Elements of Arts and Principles of Design

Vocabulary flashcards covering the elements of art, principles of design, definitions, and specific artworks from the lecture.

Elements of Art

The basic components of art-making and the building blocks of the arts.

Line

A mark made upon a surface whose length must be longer than its width.

Shape

A two-dimensional (2D) figure formed when a line crosses over itself, creating a flat image that represents objects based on how they appear in real life.

Form

Includes shape and perceived volume, exemplified by a three-dimensional (3D) artwork having depth, width, and height.

Color

The element that appears when light hits an object, coming from light that is reflected or absorbed and helping express the artist's mood or emotion in the artwork.

Texture

Denotes the smoothness or ruggedness of the image or object.

Space

Refers to the area around and between objects (which can be positive or negative) and includes the foreground, middle ground, and background in an artwork.

Value

Refers to the lightness and darkness areas of an artwork, where white is the lightest and black is the darkest.

Principles of Design

The rules that a designer must follow to create an effective composition that clearly delivers a message to its audience.

Balance

The distribution of visual weight of objects, colors, texture, and space; these elements should be balanced like a scale to make a design feel stable.

Emphasis

The part of a design that catches the viewer's attention, usually created by contrasting one area with other areas to make it stand out.

Pattern

The repeating of an object or symbol all over the work of art.

Repetition

Works with pattern to make the work of art seem active, using repeated elements of design to create unity within the artwork.

Proportion

The feeling of unity created when all parts (sizes, amounts, or number) relate well with each other, such as comparing the size of the head to the rest of the body in human figure drawing.

Rhythm

Created when one or more elements of design are used repeatedly to create a feeling of organized movement.

Variety

The use of several elements of design to hold the viewer's attention and guide their eye through and around the work of art.

Unity

The feeling of harmony between all parts of the work of art, creating a sense of completeness.

Planting Rice (1956)

An artwork created by Fernando Amorsolo (1892 - 1972).

Fernando Amorsolo (1892 - 1972)

The artist who created Planting Rice (1956).