Elements and Principles of Design
Elements:
Principles:
Line
Balance
Shape
Emphasis & Focal Point
Form
Contrast
Color
Movement
Value
Variety
Texture
Pattern & Repetition
Space
Unity
Harmony/Gestalt
Line
A line is defined as a mark with length and direction, created
by a point that moves across
a surface. A line can vary in
length, width, direction, curvature, and color.
Jasper Johns, 0-9 (continuous line)
Gesture drawing
line
Jackson Pollock, Autumn Rhythm
line
Roy Lichtenstein, Brushstroke, 1965
line
Morris Louis, Beta Kappa 1961
Shape & Form
Shape is an enclosed space defined by other elements of art.
Shape is 2-Dimensional while form is 3-dimensional
Geometric
Fernana Leger, The City
Shape can be
or
Organic
Matisse, from the series “Jazz”
shape
Are these shapes
Geometric or Organic?
Edward Steichen, Le Tournesol (Sunflower) 1920
form
David Smith, Wandering Rocks
form
Edward Hopper, the Lighthouse at Two Lights
Color
Is an element of art with three properties
1) Hue, the name of the color, e.g. red, yellow, etc. 2)
Intensity or the purity and strength of the color 3) Value, or
the lightness or darkness of the color
Jasper Johns, Target
(primary colors)
Delauney
Color
Picasso, the Old Guitarist
Mark Rothko, Red, Orange, Tan and Purple
Color
Andre Derain, Mountains at Coullioure, 1905
Color
Kandinsky, Improvisation 31 (Sea Battle), 1913
Color
Van Gogh, Night Cafe
Value
An element of art that refers to luminance or luminosity – the
lightness or darkness of a color.
Value is an especially important element in works of art
when color is absent. This is particularly likely with drawings,
printmaking, and photographs
Kathe Kollwitz,
Self portrait
Value
Chuck Close
(made w/ thumbprints!)
Edward Weston, Pepper
(photograph)
Texture
Texture refers to the surface quality or "feel" of an object, such as
roughness, smoothness, or softness. Actual texture can be felt while
simulated textures are implied by the way the artist renders the surface
area
Oppenheim
Fur-lined cup
Texture
Actual
and
Implied
Albrecht Durer
Rhinocerus
Golsdworthy
Space
Space is the empty or open area
between, around, above, below,
or within objects. Shapes and
forms are made by the space
around and within them. Space
is often called three-dimensional
or two- dimensional. Positive
space is filled by a shape or
form. Negative space surrounds
a shape or form.
Space
Positive/Negative Space
MC Escher
Space
Depth
Perugino, Delivery of the Keys
Space
Depth
De Chirico, Melancholy and Mystery of a Street
Balance
Balance is a sense of stability in the body of work.
Balance can be symmetrical (formal) or assymmetrical (informal)
Wayne Thiebaud, Around the Cake (formal balance)
Balance
Edgar Degas (informal balance)
Emphasis & Focal Point
Emphasis - Any forcefulness that gives importance to some feature or features of
an artwork; something singled out, stressed, or drawn attention to by means of
contrast, anomaly, or counterpoint
Focal Point = portion of an artwork's composition on which interest or attention
centers
David Hockney
Emphasis & Focal Point
Barbara Kruger
Rene Magritte
Contrast
A large difference between two things,
such as light and shadow, color and black/white
Andy Warhol
Contrast
David, the Death of Marat
Movement
Movement adds excitement to your work by showing action and directing the
viewers eye throughout the picture plane.
Edward Munch, the Scream
Movement
Umberto Boccioni,
Unique forms of continuity in space
Marcel Duchamp, Nude Descending Staircase
Variety
When elements are changed in scale, color, or form.
Stuart Davis
Andy Warhol
Pattern & Repetition
Involves multiples of the same element. Repeated elements can vary in size, color,
or axis placement. Repeated elements can create a pattern. The use of repetition
may be applied to all Visual Elements. Motion can be created by repetition.
William Morris
Arts and Crafts Movement
Pattern & Repetition
Chuck Close, Self Portrait, detail
Unity & Harmony
The quality of wholeness or oneness (Gestalt) that is achieved through the
effective use of the elements and principles of design.
Claude Monet
Haystacks
Unity
Cezanne
Wayne Theibaud
Unity
Van Gogh
Identify the elements & principles in the following:
Your Assignment:
- Work on handout with the book “Art Fundamentals”
- Create 12 small artworks (6 elements, 6 principles) and
“visually define” them. Draw a 3 inch x 3 inch square - using a ruler And create small representations of each of the elements and
Principles
- you may use any media on hand -