The Elements of Art

1. The Elements of Art

2. The Elements Definition.: Basic visual tools for creating art. • Line • Shape • Form • Value • Color • Texture • Space

3. Line • Def.: The path of a point moving through space. Lines are one dimensional. • Five kinds of line: • Horizontal • Vertical • Diagonal • Curved • Zigzag • Variations: • Length • Width • Texture • Direction • Degree of curve

4. Shape • Def.: A defined area with two dimensions: height and width. • Kinds of shape: • Geometric – precise shapes that can be described using mathematical formulas. • Free-form – Irregular and uneven shapes, also called organic because they are often found in nature.

5. Form • Objects having three dimensions. Like a shape, a form has height and width, but it also has depth. Forms are either geometric (sphere, cylinder) or free-form (cloud, rock).

6. Value • Def.: Describes the darkness or lightness of an object. Value depends on how much light a surface reflects. It is also one of the three properties of color. • 5 techniques to show value: • Hatching • Crosshatching • Blending • Stippling • Scribbling

7. Space • Def.: The area between, around, above, below, or within objects. Shapes and forms are defined by the space around or within them. • Two types of space : • Negative • Positive • Places in Space: • Background • Middleground • Foreground

8. Texture • Refers to the way things feel or the way they look like they would feel if touched. Texture is perceived by both touch and sight. Objects can be rough or smooth, matte or shiny. • Two types: • Tactile texture: can actually be felt • Visual texture: The illusion of a three dimensional surface based on the memory of how things feel. Visual textures may be invented or simulated.

9. Color • Def.: The element of art that is derived from refracted light. Color has three properties: hue, value, and intensity • Hue: The color itself (red, blue, green, etc.) • Value: its lightness or darkness • Intensity: how bright or dull a color is. • Tint: a light value of a hue created by mixing it with white. • Shade –:a dark value of a hue created by adding black to the color.

10. The Color Wheel

11. Types of color • Primary colors: these colors can be mixed to create all other colors, but cannot be created by mixing other colors. The primary colors for pigment are red, blue, and yellow. • Secondary colors: Orange, green, and purple. These are created by mixing approximately equal amounts of two primaries. • Tertiary colors: these are created by mixing a primary color with a secondary color (ex. yellow-green, or red-orange).

12. Color Temperature • Warm colors – Suggest warmth and seem to move towards the viewer (stand out). Red, yellow, and orange. • Cool colors – Suggest coolness and seem to recede (move back) from the viewer. Blue, green, and violet. • Neutral colors – Black, white and gray

13. Monochromatic: a color scheme that only uses one hue and its tints and shades for a unifying effect. Analogous: Colors that sit side by side on the color wheel and have a common hue; for example, blue green, green, and yellow-green, or all warm colors. Color Schemes • Complementary : colors opposite each other on the color wheel. A color’s complement absorbs all of the light waves that the color reflects and is the strongest contrast to the color. Putting complementary colors together will make both of them stand out. Mixing complements together will make them dull.