THE ELEMENTS OF VISUAL ARTS:

Elements

• provide an essential starting point in understanding and creating.

• Line, Form, Space, Shape, Texture, Color, Value

Line

• continuous mark made on a surface, moving point.

• Guides the movement of the painting.

Line as…

Form, Structure, Depth, Distance, Rhythm, Movement, Emotion, Different kinds:

• Horizontal - Rest or Repose

• Vertical - Dignity, Formality, and Strength

• Diagonal - Action and excitement

• Zigzag - Confusion or action

• Curved - Grace and Beauty, play, sensuality, eroticism

• Jagged - Turmoil and Anxiety

Shape

• beginning of a line connects with its own end or intersects with another.

• Indicates general outline of an object.

• Shapes are flat or 2-dimensional; width and length.

Two types of Shapes:

• Geometric - Basic shapes.

  Ex: circles, squares, rectangles. Straight lines.

  Geometric shapes in Nature: Honeycomb, Red Cage fungus

• Organic - Free form

Form

• Volume of a shape is its height, width, and length. Refers to structures, 3d in 2d platform.

Space

• area where the artwork is organized. ⁃

• Negative Space - the space between and around the subject.

• Positive Space - the space inside or the main focus of a certain piece. Space consumed by the object.

Texture

• look or feel of a surface. Experience it in 2 ways:

  > Optically - sight

  > Physically - touch

• Actual texture, Simulated texture, Invented Texture

Color

• colors we see are light waves absorbed.

• Three Distinct Qualities:

  1. Hue - name of the color

  2. Value - lightness to darkness

  3. Saturation - brightness to dullness

Color wheel:

• Primary colors

• Secondary colors

• Tertiary colors

• Warm - advancing, stimulates -

• Cool - receding, relaxing

Value

• lightness and darkness of a color.

• You can get different values by mixing shades and tints.

• Tone is created when gray is added.

• Types of value: low contrast, high contrast