The elements of art and principles of design are the

fundamental parts of an artwork. Identifying these

elements is one way to understand an artwork.
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LINE
A line can be described as the path of a point moving through
TEXTURE
Texture refers to the tactile qualities of a surface – the way
space. In an artwork, there are many types of line. We can look objects actually feel or the way they look like they would feel.
for the direction of the line, the feeling of the line, the quality Sculptures, ceramics, mixed-media collages, fiber art, etc., may have
of the line, and how the lines move our eye through artworks. bumpy or varied surfaces – actual textures you can feel. A painting,
Lines can be described in many, many ways: drawing, print, or other two-dimensional work can be made to look
active — passive bold — delicate like a textured surface – implied texture.
flowing — light straight — curved

LOOK AT TEXTURE
thick — thin long — short
broken — continuous geometric — organic
implied — actual precise — irregular
contour — outline vertical — horizontal
perpendicular — parallel zig-zag — direct

LOOK AT LINE

Marc Chagall Jan Van Eyck

I and the Village, 1911 Arnolfini Portrait, 1434

THINK +TALK ABOUT IT THINK +TALK ABOUT IT

• Describe the lines in this artwork. • Identify at least 5 different textures in this artwork.
• How do the lines in this artwork create • What elements of art did the artist use to create
connections? texture?
• How do the lines move our eye around this artwork? • Where would you find these textures in the real
world?
 The elements of art and principles of design are the
fundamental parts of an artwork. Identifying these
elements is one way to understand an artwork.
ARTCLASSCURATOR.COM

SHAPE
A shape is an enclosed area of space created through lines
FORM
Form is an element of art closely related to shape, but form
and other elements of the composition. Shapes can be is always three-dimensional. A form is measurable by length,
geometric or free-form. width, and height, and encloses volume. Forms can be actual
Geometric shapes are 3-D forms created with sculpture or architecture, or they can
precise – like squares, be implied forms where the artist creates the illusion of the
triangles, rectangles, form onto a flat surface.
polygons, etc.
While a two-dimensional shape
Organic shapes are can be seen from only one side,
free-formed and a three-dimensional form can
curved, like people, be viewed from any side.
animals, trees, 2-dimensional
and other natural 3-dimensional
elements.

Three-dimensional
forms of sculpture and
architecture not only

LOOK AT SHAPE occupy space but also

contain space

Moshe Sadie, Habitat 67, Montreal, 1967

LOOK AT FORM

Photo by Frankie Fouganthin

Pablo Picasso
Three Musicians, 1911 Niki de Saint Phalle
Le Paradis Fantastique
1967-1971
THINK +TALK ABOUT IT THINK +TALK ABOUT IT
• Identify and draw three different geometric shapes • How did this artist use both shape and form in her art?
and three different organic shapes. • What do the forms in this artwork remind you of?
• Why did the artist depict this artwork using shape • How does the form create mood, or emotion, in this
rather than form? artwork?
• How do the shapes relate to music?
 The elements of art and principles of design are the
fundamental parts of an artwork. Identifying these
elements is one way to understand an artwork.
ARTCLASSCURATOR.COM

COLOR
Color is produced by the way an object reflects or emits light.
VALUE
Value in art refers to the lightness and darkness of colors and
By placing colors next to each other in different ways, artists is often described in varying levels of contrast.
can create a variety of effects. LL A value scale shows the range of tones from white, which is the
Each color has three lightest, to black, which is the darkest. The closer together the values
properties: hue, value, are on a scale, the less contrast we see.
and intensity. White Light Values Middle Values Dark Values Black
HUE is the name
of the color.
VALUE is a color’s
lightness or Artists utilize a range of techniques to show value, including use of
darkness. lines and intensity of color.

GR
OR

LOOK AT VALUE
INTENSITY refers
to the brightness
of a color, often
measured by
boldness or dullness.
There are three primary
colors (blue, yellow, and
red) from which all other
colors are made. Colors can be
evaluated as complementary,
analogous, and warm or cool.

LOOK AT COLOR

Frederic Church Henry Ossawa Tanner

Cotopaxi, 1862 The Banjo Lesson, 1893

THINK +TALK ABOUT IT THINK +TALK ABOUT IT

• Describe the colors in this artwork. • How is value used in this artwork?
• How do the colors in this artwork make you feel? • How did the artist use value to show emphasis?
• What color schemes did the artist use: • How does value create mood, or emotion, in the
complementary, analogous, warm, cool, etc.? artwork?
 The elements of art and principles of design are the
fundamental parts of an artwork. Identifying these
elements is one way to understand an artwork.
ARTCLASSCURATOR.COM

SPACE
Space is how an artwork uses or depicts depth or distance. Composition refers to the placement or arrangement of the
Sculptors and architects work with all three dimensions of elements of art in a work of art.
space – height, width, and depth. Artists who work on a flat A formal analysis of a work of art involves looking at the artist’s use
surface can make a two-dimensional surface appear three- of the elements and principles of art and how they work together to
dimensional. Space can give the illusion of objects in an create meaning.
artwork being close or far away. Positive space is the areas of
the artwork filled with the content, and negative space is the
space in between.
LOOK AT COMPOSITION
Depth or
distance can
be perceived
because of the Several birds overlap,
size differences, with those in front
the placement, appearing to be closer
and the value of to the viewer than those
the birds. that are partially covered.

LOOK AT SPACE

Hilma af Klint
John Sloan Untitled #1 (from Altar
South Beach Bathers Paintings series), 1915
1907-1908
THINK +TALK ABOUT IT
THINK +TALK ABOUT IT • See how the elements work together to create a
bold composition. Analyze the artwork by studying
• Find 5 ways the artist shows space in this artwork. each element to determine how the artist did or did
• How do we know that the people at the front are not use that element:
closer to us than the people in the background? Color, Shape, Value, Form, Line, Space, Texture
• Find the positive space and the negative space. Draw • How do each of these elements contribute to the
some of the shapes made by the negative space. meaning or the emotion in the artwork?
 The elements of art and principles of design are the
fundamental parts of an artwork. Identifying these
elements is one way to understand an artwork.

ARTCLASSCURATOR.COM

CONTRAST
Contrast refers to the
EMPHASIS
Emphasis refers to the area of an artwork that dominates
arrangement of opposite attention or draws interest. It is often the place a viewer looks
elements and effects. For first. Artists can create emphasis by contrasting the elements
example: light and dark colors, of art, such as:
smooth and rough textures,
large and small shapes.
Contrast can be used to create
variety, visual interest, and
drama in an artwork. color shape size and dominance
Caravaggio created a scene of
action and energy by contrasting
both light/dark and directional lines.
Caravaggio
Crucifixion of St. Peter, 1601
detail contrast isolation

LOOK AT CONTRAST
LOOK AT EMPHASIS

Käthe Kollwitz Francisco Goya

Misery, 1897 Third of May 1808, 1814

THINK +TALK ABOUT IT THINK +TALK ABOUT IT

• How did this artist show contrast in line and color? • What part of the composition is being emphasized?
• How did this artist create contrast through the • What choices did the artist make to create
meaning or story of the artwork? emphasis?
• How does the contrast create mood, or emotion, in • How does the emphasis create mood, or emotion, in
the artwork? the artwork?
 The elements of art and principles of design are the
fundamental parts of an artwork. Identifying these
elements is one way to understand an artwork.

ARTCLASSCURATOR.COM

MOVEMENT
Movement can be thought of in two ways – the first refers
RHYTHM
Rhythm is a principle of art that refers to the movement or
to how an artist depicts movement using the elements and action of a composition, usually achieved through repetition
principles of art. The second way refers to the visual flow of of lines, shapes, colors, and more. It creates a visual tempo in
an artwork, indicated by the path a viewer’s eyes take as they artworks and provides a path for the viewer’s eye to follow.
look at the artwork.
Lines, edges, shapes, and colors can be utilized by the artist to point
the way through an artwork as a map for our eyes to follow:

diagonal vertical horizontal

curving flowing progressive LOOK AT RHYTHM

LOOK AT MOVEMENT

Katsushika Hokusai Tughra of Sultan Süleiman

Ejiri in Suruga Province the Magnificent
1830 ca. 1555-60

THINK +TALK ABOUT IT THINK +TALK ABOUT IT

• How did this artist show movement? • What elements and principles did this artist use to
• Name two or more elements of art the artist create rhythm?
utilized to create movement. • If this painting were a song, what would it sound like?
• How does movement create mood, or emotion, in How do the lines, color, and rhythm create the song?
the artwork? • How does rhythm create mood, or emotion, in the
artwork?
 The elements of art and principles of design are the
fundamental parts of an artwork. Identifying these
elements is one way to understand an artwork.

ARTCLASSCURATOR.COM

PROPORTION
Proportion is the size relationship between the various parts
BALANCE
Balance refers to the distribution of visual weight in a
of an artwork. Artists can use scale and proportion to create composition. Each part of the composition works with other
sensations such as depth, realism, disorientation, and drama. parts of the composition to appear equal and harmonious in
The human figure is scaled to appear larger than balance.
the city skyline. The proportions could indicate
depth of perspective or could symbolize the
relationship of laborers in building a city.

symmetrical balance asymmetrical balance radial symmetry

LOOK AT BALANCE
LOOK AT PROPORTION

James Abbott McNeill Whistler

Arrangement in Grey and Black:
María Izquierdo Portrait of the Painter’s Mother
The Indifferent Child, 1947 (Whistler’s Mother), 1871

THINK +TALK ABOUT IT THINK +TALK ABOUT IT

• How did this artist manipulate (change) proportion? • What type of balance did this artist use
• Why do you think the artist chose to not show (symmetrical, asymmetrical, or radial)?
realistic proportion? • How would this artwork look different if the the
• How does proportion create meaning in the black curtain were a different size or color?
artwork? • Why did the artist title the artwork “Arrangement in
Grey and Black”?
 The elements of art and principles of design are the
fundamental parts of an artwork. Identifying these
elements is one way to understand an artwork.

ARTCLASSCURATOR.COM

UNITY
Unity, also known as harmony, refers to the cohesiveness of
VARIETY
Variety refers to the elements of a composition that differ
an artwork—how whole, consistent, and complete it appears. from one another. Variety creates visual interest and energy.
Unity is the pleasing combination of elements to create a
harmonious composition.
Unity is achieved through:
• repetition • theme and variation
• simplicity • proximity
• harmony • continuity
• contrast variety of color variety of shapes variety of lines

LOOK AT UNITY
variety of size variety of perspective variety of textures

LOOK AT VARIETY

Gustav Klimt
The Kiss, 1907-1908

THINK +TALK ABOUT IT

• Which elements of art did this artist use to create
unity?
• How does unity create mood, or emotion, in the
artwork?
• How would this artwork be different if the artist did
not use unity?
Wassily Kandinsky
Der Sturm, Volume 10, Number 7
1919

THINK +TALK ABOUT IT

• How did this artist show variety using color, shape, and
line?
• How did the artist create unity within the composition?
• How does the variety create mood, or emotion, in the
artwork?