In order to understand and appreciate
art, you must understand it’s
language
So, if Art is a language, what is its
grammar or structure?
We’ll find the answer in the
Elements and Principles of Design
The Elements and Principles of Design
The Elements of Design are:
Line, Shape, Form, Space, Value,Texture and Color
These are considered to be the “grammar” of art
The Principles of Design are:
Unity, Variety, Balance, Contrast, Emphasis,
Pattern, Proportion, Movement and Rhythm
These are like the “rules of grammar”; they form the
guidelines that artists follow when they combine
the various elements of design
As you study visual art, and the world around you,
you will notice that these Elements and Principles
never appear by themselves.
Part I.:
*What are the five major kinds of LINES ?
*What are the two basic categories of SHAPE ?FORM?
*How do SHAPE and FORM differ?
*What are COLOR FAMILIES or GROUPS?
*What are the three properties of COLOR?
*What are the two kinds of TEXTURE?
*What is VALUE?
*How do artists show SPACE in their artworks?
Line
Everywhere you look, you see lines.
In nature you can
see lines in tree
branches:
In a curving river:
Or in a spiders web
The manufactured world provides
examples too
Lines formed by wires:
Edges of buildings:
And winding roads
Line is a point set into motion….a dot moving
through space.
There are five basic kinds of lines.These include:
Horizontal=
Vertical =
Diagonal =
Zigzag =
Curved =
As you have seen, lines can have many qualities:
They can be: curved
Vertical
Thick
Light or
or straight
horizontal
or
thin
dark
smooth
and
diagonal
or rough
continuous or broken
In artworks, straight lines generally suggest directness or clarity while curving lines
imply gentleness or movement. Vertical lines can give an artwork strength while
horizontal lines convey calmness and tranquility. Diagonal lines convey action and
energy—think of a lightening bolt or a falling tree. Very thick lines appear strong
while a thin line appears weak or delicate. Fuzzy lines imply softness while smooth
lines imply harder surfaces. Repeated lines can create patterns, textures and even
rhythms.
Lines can also be implied or real.
A real line is one you can actually see (Ex. A) while an
implied line is the suggestion of a line (Ex. B) An
implied line may also be suggested by a string of
objects (Ex. C)
(A)
(B)
(C)
Shape is the area set off by one or more of
the art elements.
Shapes can be classified into two classes:
*Geometric shapes = precise shapes such as the circle
triangle
, rectangle, oval, and square.
,
*Organic shapes = these shapes are not regular or even…and are
Often found in nature.
More fact on ….
Shape
• Shape is a 2-dimensional object (it is flat)
• It has height and width but no depth
• Geometric shapes --are regular meaning can be
measured.
Organic shapes are irregular---seashells, leaves,
flowers, etc.
In Georgia O’Keeffe’s and Piet Mondrian’s works we can
See the two basic kinds of shapes.
Form is an object with three dimensions.
In drawing, it is creating the illusion of threedimensional space on a two-dimensional
surface.
Two-dimensional
Three-dimensional
Form
A form is 3-Dimensional. It has height, width AND depth. As with shapes,
Forms can be regular and precise or irregular and organic.
3-D art, such as sculptures, architecture and crafts, is composed of forms.
In 2-D art, artists can only create the illusion of form.
We can see in the following works how the artists relate FORM:
Michelangelo
Cassatt
Dali
vanGogh
Dali
Color
Color
Color is everywhere. In our clothes, the sky,
trees, flowers, billboards designed to attract our
attention, on the web and on television.
There are literally thousands of colors; from bright to dull
(intensity) and light to dark (value). Colors are powerful; they
can make objects seem to glow, to come forward and recede,
or to appear bigger or smaller.
Colors can also be symbolic, with meanings that change from
culture to culture. A color can symbolize an object or thing
such as blue for water and green for grass and the leaves of
trees or it may symbolize an emotion or idea, such as red for
love, yellow for fear and blue for sadness. A trained artist is
familiar with all of these options and can select and combine
colors to create a desired impression or to evoke a certain
mood.
Color
Color is a property of light. When we say an
object is red, we mean that its surface absorbs
certain wavelengths of light that we call red,
we identify the object as red in color. If all
wavelengths of light are absorbed, we identify
the color as black, if all wavelengths of color
are reflected, we see white.
Color has 3 characteristics: hue, value and intensity.
Hue is actually the color we see—such as red. Value
refers to the lightness and darkness of a hue. For
example, maroon is a dark value (shade) of red and
pink is a light value (tint) of red.
Intensity is the brightness or dullness of a color.
Color
Red, Yellow and Blue are called
Primary colors (P)and are used to
create the rest of the colors on the
color wheel.
P
I
S
I
I
I
are
P
S
I
I
P
S
When you mix two primary
colors together, you get a
Secondary color (S). These colors
Orange (yellow and red), Green
(blue and yellow) and violet (red
and blue)
And when you mix a primary and a secondary color together you
get an Intermediate color (I). These are yellow-green, yelloworange, red-orange, red-violet, blue-violet and blue-green
Artists’ Use of Primary Color
Auguste Renoir
Edward Hopper
Piet Mondrian
Secondary Colors
Secondary Colors are colors created by mixing equal
amounts primary of two colors. P+P=S
For example:
Red + Yellow
= Orange
Yellow + Blue = Green
Blue + Red = Violet
Artists Use of Secondary Color
Auguste Renoir
Vincent van Gogh
Color Schemes
When two colors are located directly acros
from each other on the wheel, they are ref
to as complementary colors.
Artists often pair complementary colors together
because the area where they meet seems to
vibrate. You can also lessen the intensity of a
color by adding a small amount of its
complementary color.
What pair of complimentary colors did this artist
use in this picture?
Color Schemes
An analogous color scheme is made up
of three or four colors that are adjacent
on the color wheel.
What set of analogous colors are used in
this example?
Color Temperatures
Have you ever noticed that colors seem to have different temperatures?
Reds, Oranges and Yellows are
warm colors. They remind us of the
sun or fire and can add a feeling of
excitement, boldness or happiness
to a work of art. Warm colors make
objects seem larger and appear to
advance in an artwork.
Greens, Blues, and Violets are cool
colors. They remind us of lakes,
distant mountains, sky and foliage.
Cool colors tend to be calm and
restful. They recede into the
distance and make objects seem smaller.
Warm Colors
Warm Colors are in one of the two groups of
which colors are often divided. The three main
warm colors are:
Red
Orange
Yellow
Warm colors suggest energy, action, and
normally optically advance!
Artists Use of Warm Colors
Cezanne
Rothko
Munch
Van Gogh
Cool Colors
Cool Colors are in one of the two groups of which
colors are often divided. The three main cool colors
are:
Blue
Green
Violet
Cool colors suggest calmness and peacefulness.
Optically, they tend to recede.
Artists Use of Cool Colors
Georges Seurat
Henri Matisse
Mary Cassatt
Claude Monet
Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh
Analogous Colors
Analogous Colors are colors neighboring on the
color wheel having a common “hue”. Examples
would be:
Red
Blue
Yellow
Red Violet
Blue Green
Yellow Orange
Violet Red
Green Blue
Orange Yellow
Violet
Green
Orange
Violet Blue
Green yellow
Orange Red
Blue Violet
Yellow Green
Red Orange
Color Shades
The SHADE of a color is changed by adding
Black.
Color Tints
Color Tints are changed by adding white. The
exception to this would be by watercolorists who add water!
Color Schemes
A monochromatic color scheme makes use of only one
hue and its tints and shades. This scheme can produce
appealing pictures as you can see below.
Neutrals - brown, black, white, gray. Lacks the feeling of
warm or cool as seen in other color schemes.
Color Schemes
Neutrals - brown, black, white, gray. Lacks the feeling of
warm or cool as seen in other color schemes.
Can you tell the color schemes used
by Vincent Van Gogh?
Self portrait
Cypresses
Sunflowers
Texture is how something feels or looks like
it feels.We experience texture thru our senses
of sight and touch
There are2 basic kinds of Textures. These are:
REAL:
*Natural or actual…
Is what you experience when you actually touch an object.
Porcupines would be sharp..feathers could be soft.
IMPLIED :
*Simulated = Man made to look like it has a texture.
Value
Value refers to the lightness and darkness of a color.
Value is commonly known as “shading” of an
object. Monochromatic = Value
A value scale, such as this one, can
show the full range of a color. This is
accomplished by adding black to a color
to make shades or adding white to a
color to make tints.
TINTS
ORIGINAL
COLOR
SHADES
Accomplished artists know,
that to make a drawing look as
real as possible, they must
show a full value range in their
artwork
Space is the distance or area between,
around, below, and within things.
*There are two basic kinds of Space : positive and negative.
Positive space is the object itself;
Negative space is the area in and around the object.
Art Elements
SPACE
• Background: The part that
looks farthest from the viewer.
• Middleground: The part that
appears midway between
background and foreground.
• Foreground: The part that
looks closest to the viewer.
•
Horizon Line: The point in a
landscape where the sky meets the
ground.
Horizon Line
Background
Middleground
Foreground
Can you point out the
background, foreground,
and middleground?
Space……………………
Artists use various technique to give the illusion of DEPTH in their
works of art. Some of these include :
1.= Overlapping
2.= Size
3.= Focus
4.= Placement
5.= Intensity and Value
6.= Linear Perspective
Lets take a look at some of these……………..
Space…………….
Intensity and Value:
Artists often used colors lower in intensity and lighter in value for
objects in the distance.
In this artwork by Monet, we can see how the color becomes less
Intense and lighter in value.
As you can see in this example of linear perspective, in which parallel
lines recede toward a common vanishing point, the illusion of 3-D space
is created on a 2-D surface. Objects farther away are higher up on the
picture plane, there is overlapping of buildings and less detail as the image
seems farther away from the viewer.
Objects farther away are placed higher on the picture plane and are less detailed
e
Buildings are
overlapped to
create an
illusion of
space
Let’s practice looking!
What elements do you see used in this
geranium?
If you said:
Color ( Complementary -red and green)
Shape (Organic Shapes the outlines of flowers and leaves)
Line (the stems, the veins of the leaves) and
Texture (Real Natural -smooth petals and furry leaves)
You were
CORRECT!
Part II.
What are PRINCIPLES OF ART?
*What does using EMPHASIS enable the artist to do?
*What is PATTERN / REPETITION and what two
ways do artists use it in their artworks?
*What are the three basic kinds of BALANCE?
*What is CONTRAST and how do artists use this in their
works of art?
*What is RHYTHM and how is it similar to Repetition?
*Why is PROPORTION in an artwork important?
*How is MOVEMENT like a tour guide?
The Principles of Art are basically rules or guidelines that
govern the way in which the Art Elements go together.
These include:
*EMPHASIS
*PATTERN
*BALANCE
*CONTRAST
*REPETITION
*RHYTHM
*PROPORTION
*MOVEMENT
Lets take a look at these individually…………….
EMPHASIS is used by an artist to make
an element or object stand out in a work
of art.
EMPHASIS is used by the artist to control
What part of the artwork the viewer sees
most or most often.
EMPHASIS is also used by the artist to
control how long a viewer spends looking
at each of the different parts.
Emphasis
Artists use emphasis to create a center of interest—the part of the work they
want the viewer to notice first. Sometimes an artist chooses to emphasize a
single element of design to create a center of interest. And sometimes the artist
separates the center of interest from its surroundings, makes it the largest object
or places it in the center of the composition.
In any work of art, many
elements and principles work
together, but almost every
successful work emphasizes
something.
What is the artist trying to
get us to notice first in this
work of art?
Emphasis
Center of Interest is the focal point of an art composition. It
grabs the viewer’s attention. It’s also called emphasis.
Good Center of Interest
Poor Center of Interest
Emphasis:
To make an element or object in a work of art stand
Out…..artists use emphasis.
Emphasi
s
=
Emphasis of size
Van Gogh
Emphasis = Emphasis of color
Salvador Dali
Emphasis of line
Grant Wood
Pattern / Repetition /Rhythm is the repeating
of shapes, lines, color, or other art
elements in planned or random order to create
interest or make the artwork more exciting.
Vincent van Gogh
Mary Cassatt
Andy Warhol
BALANCE in an artwork, it the
arrangement of art elements so that
no one part of a work overpowers, or
seems heavier than, any other part.
There are three basic types of balance.These are:
*Symmetrical or Formal Balance
*Asymmetrical or Informal Balance
*Radial Balance
Balance
Symmetrical balance occurs when one
side of an object or painting is identical
(or nearly so) to the other side. In nature,
the human face and butterflies are examples.
Symmetry can create a sense of calmness
and formality, but sometimes it can be
visually boring.
Asymmetrical or Informal Balance is evident when
two unlike objects appear to have equal weight.
When used skillfully, it can create more interesting
compositions.
Vincent van Gogh
Mary Cassatt
Radial Balance in an artwork occurs when the
elements or objects are positioned around a
central point.
BALANCE
Which type of balance does this art composition contain?
Answer:
Asymmetric/
Unbalanced
Salvador Dali, Domenech’s Melting Clocks
CONTRAST in an artwork is created-when
the artist makes a difference in value,
color,texture,shape,line,form,or space.
Color Contrast
by Monet
Value Contrast
by Durer
Texture Contrast
by OKeeffe
CONTRAST
Can you identify the contrasting elements
in this photograph? eye.
Colors - black/white
Lines - horizontal/vertical
Texture - smooth/rough
Ansel Adams, Carlsbad Caverns, 1942
Contrast :
Form Contrast
by Marat
Line Contrast
By Van Gogh
Space Contrast
by Monet
Proportion
Proportion is the relative size of one thing
compared to the size of something else. In the
paintings below, compare the proportion of the
objects in one painting with one another. Do the
proportions seem correct?
MOVEMENT in a work of art directs the viewer
through the art piece –often to the focal area.It
also encourages the viewer to sense action
within the work.
Van Gogh
V
Van Gogh
Van Gogh
Movement
In a work of art, movement may be the course that a viewer’s eye
takes as it moves across the surface. Moving from color to color,
shape to shape or value to value, the
eye traces a path around the picture.
Sometimes an artist will add
elements such as spirals, curves,
arrow-like shapes or diagonal
lines to convey a sense of
movement.
How has the artist shown movement
in this picture?
Rhythm & REPETITION
Rhythm is a pattern of movement caused by colors, shapes, values, lines, etc.
that occur in organized repetition. If the size, shape or color of the repeated
units is the same and if the distance between them remains constant, the rhythm
is predictable and may even be monotonous. This is the type of rhythm you
could find on wrapping paper or wallpaper.
To add variety and visual excitement, an artist may change the size, color or
shape of the repeated units or vary the spacing between them.
How does the artist show an
interesting rhythm in this
painting?
Is the rhythm exciting or
monotonous? How has the
artist accomplished this?
Variety
Variety generally accompanies unity in a work of
art; it adds visual interest by giving the eye
different things to focus on. Artists create variety
by including shapes, textures, lines, etc in many
sizes and/or contrasting colors.
How has this artist shown
variety? What elements has he
used to create it?
VARIETY
What varitey do
you see being used
in this artwork?
The artist uses a variety of the elements so the work is interesting/not dull.
Picasso used
a variety of
shapes, colors,
lines, textures,
and values.
Pablo Picasso,
The Three
Musicians,
1921
Unity
Unity is a sense of cohesiveness, a feeling that all the parts of
something belong or work together. This is an important principle
because a unified work looks complete and orderly. There are
many ways to create unity in a work of art; a dominant theme or
idea, a texture or repeated color, line, shape, etc.
What creates unity in this
picture?
What principle(s) do you see used in these pictures?
A glass skyscraper
A plaid scarf
A flying bird
If you said:
Unity, Pattern, Proportion
Movement, Rhythm
Pattern, Unity, Contrast
Then you
were
CORRECT!
Media: is the material used by the artist to produce art. (Media is
Plural and Medium is singular)
2-Dimensional media include:
Paint (Egg Tempera, Oil, Watercolor and Acrylic) , Fabric, Yarn, Pastel (Oil and
Chalk), Fiber art, Drawing, Photography, Computer-generated art, Ink
3-Dimensiona Media include:
Clay, wood, glass, stone, plaster, metal, paper, stone
• Art Processes: both art methods and the media used for visual
communication in a variety of art forms
Art Processes: both art methods and the media used for visual communication in
a variety of art forms
2-Dimensional Processes include:
Drawing ,Painting , Printmaking, Photography, Fiber Art: (includes fabric
painting, stamping, batik, tie-dye, etc.
3-Dimensional Processes include:
Textiles, Ceramics, Sculpture, Architecture, Fiber Art (includes constructing with
fiber, weaving, rugs, crochet, knitting, quilting
Art Vocabulary
• Collage - Artwork made by pasting pieces
of paper or other materials to a flat surface.
Art Vocabulary
• Design - The way art
elements are put together
in a work of art, also
called composition.
• Original - Artwork that
looks very different form
other work of art; not
copied.
Claude Monet,
Water Lily Pond, 1889
Art Vocabulary
• Subject Matter - All the objects seen in a work of art.
Georges Seurat, A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, 1884
Types of Visual Art
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Landscape
Painting
Portrait
Pottery
Sculpture
Still Life
Weaving
Types of Art Landscape
A landscape is artwork that shows an outdoor scene.
Albert Bierstadt, Oregon Trails, 1867
Types of Art Painting
A painting is a picture created by using paint.
Georgia O’Keefe, Red Poppy
Types of Art Portrait
A portrait is a painting or drawing of a person.
Leonardo Da Vinci,
Mona Lisa, 1506
Rembrandt van Rijn, Self Portrait, 1640
Types of Art Pottery
Pottery is a three dimensional piece of artwork that is
made of clay and hardened by heat.
Making pottery on a
pottery wheel.
Pottery made by
Hopi Indians
Types of Art Sculpture
A sculpture is a three dimensional piece of
artwork formed from stone, clay, wood, metal, etc.
Michael Angelo, Bust of David
Leonardo Da vinci, Horse
Types of Art Still Life
Still Life is artwork that shows non-living things
such as books, candles, etc. arranged by the artist.
Henri Matisse, Blue Pot and Lemons
Henri Matisse, Still Life w/ Oranges 1913
Types of Art Weaving
Weaving is artwork created by lacing together
Strands of materials such as yarn, thread, or paper.