ELEMENTS OF ARTS

Art Appreciation

are made.
- Complementary - the opposite hues on the color wheel. In their
ELEMENTS OF ART
most basic form, they are one primary color and the secondary
- The elements of art and principles of design are the color that is created by mixing the other two primaries.
fundamental parts of an artwork. - Analogous - are colors that are next to each other on the color
- Building blocks of every artwork. wheel.
- Identifying these elements is one way to understand an artwork. - Warm - yellow, red, orange and different shades of these colors
- Mastery of these elements can make analysis more meaningful. are warm colors
- Elements of art includes: - Cool - green, blue, and purple, and variations of those three
1. Line colors
2. Shape - PROPERTIES OF COLOR:
3. Color 1. Hue - the name of the color.
4. Space 2. Value - a color’s lightness or darkness.
5. Texture 3. Intensity - refers to the brightness of a color, often
6. Form measured by boldness or dullness.
7. Value

SPACE
LINE
- How an artwork uses or depicts depth or distance.
- The path of a point moving through space. Note: Depth and distance can be perceived because of the size
- There are many types of line. We can look for the direction of the differences, the placement, and the value.
line, the feeling of the line, the quality of the line, and how the - Space can give the illusion of objects in an artwork being close
lines move our eye through artworks. or far away.
- TYPES OF LINE: - Positive Space is the areas of the artwork filled with the content.
1. active-passive - Negative Space is the space in between.
2. flowing-light - Sculptors and Architects work with all three dimensions of space
3. thick-thin – height, width, and depth.
4. broken-continuous - Artists who work on a flat surface can make a two-dimensional
5. implied-actual surface appear three-dimensional.
6. contour-outline
7. perpendicular-parallel
TEXTURE
8. bold-delicate
9. straight-curved - Tactile qualities of a surface – the way objects actually feel or
10. long-short the way they look like they would feel.
11. geometric-organic - A painting, drawing, print, or other two-dimensional work can be
12. precise-irregular made to look like a textured surface – implied texture.
13. vertical-horizontal - 2 TYPES OF TEXTURE:
14. zig-zag – direct 1. Implied Texture - created using other elements of art,
including form, line, shape and color.
2. Real Texture - things feel just as they appear.
SHAPE

- An enclosed area of space created through lines and other

FORM
elements of the composition. Shapes can be geometric or
free-form. - Closely related to shape, but form is always three-dimensional.
- KINDS OF SHAPE: - Measurable by length, width, and height, and encloses volume.
1. Organic - free-form and curved, like people, animals, - Can be actual 3-D forms created with sculpture or architecture,
trees, and other natural elements. or they can be implied forms where the artist creates the illusion
2. Geometric - precise – like squares, triangles, rectangles, of the form onto a flat surface.
polygons, etc. - 2D & 3D
1. 2-Dimensional - can be seen only from one side
2. 3-Dimensional - can be viewed from any side.
COLOR

- Produced by the way an object reflects or emits light. By placing

VALUE
colors next to each other in different ways, artists can create a
variety of effects. - Refers to the lightness and darkness of colors.
- Primary Colors - Blue, Yellow, Red, from which all other colors - Often described in varying levels of contrast.
ELEMENTS OF ARTS
Art Appreciation

- Value Scale: shows the range of tones from white, which is the
CONTRAST
lightest, to black, which is the darkest.
- The closer together the values are on a scale, the less contrast - Refers to the arrangement of opposite elements and effects.
we see. - Can be used to create variety, visual interest, and drama in an
artwork.

PRINCIPLES OF ART AND DESIGN

MOVEMENT
- The elements of art and the principles of design are the
fundamental parts of an artwork. - Can be thought in two-ways.
- Identifying these elements is one way to understand an artwork. - 1st refers to how an artist depicts movement using the
This includes: elements and principles of art.
1. Composition - 2nd refers to the visual flow of an artwork, indicated by the path
2. Emphasis a viewer’s eye takes as the look at the artwork.
3. Rhythm - Lines, edges, shapes, and colors can be utilized by the artist to
4. Balance point the way through an artwork as a map for our eyes to
5. Contrast follow.
6. Movement
7. Proportion
PROPORTION
8. Unity
9. Variety - The size relationship between the various parts of an artwork.
- Artists can use scale and proportion to create sensations such
as depth, realism, disorientation, and drama.
COMPOSITION

- Refers to the placement or arrangement of the elements of art

UNITY
in a work of art.
- A formal analysis of work of art involves looking at the artists’ use - Also known as harmony
of the elements and principles of art and how they work together - Refers to the cohesiveness of an artwork, how whole, consistent,
to create meaning. and complete it appears.
- The pleasing combination of elements to create harmonious
composition.
EMPHASIS
- Achieved through
- Refers to the area of an artwork that dominates attention or 1. Repetition
draws interest. 2. Simplicity
- Often the place a viewer looks first. 3. Harmony
- Artist can create emphasis by contrasting the following 4. Contrast
elements of art: 5. Theme and Variation
1. Color 6. Proximity
2. Shape 7. Continuity
3. Size and Dominance
4. Detail
VARIETY
5. Contrast
6. Isolation - Refers to the elements of a composition that differ from one
another.
- Creates visual interest and energy
RHYTHM
- Achieved through:
- Refers to the movement or action of a composition, usually 1. Variety Color
achieved through repetition of lines, shapes, colors, and more. 2. Variety Shapes
- Creates visual tempo in artworks and provides a path for the 3. Variety Lines
viewer’s eye to follow. 4. Variety Size
5. Variety Perspective
6. Variety Texture
BALANCE

- Refers to the distribution of visual weight in a composition.

- Each part of the composition works with other parts of the
composition to appear equal and harmonious in balance.