Elements and Principles of Art
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Line
Color
Texture
Value
Shape
Form
Space
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Balance
Movement
Emphasis
Pattern (repetition)
Unity (compare)
Variety (contrast)
Proportion
Rhythm
Line
a continuous mark, made by a moving
point, on a surface, or in space
A. Actual - Fully drawn lines or
Implied - Lines that are ‘hinted’ at
B. Direction
Vertical – Up and down
Horizontal – Side to side, like the horizon
Diagonal – Any line that is not vertical or
horizontal.
C. Descriptive
Adjectives and Adverbs
Note lines implied
by directional
gazes
Diego Rivera, The Flower Carrier, 1935, 48x48 in.
Color
produced when light, striking an object, is
reflected back to the eye
I. Hue - the name we give to a color, including
all colors on the color spectrum and black
and white
B. Intensity - the strength and vividness of the
color.
RED
PRIMARY Colors &
SECONDARY colors
PURPLE
YELLOW
GREEN
BLUE
ORANGE
Texture
Real or Actual texture- the
way something actually
feels
Implied texture- the way
something appears to feel
visually
Value
The lightness or darkness of
a color. The terms shade
and tint are in reference to
value changes in colors
A. Tint - when white is
added to a pure hue
B. Shade - when black is
added to a pure hue
C. Tone – when white AND
black are added to a color
Shape
A. 2 dimensional space that is
contained within an area
B. Organic- created by using
irregular lines –might be
found in nature.
C. Geometric shape-has a strict
pattern – 2D enclosed area
created by exact mathematical
law.
Form
A. A 3D space
B. Organic – An
irregular 3-dimensional
enclosed area, like that
which might be found in
nature.
C. Geometric – 3D
enclosed area that has a
strict pattern
Space
A. The appearance of depth in art
B. Actual – the real distance between or
around areas or components within of a piece.
C. Implied - the appearance of space or depth
within a work of art.
D. Positive – Solid areas or objects
E. Negative – ‘air’ around solid objects, space
where other things are not present
Space
Actual or
implied?
Positive or negative?
Principles of Design
The tools to make art or what
we use to organize the
Elements of Art
Balance
the ways in which the elements (lines,
shapes, etc.) of a piece are arranged to
create a feeling of stability in a work of
art
Symmetry - elements are given equal
"weight" from an imaginary line in the
middle of a piece.
Near symmetry- same weight…not the
same stuff.
Asymmetry- elements are placed
unevenly in a piece, but work together
to produce harmony overall.
Movement
Using the elements to
direct the viewer’s eye
along a path and to
show movement or
Jacques Henri Lartigue - Grand Prix de Circuit de la Seine,
direction.
June 26th 1912.
Actual – an object
that has true motion.
Implied - the
suggestion of motion
in a design.
Muyako Fujino, Day of the Sea Sail.
Rhythm, Rhythm,Rhythm,Rhythm
A visual beat or a regular repetition of the elements
of art to create the look and feel of movement.
Variety(Contrast)
• Differences
between how an
element of art is
used OR using
opposing qualities
next to eachother.
High contrast= VERY
different
Low contrast= a little
different
Jona Cerwinski, Sharpie Lamborghini, 2007.
Contrast black and white.
Jacob Lawrence,
Migration Series #11,
1940-1. Complimentary
Colors green and red
Contrast.
Emphasis
What stands out in the art and what
draws the viewer’s attention in.
Nick Brandt, Windswept Lion,
Serengeti, 2002.
Rembrandt van Rijn, The Night Watch, 1642.
Famous for his use of light and value.
Pattern(Repetition)
the repetition of an element (or elements) in a
work
Unity(Compare)
• How the elements in an artwork or works come
together to create a pleasing image. or how they
go together.
Proportion
The size relationship
between two or more
objects.