Line is a basic element of art defined as a mark that spans a distance between
two points (or the path of a moving point), taking any form along the way. A
line is longer than it is wide. It can define a space, create an outline or pattern,
imply movement or texture and allude to mass or volume. It is two-dimensional
and can vary in width, direction, and length. Lines often define the edges of a
form. Lines can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, straight or curved, thick or
thin and broken.
Contour lines define edges, shapes or form- an outline. A plain contour line has
a clean, connected line, no shading and emphasizes an open "shell" of the
subject. More complex contour lines can imply shading values through interior
outlines. Seeing the outline of something and being able to draw the lines
exactly are important tools for an artist.
Arianna Helen
Hatching and Cross Hatching are used to place texture and value in a piece of
art. Hatching is lines next to each other, whether very close together or with
space. Cross-hatching is when the lines cross each other. Hatching is also
used to show shade. It the picture had been in color what darkness or
lightness of colors the object/people would be. More dark, close lines mean
darker color, and just the opposite for lighter colors.
Gesture lines show typically show action or physical movement. The lines are
‘wispy’ and ‘un-intentional’. These are also often referred to as sketch
drawings. They capture rapid execution. Typical situations involve an artist
drawing a series of poses taken by a model in a short amount of time. Gesture
is used to quickly capture the essence of what the model is doing.
Clara Lieu
Implied line is the path that the viewer’s eye takes as it follows shapes, colors,
and forms along a path, but may not be continuous or physically connected.
Such as the line created by a dancer's arms, torso, and legs when performing
an arabesque, or the shadow in this piece. Implied line can also show
movement across the page, making our eyes follow it.
Kristy Armstrong
Geometric Shapes
Organic Shapes
Positive & Negative
Shape is an area that is contained within an implied line, or is seen and
identified because of color or value changes. It is an enclosed space, the
boundaries of which are defined by other elements of art (i.e.: lines, colors,
values, textures, etc.). Shapes have two dimensions, length and width, and can
be geometric or organic (free-form).
Geometric shapes are circles, rectangles, squares, triangles and so on. They
have the clear edges one achieves when using tools to create them. They can
be described with mathematics and are used in geometry. Organic shapes
have natural, less well-defined edges. They have a natural look and a flowing
and curving appearance. Things such as an amoeba, a cloud or a ‘blob’ are
organic shapes.
Lucy Lamp
Lucy Lamp
Positive shape is usually the actual shape of the object, and the space
between objects is the negative shape. Positive shape can also be a central or
featured element. This is typically in abstract or nonobjective art. The image of
the Coliseum easily shows positive and negative shape. The structure is the
positive shape and the space within the arches is the negative shape. The
Ying-Yang symbol is a good example of the contrast and ambiguity of positive
and negative shapes.
Coliseum Rome, Italy 72-80 C. E.
Color is a production of light. A ray of white light passing through a prism, such
as in the picture, is separated into the hues seen in a rainbow. There must be
light for us to see color. A red shirt will not look red in the dark. The whiter the
light, the more true the color will be. A yellow light on a full color painting will
change the appearance of all the colors.
Hue- The names of the colors
Primary Hues- Yellow, Red. Blue
Secondary Colors- Orange, Violet, Green
Intermediate Colors- Yellow-Orange, Red-Orange, Red-Violet, Blue-Violet,
Blue-Green, and Yellow-Green
Value-The lightness or darkness of a hue
Shade-When black is added to a hue
Tint-When white is added to ahue
Cool Colors- Yellow-Green to Violet; they tend to recede in a piece
Warm Colors- Yellow to Red-Violet; they tend to come forward in a piece
Value
Pandalana Williams
This painting shows how color is used to show depth. The land and clouds
start close-up then seem to fade into the distance.
Texture refers to the surface quality, both simulated and actual, in a piece of
art. Different techniques are used to produce either simulated or actual
texture. Painting with a dry brush produces a rough ‘simulated’ quality whereas
heavy application of pigment produces a rough ‘actual’ quality.
Actual Texture - Actual texture describes the surface quality we can feel with
our fingers. Examples include thick paint, tackiness, scraping
Simulated Texture- When smooth artwork surfaces appear to be textured.
This can appear when an artist uses colors to make the piece look like it is
raised, or even 3 dimensional.
Ralph Goings
Mark Tobey
Sharon McCameron
Alex Press
Space is a three-dimensional volume that can be empty or filled with objects. It
has width, height, and depth. Space that appears three-dimensional in a
painting is an illusion that creates a feeling of actual depth. Various techniques
can be used to show such visual depth or space. Such as different sizes,
light/dark values, perspective, and over-lapping.
Actual Space
Over-lapping
Linear Perspective
Aerial Perspective
Jason Peters
Claude Lorraine
Sculptures, architecture, and various craft pieces occupy ‘real space’. It easy to
be aware of this in a large room, open landscape or looking at a sculpture like
the one pictured.
Over-lapping is used to show distance or sense space between them. If overlapping is combined with size differences, the sense of space is greatly
increased.
A linear perspective is a way of organizing objects in space. Parallel lines can
be seen as converging so as to give the illusion of depth and distance.
Aerial perspective is a way of using color and/or value to show space and
depth. It also refers to the effect its atmosphere has on the appearance of the
object as it is viewed from a distance.
Balance refers to the distribution of visual weight in a piece of art. In painting, it
is the visual equilibrium of the elements that causes the total image to appear
balanced. Balance can be symmetrical, asymmetrical, radial, or value balance.
All over patterns are another form of balance, since the dame weight, texture,
and colors are evenly distributed.
Symmetrical Balance
Asymmetrical Balance
Radial Balance
Value Balance
Symmetrical balance is where all elements are given equal ‘weight’ from an
imaginary line in the middle of the piece. They are about equal in shape,
weight, value, and color.
Asymmetrical balance occurs when elements are placed unevenly in a piece,
but work together to produce harmony overall. The two sides are different, but
yet are in visual balance instead or physical balance.
Radical balance is a type of symmetrical balance. It occurs when opposing
forces rotate around, radiate from, or converge on an actual or implied central
point.
Value balance refers to the lightness or darkness of objects being used to
balance a piece. Our eyes are drawn to color. Small areas of vibrant color can
be used to balance larger areas with more neutral colors.
Jessi Palkovic
Vincent Von Gogh
Paula Grace
Jeff Koons
Rhythm is the repetition of visual movement – colors, shapes, or lines. Variety
is essential to keep rhythms exciting and active, and keeps your eyes moving
around the piece, ‘following the rhythm.’ Movement and rhythm work together
to create the visual equivalent or a musical beat.
Regular Rhythm
Irregular Rhythm
Staccato Rhythm
Progressive Rhythm
Regular rhythm is created by a series of elements, often identical or similar,
that are placed at regular or similar intervals. This could be a picture alternating
with two colors, or a repeating shapes/object.
Irregular rhythm is when elements are repeated but are not exactly the same or
without any exact pattern.
Staccato rhythms are repetitions that are abrupt and that change frequently.
They often seem to be short bursts of energy in a painting.
Progressive rhythms are those in which the elements changes size, color,
texture, etc., as they move across space.
Jasper Johns
MICHAEL FLOHR
Tiyana
Unity occurs when all of the elements of a piece combine to make a balanced,
harmonious, and complete whole Unity provides the cohesive quality that
makes an art work feel complete and finished. When all the elements in a work
look as though they belong together, then unity has been created. Variety,
contour continuation, clustering, and dominant color create unity.
Variety
Contour
Clustering
Dominant Color
Variety is to combine different elements, such as differences in shape, color,
line, and size, into one composition. Variety keeps art from being monotonous,
and keeps people visually interested in looking at the piece. Variety is a good
thing, but too much can cause chaos and confusion.
Contour continuation is a method of extending lines and contours of objects to
the edge of the page. Contour continuation is also used to organize complex
materials. Two types of contour continuation are vertical and horizontal.
Clustering elements together or placing them close together to create a bunch.
Clustering is used to create visual unity.
A dominate color will unify a painting. It can be put with repeated textures,
shapes, edges, and consistent painting techniques. Overall intense colors,
repeated shapes, hard edges and clustering create a strong sense of unity.
Bruce Dorfman
Joan Kresek
Marianne Birkby
Ronald Bradstock
RHYTHM
UNITY