Elements and Principles - Intro to Art 2025

Shape

a 2D areas whose boundaries are defined by lines or suggested by changes in color or value.

Form

an object can be defined in 3D (Height, width, depth)

Volume

the space filled or encolosed by a 3D figure or object

mass

the visual density of an object

value

the lightness or darkness of something

texture

teh surface quality in all works of art

implied lines

a line not actually drawn but suggested by elemenets in an artwork

implied shape

a shape nor actually drawn by suggested by elements in the artwork

Implied motion

a visual illusion suggesting motion

implied texture

a visual illusion suggesting texture

What do artists use lines to do?

• form shapes

• indicate depth

• delineate space

• direct the eye

position

a shape lower in a composition appears to be closer to us.

size

a larger shape appears to be closer, a smaller shape further away

overlap

closer objects will overlap and black objects that are behind them

atmospheric perspective

using value, color, and clarity to create the illusion of depth. Objects in the foreground will have darker, more saturated, warmer colors and more detail. Objects in the background will have lighter, less saturated, cooler colors and less detail. They will appear hazy

linear perspective

a mathematical system taht uses lines to create the illusion of depth. These are three types, one-point, two-point, three-point

one-point perspective

a perspective system with a. single vanishing point on the horizon

two-point perspective

a perspective system with two vanishing points on the horizon

foreshortening

a perspective technique that depicts a distorted or reduced form in order to convey the illusion of depth

pose

figure in an artwork can be rendered as if in mid-motion

lines

most common in comics, motion lines can convey an object flying through space, exploding, etc.

duplication

also common in comics, an arm can be drawn multiple times in different positions to imply movement like waving or swinging

fabric

figure can be shown with flowing fabric as if in mid-motion or being blown by the wind

monochromatic

haveung one or more values of one color

analogous colors

colors adjacent to each other on the color wheel

complementary colors

colors opposite each other on the color wheel. One color does not contain the other color. Such colors pop against each other. These are often used with the phrase “color scheme”

hue

primary, secondary, and tertiary colors are the only ones. Are the most saturated (pure) version of that color. They form the base color that another color is created from. Can be made lighter, darker, or duller to create thousands of others colors

shade

colors that are darker than their basic hue

tint

colors that are lighter than their basic hue

tone

colors that are closer less saturated than their basic hue

saturation

the degree of purity of a color. As a color is desaturated it is mixed with gray, black, white, or its complement

value

the lightness or darkness of a color

warm colors

red, orange, yellow

warm colors can be cooled by adding cool colors to them

cool colors

blue, green, violet

cool colors can be warmed by adding warm colors to them

Palette

the range of colors used by an artist in a given artwork

Unity

the appearance of oneness or harmony in a work of art. All of the elements appearing to be part of a cohesive whole. Most artists work to achieve unity in come way, though there are numerous ways they can do it. If a work has achieved unity you might say “everything seems to work well together. Everything makes sense together” A work without unity would feel chaotic

variety

the diversity of different ideas, media, and elements in a work