The Elements of Art:

Form: are three-dimensional shapes expressing length, width, and depth. Balls, cylinders,
boxes, and pyramids are forms.

Line: is a mark with greater length than width. Lines can be horizontal, vertical or diagonal;
straight or curved; thick or thin.

Shape: is a closed line. Shapes can be geometric, like squares and circles; or organic, like free-
form or natural shapes. Shapes are flat and can express length and width.

Space: is the area between and around objects. The space around objects is often called
negative space; negative space has shape. Space can also refer to the feeling of depth. Real
space is three-dimensional; in visual art, when we create the feeling or illusion of depth, we call
it space.

Texture: is the surface quality that can be seen and felt. Textures can be rough or smooth, soft
or hard. Textures do not always feel the way they look; for example, a drawing of a porcupine
may look prickly, but if you touch the drawing, the paper is still smooth.
Value: is the lightness or darkness of a color. It is created when a light source shines upon an
object creating highlights, form shadows and cast shadows.

The Principles of Design:

Balance: is the distribution of the visual weight of objects, colors, texture, and space. If the
design was a scale, these elements should be balanced to make a design feel stable. In
symmetrical balance, the elements used on one side of the design are similar to those on the
other side; in asymmetrical balance, the sides are different but still look balanced. In radial
balance, the elements are arranged around a central point and may be similar.

Contrast: is the difference between two or more elements in a composition. The more the
difference between the elements, the greater they are easy to compare and comprehend and
that is when they are said to have contrasted with each other.

Emphasis: is the part of the design that catches the viewer’s attention. Usually the artist will
make one area stand out by contrasting it with other areas. The area could be different in size,
color, texture, shape, etc.
Proportion: is the feeling of unity created when all parts (sizes, amounts, or number) relate well
with each other. When drawing the human figure, proportion can refer to the size of the head
compared to the rest of the body.

Pattern: is the repeating of an object or symbol all over the work of art.

Rhythm: is created when one or more elements of design are used repeatedly to create a
feeling of organized movement. Rhythm creates a mood like music or dancing. To keep rhythm
exciting and active, variety is essential.
Unity: is the feeling of harmony between all parts of the work of art, which creates a sense of
completeness.

Variety: is the use of several elements of design to hold the viewer’s attention and to guide the
viewer’s eye through and around the work of art.

Art Terms:
Asymmetrical: A balance achieved through the use of unequal parts or elements. (For
example: imagine a beach ball by the side of a stick and two baseballs on the other side
balancing out the picture.)

Balance: A principle of art and design concerned with the arrangement of one or more
elements in a work of art so that they appear symmetrical (identical compositional units on
either side of an axis) or asymmetrical (not identical) in design and proportion.

Color: Element of art derived from reflected light. The sensation of color is aroused in the brain
by response of the eyes to different wavelengths of light. Color has three properties: hue, value,
and intensity.

Composition: The arrangement of forms in a work of art.

Content: A work of art is usually discussed in terms of its subject matter, form and content.
Content refers to the intellectual, psychological, spiritual, narrative or aesthetic aspect of the
work.

Contour drawing: An outline that shows only the edge and not the volume or mass of an
object. Sometimes called blind contour if the artists in not looking at their paper, only at their
subject.

Contrast: Use of opposites near or beside one another (light and dark, rough and smooth).

Cool colors: mostly green, blue, violet (purple).

Dominance: The difference in importance of one aspect in relation to all other aspects of
design. What stands out most in a work of art.

Emphasis: Principle of design concerned that stresses one element or area in a work of art to
make it attract the viewer’s attention first.

Exaggeration: Increasing or enlarging an object or figure or one of its parts to communicate

ideas and feelings.

Federal Arts Project: Government program established during the Depression to create jobs
for American artists.

Focal point: The center of interest of an artwork; the part you look at first.

Form: An artist uses form as a vehicle for rendering a particular type of subject matter. The
formal elements of a work consist of the groupings and combinations of shapes.

Gouache: Pigments ground in water and mixed with gum to form opaque watercolor. Gouache
resembles school tempera paint or poster paint.

Hue: The name of a color – red blue, yellow, etc.

Intensity: Brightness of a color.

Line: An identifiable path of a point moving in space. It can vary in width, direction, and length.
Horizontal lines tend to create a sense of calm in a picture. Vertical lines tend to create a feeling
of stability. Diagonal lines tend to create a feeling of dynamic movement.

Medium: The specific material used by an artist, such as oil and brush; also, the vehicle used,
such as sculpture, painting or photography.

Motif: Unit repeated in visual rhythm. Units in a motif may or may not be an exact duplicate of
the first unit.

Pattern: Two-dimensional decorative visual repetition. A pattern has no movement and may or

may not have rhythm.

Pictorial space: The illusion of space, whether three- or two-dimensional, created by an artist

on the two-dimensional surface of the canvas or paper.

Proportion: Principle of design concerned with the size relationships of one part to the whole
and one part to another.

Rhythm: Principal of design that repeats elements to create the illusion of movement. Visual
rhythm is perceived through the eyes, and is created by repeating positive spaces separated by
negative spaces. Alternating rhythm is when the visual rhythm set up by repeating motifs but
changing position or content of motifs or spaces between them. Flowing rhythm is created by
repetition of wavy lines. Progressive rhythm is a visual rhythm that changes a motif each time
it is repeated. Random rhythm is a repetition in no apparent order with no regular
spaces. Regular rhythm is achieved through repeating identical motifs using the same intervals
of space between them.
Screen print: Printing technique that makes use of a squeegee to force ink directly onto a piece
of paper or canvas through a stencil containing the image. (The process is also called silk-
screen or serigraphy.)

Shade: The dark values of a color (adding black).

Shape: Geometric shapes look as though they were made with a straight edge or drawing tool;
square, circle, triangle and oval. Organic shapes are also called free form. These shapes are
not regular or even. Their edges are curved and angular or a combination of both.

Space: (or negative space): is the element of sculpture, which refers to emptiness or areas
between, around, above, below or within objects.

Subject matter: The topic of interest or the primary theme of an artwork.

Texture: refers to the way things feel or look as though they might feel if they were touched.

Tint: light values of a color (adding white)

Unity: The arrangement of one or more of the elements used to create a feeling of

completeness. Everything in the work seems to belong and contribute to the overall picture.

Value: Light or dark; the variations of light and dark on the surface of an object. The lightness or
darkness of a color.

Variety: Principle of design concerned with difference or contrast.

Warm colors: red, orange, yellow.