme

The rectangle or tetradic color scheme uses four colors arranged into
two complementary pairs.

This rich color scheme offers plenty of possibilities for variation.

Tetradic color schemes works best if you let one color be dominant.

You should also pay attention to the balance between warm and cool
colors in your design.
 Square color scheme
The square color scheme is similar to the rectangle, but with all four
colors spaced evenly around the color circle.

Square color schemes works best if you let one color be dominant.

You should also pay attention to the balance between warm and cool
colors in your design.