Elements of Art
Arts and Humanities Unit 2013
TUESDAY
Elements of Art
• The elements of art are the basic components
(tools) that artist use to visually communicate.
7 Elements of Art
• Line
• Shape
• Form
• Value
• Texture
• Space
• Color
Line
• A mark drawn with a pointed, moving tool.
Picture by Peit Mondrian
Main Types of Lines
• Horizontal
• Vertical
• Diagonal
• Straight
• Curved
Contour Lines
• Lines that define the form of an object
Implied Lines
• Line that is not really painted or drawn but is
created by a value or color change and series
that are lined up someway.
Gesture Lines
• A gesture is an expressive movement.
• The purpose of drawing gestures is to capture
the feeling of motion.
WEDNESDAY
Shape
• A two-dimensional area that is defined in some
way with no form or thickness.
• Shapes are flat and can be grouped into two
categories: Geometric and Organic.
Geometric Shapes
Organic Shapes
Geometric Shapes
• Geometric
Shapes are
precise shapes
that can be
described using
mathematical
formulas
Organic and Amorphous Shapes
• Irregular or uneven shapes
Question #4
by Joan Miro
Green Tea Cup by Janet Fish
• Question #5
THURSDAY
Form
• A three dimensional enclosed object
• Form can refer to an actual three-dimensional
object, like a sculpture or a building. It can
also refer to a photo or picture of the threedimensional object.
The White House
Statue of Liberty
Form can be organic or geometric
 Question #3
Two-Piece Reclining Figures by Henri Moore
Question #4 
The Great Pyramids in Giza Egypt
Week 2
Elements of Art- A&H Unit 2013
MONDAY
Value
• The degree of light and dark in a design
Value
Scale
Shading
• Also known as blending is a way of creating
value and making objects look more threedimensional.
Value is the same thing as shading and can make
drawings look more realistic and threedimensional
Hatching and Cross Hatching
• Techniques used to create
values with parallel lines
Stippling
• Technique that uses dots to create values
TUESDAY
Texture
• Texture refers to the way things feel or look
like they would feel.
Actual or “Real” Texture
• Refers to the textures that you can really feel.
Basket
The Awakening by J. Seward Johnson
Located at Hains Point outside of
Washington DC
Implied Textures
• Refers to textures that are created on a flat
surface in paintings or drawings. This type of
texture cannot be felt.
Still Life
By
Janet Fish
Rubbing
• A technique for transferring texture to paper
WEDNESDAY
Space
• In painting and drawing, space is the illusion
of depth created by an artist on a flat surface
Parts of Space
Negative
Positive
• Positive Space
– The objects in the
art work.
• Negative Space
– The empty space
between and
behind the
shapes
American Gothic by Grant Wood
Different types of Space in Art
• Infinite or Deep
Space
– Lot of Area
Marriage of the Virgin by Raphael
Different types of Space in Art
• Shallow Space
– Little or no area
Sunflower by Vincent van Gogh
Perspective
• Linear Perspective is a way of using converging
lines to show distance and depth
Atmospheric and Aerial Perspective
• Uses the atmospheric haze created by
humidity, snow, smoke, rain, or other types of
vapor to create the illusion of depth.
THURSDAY
Color
• The element of art that is derived from
reflected art.
• Primary Colors- The colors you must have to
mix all other colors plus black and white.
Red
Blue
Yellow
Secondary Colors
• Colors made by mixing two primary colors
together.
Purple or Violet
Orange
Green
Color Wheel
Neutral Colors
• Black, Brown, Gray, and White
Warm Colors
Cool Colors
TintTo add white
To a color
ShadeTo add black
To a color
Monochromatic
• Variations of one color