Hard Edge Paintings
1950’s-1960’s
Intro, Frederick Hammersley, 1958
At the end of this unit, I will be able to…
1. Identify and define the elements of art.
2. Describe the nine (9) colors families: primary, secondary, tertiary, monochromatic,
warm, cool, complementary, analogous and triadic.
3. Identify and describe artwork from the Hard Edge movement during the 1950’s and
1960’s.
4. Create a hard edge, abstract painting using a selected color family.
Name: ____________________________Teacher Copy with Answers_________________________
1
Elements of Art:
the basic visual symbols in the language of art; line, shape, form, space,
value, color, and texture.
Line
Line is: the path of a moving point through space; they can have different
lengths, widths, textures, directions, curves, etc; they are measured by length
Contour: a line that defines the edges and surface ridges of an object
Implied: lines that are not actually drawn but created by values, colors,
textures or shapes that guide the viewer’s eye through a piece.
Line is the most basic element of art! It is used to create all of the other elements!
Fill in the following grid with AS MANY TYPES OF LINES that you can create!
2
Elements of Art:
Shape
Shape is: a two-dimensional area that is defined in some way; measured by
height and width; can be geometric or free-form
Shape can be:
Geometric: precise
shapes that can be described using mathematical
formulas; circle, square, and triangle.
Organic: irregular and uneven shapes; their outlines are curved, or
angular, or both; often referred to as free-form; opposite of geometric
Draw as many geometric and organic shapes that you can think of!
Geometric
Organic
3
Elements of Art:
Form
Form is: objects having three dimensions; measured by height, width and depth;
can be geometric or free-form
Form can be:
Geometric: precise
forms that can be described using mathematical
formulas; basic geometric forms are the cylinder, the cube and pyramid
Organic: irregular and uneven forms; outlines are curved, angular or
both; often referred to as free-form; found in nature
Turn each shape below into a form. Give the form a name!
4
Elements of Art:
Space
Space is: the emptiness or area between, around, above, below, or within objects
Space can be:
Positive Space: shapes
or forms in two- and three-dimensional art; the
area in an object
Negative Space: empty spaces surrounding shapes and forms; the shape and size of
negative spaces affect the interpretation of positive spaces
Negative
Negative
Draw a simple object in positive and negative space (ex:
hand, water bottle, pencil, leaf).
5
TRIADIC colors are: ___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
6
Elements of Art:
Value
Value is: describes the darkness or lightness of an object; value depends on how
much light a surface reflects
Value is created by shading. The four basic shading techniques are:
Blending: technique
of shading through smooth, gradual application
of dark value; uses pressure on the pencil
Hatching: creation of value through the use of lines that run in one direction; the
more lines, the darker the value; the less lines, the lighter the value
Cross-Hatching: using
crossed lines for value; the more lines in an
area, the darker the value; the less lines in an area, the lighter the value
technique of shading using dots; the more dots in an area,
the darker the value; the less dots in an area, the lighter the value
Stippling:
7
Elements of Art:
Texture
Texture is: refers to how things feel or look as if they might feel if touched;
texture is perceived by touch and sight; can have rough or smooth textures
Texture can be:
Implied texture: how something appears
Physical texture: how something actually feels
that it might feel
Elements of Art Word Project
8
I can…
1. Identify the elements of art.
2. Illustrate the elements of art.
3. Demonstrate good craftsmanship in a drawing.
1. Write the word “Elements” in block or bubble letters in the middle of
your drawing paper. You can be creative in the type of font you use!
2. Take a ruler and split your paper into seven (7) sections.
a. Make sure that you have a part of the word “elements” in each
of the seven sections!
3. Now, illustrate each section of the paper using the elements of art!
Each section should be illustrated according to one element of art:
a. Line
b. Shape
c. Form
d. Space
e. Value
f. Color
g. Texture
Elements of Art Word Project Rubric (36 points):
9
4
3
2
1
0
Demonstrates
excellent knowledge
of line; uses 6 or
more different lines
in drawing.
Demonstrates
excellent knowledge
of shape; uses 6 or
more different
shapes in drawing.
Demonstrates
satisfactory
knowledge of line;
uses 5 different lines
in drawing.
Demonstrates
satisfactory of shape;
uses 5 different
shapes in drawing.
Demonstrates a
very basic
knowledge of line;
uses 3-4 different
lines in drawing.
Demonstrates basic
knowledge of line;
uses 3-4 different
shapes in drawing.
Demonstrates poor
knowledge of line;
uses 1-2 different
lines in drawing.
Demonstrates no
knowledge of line;
uses 1 or less lines
in drawing.
Demonstrates poor
knowledge of
shape; uses 1-2
different shapes in
drawing.
Demosntrates no
knowledge of line;
uses 1 or less shape
in drawing.
Demonstrates
excellent knowledge
of form; uses 6 or
more different
forms in drawing.
Demonstrates
satisfactory
knowledge of form;
uses 5 different forms
in drawing.
Demonstrates basic
knowledge of form;
uses 3-4 different
forms in drawing.
Demonstrates poor
knowledge of form;
uses 1-2 different
forms in drawing.
Demosntrates no
knowledge of form;
uses 1 or less form
in drawing.
Demonstrates
excellent knowledge
of space.
Demonstrates
satisfactory
knowledge of space.
Demonstrates basic
knowledge of
space.
Demosntrates poor
knowledge of
space.
Demonstrates no
knowledge of
space.
Color
Demonstrates
excellent knowledge
of color families.
Demonstrates basic
knowledge of color
families.
Demosntrates poor
knowledge of color
families.
Demonstrates no
knowledge of color
families.
Value
Demosntrates
excellent knowledge
of value and the
four shading
techniques.
Demonstrates
excellent knowledge
of texture; uses 6 or
more textures in
drawing.
Student has taken
the technique being
studied and applied
it in a way that is
totally his/her own.
The student's
personality/voice
comes through.
Everything is
original.
Class time was used
wisely. Extra time
and effort went into
planning Drawing
has been created
and maintained in a
professional
manner.
Demonstrates
satisfactory
knowledge of color
families.
Demosntrates
satisfactory
knowledge of value
and the three of the
shading techniques.
Demosntrates
satisfactory
knowledge of texture;
uses 5 textures in
drawing.
Student has taken the
technique being
studied and has used
source material as a
starting place. The
student's personality
comes through in
parts of the painting.
Everything is original.
Demosntrates basic
knowledge of value
and two of the
shading techniques.
Demosntrates poor
knowledge of value
and one of the
shading techniques.
Demonstrates no
knowledge of value
or the four shading
techniques.
Demonstrates basic
knowledge of
texture; uses 3-4
textures in
drawing.
Student has copied
aspects of their
artwork from
another source.
There is little
evidence of
creativity, but the
student has done
the assignment.
Demosntrates poor
knowledge of
texture; uses 1-2
textures in
drawing.
Student has not
made much attempt
to meet the
requirements of the
assignment. A
majority of the
assignment has
been copied from
another source.
Demosntrates no
knowledge of
texture; uses no
texture in drawing.
Class time was used
wisely. A satisfactory
amount of effort went
into planning drawing
has been created and
maintained in a
somewhat
professional manner;
slight wrinkles in
paper.
Class time was not
always used wisely
but student got the
project finished;
drawing was
created and
maintained with an
attempt at neatness;
there are some
smudges or
wrinkles but they
don’t take away
from the drawing.
A majority of class
time was not used
wisely and drawing
was not finished in
time. Drawing was
not maintained
with an attempt at
neatness; there are
smudges or
wrinkles that take
away from the
drawing.
Class time was not
used wisely and the
student put in no
additional effort;
drawing is
unfinished or is
torn and marked
intentionally in a
way that distracts
from the drawing.
Line
Shape
Organic &
Geometric
Form
Organic &
Geometric
Space
Depth; negative
& positive
Blending,
hatching, crosshatching, stippling
Texture
Creativity
Craftsmanship
10
No creativity
attempted.
Artwork is a direct
copy from another
source.
Hard Edge Painting (36 points)
1. Design an interesting composition using the elements of art.
a. This composition should be non-representational…meaning it
doesn’t look like anything but a bunch of shapes, lines, and
colors!
b. Use only geometric shapes and lines.
i. Squares
ii. Circles
iii. Rectangles
iv. Triangles
v. Octagons, etc.
2. Draw this design using a ruler onto tag board.
3. When you are ready to paint, you will pick a
color family to use out of a hat. You will have
to paint your hard edge painting using only the
colors from that color family!
4. Begin by taping off small sections of your
painting with the colored masking tape.
5. Paint the areas one at a time.
a. Be sure to incorporate value and texture
into some of the spaces!
6. Leave the tape on until next class. At that
point, you will carefully remove it, tape off the
next sections, and paint again.
11
4
Hard
Edge
Techniqu
e
Shape
Geometric
Space
Positive &
Negative
Color
Value
Blending
Texture
Composition
Creativity
Craftsmanship
3
2
1
Excellently
demonstrated the
hard-edge painting
technique using
masking tape.
Satisfactorly
demonstrated the
hard-edge painting
technique using
masking tape.
Demonstrated basic
knowledge of the
hard-edge painting
technique. Used
masking tape most of
the time.
Demonstrates poor
knowledge of the
hard-edge painting
techinque.
Occasionally used
masking tape.
Demonstrates
excellent knowledge
of shape; uses a
variety of shapes and
sizes.
Demonstrates
excellent knowledge
of space.
Demonstrates
satisfactory of shape;
uses a small variety
of shapes and sizes.
Demonstrates basic
knowledge of shape;
uses similar sizes and
varieties.
Demonstrates poor
knowledge of shape;
similar sizes and one
type of shape.
Demonstrates
satisfactory
knowledge of space.
Demonstrates basic
knowledge of space.
Demosntrates poor
knowledge of space.
Demonstrates
excellent knowledge
of chosen color
families.
Demosntrates
excellent knowledge
of value and how to
blend colors using
paint.
Demonstrates
excellent knowledge
of texture; uses 4 or
more textures in
drawing.
Demonstrates
satisfactory
knowledge of chosen
color families.
Demosntrates
satisfactory
knowledge of value
and how to blend
colors using paint.
Demosntrates
satisfactory
knowledge of
texture; uses 4
textures in drawing.
Demonstrates basic
knowledge of chosen
color families.
Demosntrates poor
knowledge of chosen
color families.
Demosntrates basic
knowledge of value
and how to blend
colors using paint;
choppy blending.
Demonstrates basic
knowledge of texture;
uses 3 textures in
drawing.
Demosntrates poor
knowledge of value;
only uses 2-3 values
and they are not
blended well.
Demosntrates poor
knowledge of texture;
uses 2 textures in
drawing.
Student applies
design principles
(such as unity,
variety, contrast,
balance, movement,
direction, emphasis,
and center of interest)
with great skill.
Student applies
design principles
(such as unity,
contrast, balance,
movement, direction,
emphasis, and center
of interest) with
satisfactory skill.
Student tries to apply
basic design principles
(such as unity,
contrast, balance,
movement, direction,
emphasis, and center
of interest).
Student has taken the
technique being
studied and applied it
in a way that is
totally his/her own.
The student's
personality/voice
comes through.
Everything is
original.
Class time was used
wisely. Extra time
and effort went into
planning Painting has
been created and
maintained in a
professional manner.
No drips, smudges or
wrinkles in the paper.
Student has taken the
technique being
studied and has used
source material as a
starting place. The
student's personality
comes through in
parts of the painting.
Everything is
original.
Class time was used
wisely. A satisfactory
amount of effort
went into planning
the painting; has
been created &
maintained in a
somewhat
professional manner.
Student has copied
aspects of their
artwork from another
source. There is little
evidence of creativity,
but the student has
done the assignment.
Student tries to apply
design principles
(such as unity,
contrast, balance,
movement, direction,
emphasis, and center
of interest) but the
overall result is not
pleasing.
Student has not made
much attempt to meet
the requirements of
the assignment. A
majority of the
assignment has been
copied from another
source.
Class time wasn’t
always used wisely but
student finished;
painting was created &
maintained with an
attempt at neatness;
some smudges or
wrinkles but they
don’t take away from
the artwork.
12
Majority of class time
was not used wisely
& painting was not
finished in time.
Painting was not
maintained with an
attempt at neatness;
smudges or wrinkles
that take away from
the artwork.
0
Demonstrates no
knowledge of the
hard-edge
painting
technique. Did
not use masking
tape.
Demosntrates no
knowledge of
shape. Did not
use geometric
shapes.
Demonstrates no
knowledge of
space.
Demonstrates no
knowledge of
chosen color
families.
Demonstrates no
knowledge of
value using paint.
Demosntrates no
knowledge of
texture; uses no
texture in
drawing; painting
is completely
painted smooth.
The student does
not appear to be
able to apply most
design principles
to his/her own
work.
No creativity
attempted.
Artwork is a
direct copy from
another source.
Class time was
not used wisely
and the student
put in no effort;
painting is
unfinished, torn &
marked
intentionally in a
way that distracts
from the artwork.
13