Elements and Principles of Art and Design

Elements of Art

The basic building blocks of art, such as line, shape, color, texture, and space.

Color

When light bounces off an object and reaches our eyes, we perceive color, which may have lightness or darkness, or coolness or warmth.

Shape

A two-dimensional figure with length and width, formed by connecting both ends of a line.

Form

A three-dimensional figure that has the same dimensions as a shape except with added depth.

Line

A series of points in visual arts that may have characteristics of form (curved, dotted, or broken) and direction (vertical, horizontal, or diagonal).

Value

In visual arts, it is a property of color that pertains to lightness or darkness; in music, it refers to the pitch, which is the highness or lowness of a sound.

Value Scale Pencil

A scale that ranges from H to 8B, used to depict the value of pencil shading.

Texture

The tactile or illusory surface of a piece in visual arts; in music, it refers to the mood or quality of the composition.

Principles of Design

The rules that govern how the elements of art are arranged, including balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, rhythm, unity, and variety.

Scale and Proportion

The relationship of the elements, particularly the relative size of parts of a whole.

Harmony

In visual arts, it is the unity of the artwork; in music, it refers to the simultaneous sounding or playing of different notes.

Variety

Diversity in artwork, meaning adding multiple elements to break monotony and make it more interesting.

Movement

In visual arts, an artwork has movement when it incorporates the passage of time, even in an illusory manner.

Rhythm

The repetition of certain elements to produce a pattern; in visual arts, it creates flow, while in music, it refers to the even distribution of notes.

Balance

The even distribution of elements, which can be informal (asymmetry) or formal (symmetry).

Informal balance

A type of balance in visual arts when the designs are not equally distributed.

Formal balance

A type of balance in visual arts when the weight of the designs is equally distributed.

Integrative Art

The integration of two or more art forms to create more engaging and quality masterpieces.

ART LENS

The interdisciplinary use of various art forms to produce work for a particular audience, evident in visual, literary, and performing arts.

Visual Arts

Visual art is the expression of artistic ideas through images, structures, and tactile works.

Literary Arts

This is the expression of ideas through the creative use of language.

Performing Arts

This is the expression of ideas through performance in front of an audience.

Literary Art Categories

The three main categories of literary artworks are poetry, prose, and drama.

Three Kinds of Performing Art Forms

The three kinds of performing art forms according to material used are Music, Dance, and Theater.

Elements of Music

The elements of music (auditory) include Rhythm, Pitch, Melody, Musical Notations, Harmony, and Timbre.

Rhythm

Movement, fluctuation, or variation marked by the regular recurrence or natural flow of related elements.

Pitch

Highness or lowness of sound.

Melody

A rhythmic succession of single tones organized as an aesthetic whole.

Musical Notations

The act, process, method, or an instance of representing by a system or set of marks, signs, figures, or characters used in music.

Harmony

The combination of simultaneous musical notes in a chord.

Timbre

The perceived sound quality of a musical tone which sets it apart from other tones.

Human Body (in Dance)

The body is the center of the performance activity and is considered to be the main medium in performing arts.

Arrangement or Pattern (in Dance)

The movements and steps which enable the performers to perform in an organized manner.

Time and Space (in Dance)

Performing arts depend highly on time and space.

Stage Direction

Instructions indicating movement, blockings or positions, and other nuances in the performers' way of speaking, moving, and acting.

Narratology

The narrative structure of the piece.

Scenic Design

The artistic design that creates the background or scene to complement the performances.

Integrated Visual Artworks

Some visual artworks are integrated, which means they combine several mediums to create a new and unique artwork.

Examples of Visual Arts

Painting, sculpture, and architecture are some examples of visual arts.

Examples of Performing Arts

Performing arts include dance, musicals, theaters, films, and TV shows.

The Great Books of the Western World

A literary work published in 2005.

The Scream

A visual artwork created in 1893.

Chinese Variety Art Balancing Act

A performing art piece from 2005.