Elements and Principles

of Art and Design

“The building blocks and how we use them”
 LINE

Is the path of a moving point.

 SHAPE
A two-dimensional enclosed area
 Geometric shapes

have clear edges and angles

ex. Square, circle, triangle
Organic Shapes

are irregular shapes or

shapes found in nature
A three-dimensional
geometrical figure

Versus shape, which is

two-dimensional, or
flat
COLOR
 Warm Colors
Reds, Pinks, Yellows, Oranges
Think “fire”

Cool Colors
Greens, Blues, Purples
Think “water”
Complementary Colors
Colors that appear directly across
from one another on the color wheel.
 TEXTURE
The way things feel when they are
touched.
 PRINCIPLES OF ART
What we do with the elements of design

1. Balance
2. Repetition/Pattern
3. Rhythm
4. Proportion
5. Variety
6.Contrast
 1. BALANCE
Equalizing the visual forces, or “Visual weight”

Central Axis

- dividing line that

works like the
point of balance
on a scale
(can be vertical or
horizontal)
Types of Balance
1. Symmetrical:

two sides
identical; mirror
image
2. Asymmetrical

balance of unlike
elements, b/c two
objects may have
same visual
weight as a larger
singular object
3. Radial:

when the
elements of a
design come
“out” from a
central point
2. PATTERN/REPETITION
repeating an object or art element
creates Pattern and Rhythm…
 3. RHYTHM
How your eye moves throughout the
artwork; with rhythm there is a variation of
pattern.
 4. PROPORTION
Proportion is the
comparison of
dimensions or
distribution of forms.
It is the relationship
in scale between one
element and another,
or between a whole
object and one of its
parts.
 5. VARIETY
Variety is the complement to unity and
harmony, and is needed to create visual
interest.
 Harmony: creates unity by stressing the
similarities of separate but related parts.
Color, Repetition of shapes, Spacing

Unity: quality of
oneness of
wholeness that is
achieved through
the effective use of
the elements
 6. CONTRAST
Deals with the difference of the art elements used

Orange versus blue

(complementary colors);
warm versus cool colors
Black versus white
 Other Important Terms:
• Composition: the selection and arrangement of
elements of art and design
• Design: arranging your elements in a work that
is non-objective or abstract
• Medium: what an artwork is made of or how it
is made
• Subject matter: what an artwork is OF
• Rule of Thirds: not centering your subject