Elements of Art and
Architecture
Elements of Art
With these seven primary elements, artists are able to create
incredibly diverse images, from the Egyptian pyramids to the
Mona Lisa. This chapter is an introduction to the vocabulary of
the language of art.
Like art historians, we will be using the Elements of Art
vocabulary throughout the semester.
The Elements of Art are:
Line, Shape, Form, Space, Value, Color and Texture
Line
Refers to the continuous mark made on
a surface by a moving point.
By varying length and width, or by
choosing various types of lines - straight,
curved, or angular – the artist can create
an image of great complexity.
Lines convey different moods – the
energy in the lines of fig. 2-2 in your
text, make the work exciting.
Line may be:
2 - dimensional -pencil, pen, brush
3 - dimensional-wire in space
Implied-the edge of a shape or form
Line
Varying a line’s width or
weight creates a sense of
depth.
Lines that describe the
edges of forms are called
contour lines.
Powerful gestural lines can
define space and be specific
and evocative, even in an
abstraction.
Shape
Shape is an enclosed area defined and
determined by other art elements such as
line, color, value and texture.
In panting and drawing, shapes may take
on the appearance of solid three
dimensional objects even though they are
limited to dimensions of length and width.
Shapes can be geometric (squares, circles,
triangles) or organic (wild, uneven, from
nature).
Form
Form is 3 dimensional
and encloses volume
inside.
Examples of forms are
cubes, spheres and
pyramids. In art we think
of forms as sculpture.
Space
Space refers to the distance or area between, around, above, below, or within
things.
It can be 2 dimensional or 3 dimensional.
Space can also be broken down into positive and negative space.
Positive space would be the subject matter of an artwork, negative space would
be the empty area around the subject.
Value
Value refers to the lightness or darkness of a color or tone in a work of art. A
full range of values creates the illusion of three dimensions in a two
dimensional work.
If you want your drawings to pop out, choose a light source and don’t be
afraid to add lots of value.
Value includes
Light and Shadow
The contrast between light
and shadow is called
chiaroscuro.
The light focuses our
attention and directs the
movement of our eyes.
Artists can use changes in
tonal values to model
forms.
Color
Color can be broken up into three sets;
primary, secondary, and intermediate
colors.
Color has three properties:
1.
Hue, the name of the color, like
red, yellow, or blue, etc.
2. Intensity, the purity and strength of a
color, such as bright red or dark
red
3. Value, the lightness or darkness of a
color.
Texture
Texture refers to the surface quality
or “feel” of a work of art.
Textures can be actual or simulated.
Actual textures would be something
that you could physically feel with
your fingers, while simulated textures
are suggested by the way the artist has
created certain areas of an image.