Elements and Principles of Design
Elements:
Line
Shape
Form
Color
Value
Texture
Space
Principles:
Balance
Emphasis & Focal Point
Contrast
Movement
Variety
Pattern & Repetition
Unity
Harmony/Gestalt

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.
Contour, Diagonal, Broken, Curved, Outline, Implied, Vertical, zigzag,
Horizontal, Wavy, Slanted, Continuous, Solid, Narrow, Bold
Jasper Johns, 0-9 (continuous line) Gesture drawing

line
Jackson Pollock, Autumn Rhythm

LINE
Andy Goldsworthy

Keith Haring

Shape
Shape is an enclosed space defined by other elements of art. Shape is 2-Dimensional
Shape can be:
Geometric: Angular, man-made concept
Organic: curvilinear - found in nature
Fernana Leger, The City
Matisse, from the series “Jazz”

Picasso, Three Musicians

FORM
3 Dimensional Shape. Volume

MC Escher, Self Portrait

Tamara de Lempicka
Portrait of Ira P. 1925
Vincent Van Gogh, Shoes

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 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

Actual
Texture and Implied
Golsdworthy
Albrecht Durer
Rhinocerus

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
Delauney
Jasper Johns, Target
(primary colors)

Piet Mondrian
Wassily Kandinsky

• Colors that are often described as being higher in temperature
• Reds, oranges, yellows
• Associated with fire and sun
• Optically, appear to advance
• Stimulating and passionate

• Colors that are often described as being lower in temperature
• Greens, Blues, and Violet
• Associated with water, sky, and spring
• Optically, they appear to recede
• Calming and depressing

Color and Mood
Picasso, the Old Guitarist
Van Gogh, the Night Cafe

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.
MC Escher

Positive space is filled by a shape or form. Negative space surrounds a shape or form.

Space/Depth
May be created by overlapping, change in scale, perspective placement, color theory, or projection toward the viewer.
David Hockney
Place Furstenberg, Paris, August 7,8,9, 1985 -#11985

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)

Symmetrical/Formal Balance
Diane Arbus, Twins

Symmetrical Balance
Leonardo da Vinci, The Last Supper 1495-1498

Asymmetrical Balance
Edgar Degas (informal balance)

Asymmetrical Balance

When elements are changed in scale, color, or form.
Andy Warhol
Stuart Davis

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

Dominance & Subordination
The part of a composition that is emphasized , has the greatest visual weight , the most important, powerful, or has the most influence.

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

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

Contrast
A large difference between two things, such as light and shadow, color and black/white
Andy Warhol

Contrast
David, the Death of Marat

Economy

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 “Starry Night”

What Elements and Principles stand out?

What Elements and Principles stand out?
Goya, “The 5 th of May”

What Elements and Principles stand out?
Gauguin

What Elements and Principles stand out?