STANDARD 4:
The Elements of Art
The basic components
or tools of visual
communication. What
we use to “make” art.
What are the Elements
of Art?
• Line
• Shape
• Form
• Value
• Texture
• Space
• Color
Standard 4
The Elements of Art
• Standard 4.1: I can define, recognize
and use LINES.
• Standard 4.2: I can define, recognize
and use SHAPES.
• Standard 4.3: I can define, recognize
and use FORMS.
•
•
•
•
Standard 4
The Elements of Art
Standard 4.4: I can define, recognize
and use VALUE.
Standard 4.5: I can define, recognize
and use TEXTURE.
Standard 4.6: I can define, recognize
and use SPACE.
Standard 4.7: I can define, recognize
and use COLOR.
Standard 4.1
Line
Element of Art which
refers to the mark(s)
made on a surface by
a moving point.
Line…
• There are three basics “types” of
LINE.
• 1: Straight Line: A line
running directly between two
points with no curves or
turns.
Line…
• 2: Curved or Curvy: A line that
changes direction gradually.
Line…
•3: Zig-Zag: A line that makes
sudden or sharp changes in
direction.
Line…
In addition to the three basic types of
line, we can also categorize lines by
what direction they are running…
Horizontal
Vertical
Diagonal
Line…
There is one last category called
IMPLIED LINES. This is because
these lines are made up of smaller
line segments that our brain
interprets as one long line.
Dotted/
Dashed
………………………………………………………………………………
There are also different
properties or
characteristics of line…
Length
Width
And these characteristics
are RELATIVE.
Standard 4.2 Shape
Element of Art that refers to an
enclosed area of two-dimensional
space defined by its external edge.
Has HEIGHT and WIDTH
2 basic types
Geometric
Organic
Geometric Shapes:
Mechanical. Have a
mathematical basis for their
configuration. Follow an
ordered set of rules.
square
rectangle
circle
triangle
pentagon
Organic
Shapes that occur in nature. Free form.
Organic Shapes…
Standard
4.3
• The Element of Art that refers to the three
dimensional quality of art.
• Has Height Width
and Depth
• Encloses Volume
Depth
Height
Width
• Just like shape, there are
two types of form…
–Geometric- Forms that are
mechanical, mathematical
–Organic- Forms that occur in
nature; Free forms,
What forms correspond with
these shapes?
• What is the 3-dimensional form of the:
– CIRCLE
– SQUARE
– TRIANGLE
If I lay my hand flat on a piece of
paper and draw around it, I have
created a shape. What is that
shapes corresponding form?
The Thinker
Rodin
Implied Form
Creating the
illusion of form
when we are
working on a flat
surface.
Implied Form
Implied Form
Implied Form
What is
one of the
primary
methods
we use to
create the
illusion of
form?
Standard 4.4
VALUE
Element of Art that refers to the
degree and qualities of
lightness or darkness
Circular
Chimney
Barnbaum
Pepper #30
Weston
Monolith:
The Face of
Half Dome
Ansel Adams
1927
Value…
Each color has a corresponding value…
Value…
Standard 4.5
The Element of Art that refers to
the perceived surface quality
or “feel” of an object. Its
ROUGHNESS,
SMOOTHNESS, SOFTNESS,
etc.
Actual Texture
The actual physical
texture of a
surface. What it
would feel like
when you touch it.
Actual Texture
Actual Texture
Implied or Visual Texture
How a surface
looks like it feels.
What you think a
surface would feel
like if you could
touch it.
The Conversion of Saint Paul
Caravaggio, 1601, Oil on Canvas
Space
Standard 4.6
• Refers to the area around,
between, above, below or within
objects or forms in a piece of
artwork.
• 2 types
• Positive and Negative
Positive Space
The primary images, objects or forms
in a piece of artwork.
Negative Space
The areas around 2-D or 3-D
shapes or forms which defines
those objects. The background.
There are seven methods
artist use to create the
illusion of SPACE (Depth)
Size: The smaller an object is,
the farther away it appears.
Position: The higher on the
picture plane an object is the
farther away it appears.
OVERLAP
An object in front of another
object in your picture
plane will appear closer to
the viewer.
Color
• Objects that are farther away will
appear lighter, duller and have less
contrast.
• Bright colors can only be seen on
near objects.
• Warm colors can only be seen on
close objects.
Detail
•Objects that are closer will
have more details.
•Details fade the farther
away from the viewer an
object is.
We call this AERIAL or
ATMOSPHERIC PERSPECTIVE
AERIAL or ATMOSPHERIC
PERSPECTIVE
The tendency for
objects that are
farther away to appear
lighter, duller and have
less contrast and detail.
Linear Perspective…
The sixth method artists use to create
the illusion of space is Linear
Perspective.
We will be concerned with two types…
One Point Perspective and
Two Point Perspective.