Art & Design - 3ºESO
Unit 3
Francisco Rañal Loureiro (revised by C. Pigott)
- Signs, shapes and textures
3.1. Sign
A sign is an action or gesture used to convey an idea,
information, a wish, or a command. For instance, shaking hands is
a sign of friendship.
In the visual language, a sign is the mark done to represent
or express something. A point, a line, a brush stroke on canvas, a
fingerprint on clay,… are visual signs.
Often, certain personal, instinctive signs of an unsigned
work are enough to reveal the identity of its author. So it is very
important to discover, study and create our signs by learning to
use instruments skillfully on different surfaces.
3.1.1. The Point and Its Expressivity
In Maths, a point is an abstraction. It is something infinitely
small that does not take up any space. But its representation in
reality is the base of the visual communication: it is the smallest
sign but it does have dimensions and shape. Those depend on
the instrument that produces the sign (pencil, marker, chisel,…),
the material on which the instrument acts (paper, cardboard,
wood,…) and the pressure applied by our hand.
An isolated point lacks expressivity. Only when it is related
to others does it acquire communicative value.
Several points create a composition. The closer they are,
the more they attract our attention by being capable to resemble
an explosion, a trail, central tension, depth,…(see illustrations in the
textbook).
3.1.2. The Point in Graphic Arts
Both in printing and in chemical photography, images are
obtained by juxtaposing points.
In photography, the points are the tiny grains of silver
bromide (AgBr) that, if exposed to light, undergo certain chemical
reactions that change their colour.
3.1.3. The Point in Digital Images
A pixel (“pic-ture el-ement”) is equivalent to a point for
digital images. It is each one of the little coloured squares in which
the image is broken up.
The image definition improves when the pixel size
decreases and the number of pixels per square centimetre (ppc)
or per square inch (ppi) increases.
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Art & Design - 3ºESO
Francisco Rañal Loureiro (revised by C. Pigott)
3.1.4. The Point in Nature and In Art
In nature we can find many forms that can be artistically
represented by graphic points (sand, a galaxy, leaves of a tree,
skin of many animals, etc.)
3.1.5. The Line and Its Expressivity
A line is the trace left by a point in motion. Therefore, a line
is a continuous succession of points in the space. Depending on
the point characteristics, a line can have different thickness,
colour, shape, etc.
When the points are placed along only one direction, we
have a straight line that can be horizontal, vertical or oblique.
When the points’ direction varies continuously, we have a curve
that can be circular, elliptic, undulate, free…
Reality doesn´t have proper lines, but from antiquity, man
has used them as the fundamental expressive tool to create
images. Lines are used to represent the open or closed edges of
forms and volumes. The line’s main function is to enclose or
surround.
In Artistic Drawing, the line expressivity is so powerful that
even allows the representation of different feelings and emotions
by visible variations in speed, thickness and way of drawing the
line. Nevertheless, in Technical Drawing these expressive qualities
are not appropriate. Its precision and clarity require lines of
constant properties.
Learning to draw means learning to make lines in a precise,
premeditated, not casual, way. In order to do so, a good exercise
to train our hand to follow pre-established orientations is drawing
compositions of parallel horizontal, vertical and oblique lines,
polygonal lines, circumferences, waves, etc.
3.1.6. The Line in the Compositional Structure
Straight lines constitute the geometrical structure of all forms:
- Horizontal line: convey the feeling of rest and
quietness.
- Vertical line: is the most stable and suggests
balance and elevation.
- Oblique line: suggests movement, instability,
falling. When crisscrossed in several directions
they transmit confusion and discord. When they
seem to converge on a point, they suggest
displacement in every direction.
Curves complement straight lines providing variety and
dynamism.
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Art & Design - 3ºESO
Francisco Rañal Loureiro (revised by C. Pigott)
3.1.7. The Line in Art
In any visual art work (painting, sculpture, building,…) some
lines lead the spectator´s attention in the perception process.
Those lines are called master lines or virtual lines of the artistic
composition.
Very often these lines are less than evident, hidden in the
composition structure. But they are always extremely important for
the expressivity of the artwork, so their design is usually the first
step in the creation process. Master lines are responsible for
internal relations, visual rhythms, tensions, harmony,…
3.2. Shape
Shape is the external configuration of things, the total
appearance or organization we perceive through our senses. The
shape allows us to distinguish one object from another.
Two-dimensional basic shapes (triangle, square, circle) are
the forms we recognize more quickly.
When we store images in our brain, we simplify the details
and keep only what is indispensable to identify later those images.
This is what allows us to recognize in the distance the silhouette
from somebody we know, although we can not see his facial or
body particulars.
3.2.1. Types of Shapes
The apparent limit of a shape is called the edge or contour
and is usually depicted by a line. The internal area enclosed by
the edge is called the figure and both constitute the silhouette.
The area outside the edge is called the background.
There are several kinds of forms:
- Open: it is integrated on the background.
- Closed: its edge is continuous and separates it
from the background.
- Positive: the shape seems to take up some space.
-
Negative: the shape looks like
surrounded by occupied space.
emptiness
The figure/background tension is essential to get the
desired expressivity. Playing with their respective colour and
texture, this tension can be stressed or softened.
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Art & Design - 3ºESO
Francisco Rañal Loureiro (revised by C. Pigott)
3.2.2. Relative Positions between Shapes
Shapes can interact in several ways, depending on how
and where we place them:
- Distant: separated from each other.
- In contact: with only a common point.
- Overlapping: one hides part of the other.
- Interpenetrating: sharing a common area that
appears to pass through each other.
- Blended: shading imperceptibly into each other.
3.2.3. Geometric Shapes and Organic Shapes
Depending on their origin, shapes can be:
- Geometric: its structure follows the rules of
Geometry. They usually are man-made and can
be regular or irregular.
- Organic: freely generated by Nature (cloud, tree…)
3.3. The Texture
Texture can be defined as the material character of a
surface that can be experienced through touch or the illusion of
touch.
Any surface conveys visual and tactile sensations due to
the composition and the arrangement of the substances that
constitute it, provoking anything from attraction to rejection. For
instance, wood has a warm and nice touch (that is the reason why
we use it for furniture), while stone transmits roughness, cold,
robustness…
3.3.1. Visual and Tactile Textures
Tactile textures inform us about the surface temperature,
softness, consistency, etc. Therefore, it is essential in sculpture,
architecture, textile and industrial design, decoration…while in
painting is not so important.
Visual textures depend on the surface opacity level (more
or less transparent) and on its reflectivity (more or less shiny).
They can not always be distinguished by touching (flat or rough),
but they always evoke or suggest tactile feelings like smoothness,
hardness… They are especially important in Drawing, Painting,
and Photography…
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Art & Design - 3ºESO
Francisco Rañal Loureiro (revised by C. Pigott)
3.3.2. Organic and Geometric Textures
Organic textures show the natural configuration of matter,
without following any defined geometry (bark of a tree, irregular
finish of a wall…). The signs that constitute them are variable in
size, position and order.
Geometric textures follow a regular design in a geometrical
arrangement. They are usually man-made, although sometimes
can be inspired by nature.
Nowadays the so called gradient textures (organic or
geometric) are very frequently used. Their characteristics (colour,
value, density…) change continuously in a gradual way.
3.3.3. Natural and Artificial Textures
An artwork texture is called natural when no other material
is superimposed on the original one and artificial when other
substance (paint, plaster, grains…) is put on top of the material
used to create the art piece.
Each pictorial technique (pencil, oil, tempera…) has its own
natural texture, so by simply looking at a picture it is easy to
determine the material and instrument used to make it.
3.4. Textures in Art
3.4.1. Texture in Drawing
In drawing it is possible to obtain different textures by
changing the kind of signs (points, straight lines, curves…), the
instrument (pencil, charcoal, marker…) and the medium (flat,
rough or corrugated paper, cardboard, wood…).
3.4.2. Texture in Painting
Painting means spreading areas of colour. Different pictorial
textures can be obtained depending on the material used (wax,
tempera, oil…), the instrument (round or flat brush, thin or thick
brush, trowel, fingers…) and the hand movement (short or long,
fast or slow…).
These textures vary from homogeneous (made of small
short brush strokes) to vibrant and diverse (made of wide and
doughy brush strokes).
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Art & Design - 3ºESO
Francisco Rañal Loureiro (revised by C. Pigott)
3.4.3. Texture in Sculpture
To carve means to make something by cutting and shaping
a hard material, such as wood or stone, using a chisel and a
mallet. Therefore, the elemental sign will be the chisel mark.
To model means to make something by shaping a soft
material, such as clay or Plasticine, using the fingers or another
hard object whose mark on the material will be the elemental sign.
The different sculptural textures are the diverse finishes of
the surfaces (flat, rough, glossy, matte…). They depend on the
material, the technique, the instruments and the signs used.
3.4.1. Texture in Architecture
Texture in architecture is determined by the construction
materials (brick, stone, wood, glass…) and by the way they are
arranged.
The sign in a building is every architectonic element that
assumes a formal meaning: a spiral staircase, a decorated
balcony, a door or a window framed by columns and tympanum…
The sub-signs are those constructive elements that, when
repeated, contribute remarkably to the complex image of the
building, such as arcs, cornices, columns, etc.
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