Principles of Art

1. 8 Principles of Art Variety Gradation Movement Balance Rhythm Proportion Emphasis Unity

2. Emphasis, then, is the principal of art that makes one part of a work dominant over the other parts.

3. Emphasis Mediterranean Landscape Pablo Picasso

4. Emphasis The Son of Man 1964 Rene Magritte

5. Emphasis Improvisation No 31, Sea Battle Wassily Kandinsky

6. Balance is a sense of stability in the body of work. Balance can be created by repeating same shapes and by creating a feeling of equal weight. Words to describe: symmetry, asymmetry, radial symmetry, approximate symmetry

7. Balance Mediterranean Landscape Pablo Picasso

8. Balance The Son of Man 1964 Rene Magritte

9. Balance Improvisation No 31, Sea Battle Wassily Kandinsky

10. Harmony  is achieved in a body of work by using similar elements throughout thework, harmony gives an uncomplicated look to your work. Words to describe: relevance, relationship, unity, cohesion…

11. Harmony Mediterranean Landscape Pablo Picasso

12. Harmony The Son of Man 1964 Rene Magritte

13. Harmony Improvisation No 31, Sea Battle Wassily Kandinsky

14. Varietyrefers to the differences in the work, You can achieve variety by using difference shapes, textures, colors and values in your work. Words to describe: contrast, difference, line, color, form, shape, movement…

15. Form Mediterranean Landscape Pablo Picasso

16. Shape The Son of Man 1964 Rene Magritte

17. Space Improvisation No 31, Sea Battle Wassily Kandinsky

18. Movement adds excitement to your work by showing action and directing the viewers eye throughout the picture plane. Words to describe: direction, speed, line, shape, color, emphasis, contrast… Compositional movement is neither action nor a record of action. It is experienced by comparing the positions of stationary objects or spaces within a design. Although a picket fence cannot move, it definitely conveys movement as it leads your eye from one end of the fence or the other. Compositional movement may be generated by contrast, emphasis, direction lines, shapes and colors, and other devices – and it can occur in both three-dimensional and two-dimensional art.

19. Movement Mediterranean Landscape Pablo Picasso

20. Movement The Son of Man 1964 Rene Magritte

21. Movement Improvisation No 31, Sea Battle Wassily Kandinsky

22. Rhythm is a type of movement in drawing and painting. It is seen in repeating of shapes and colors. Alternating lights and darks also give a sense of rhythm. Words to describe: pattern, repetition, unexpected, flow, progressive, alternating, fast, slow, choppy, smooth… Visual rhythm, similar to rhythm in music and dance, is closely related to movement. It may be produced by repeating one or several units of a design, such as a triangular shape or the color green. These motifs are depicted in a certain order or pattern, which creates a rhythm.

23. Rhythm Mediterranean Landscape Pablo Picasso

24. Rhythm The Son of Man 1964 Rene Magritte

25. Rhythm Improvisation No 31, Sea Battle Wassily Kandinsky

26. Proportion or scale refers to the relationships of the size of objects in a body of work. Proportions gives a sense of size seen as a relationship of objects. such as smallness or largeness. Words to describe: ratio, size, scale, vanishing point…

27. Proportion Mediterranean Landscape Pablo Picasso

28. Proportion The Son of Man 1964 Rene Magritte

29. Proportion Improvisation No 31, Sea Battle Wassily Kandinsky

30. Gradation consists of the gradual transition from one form or element to another with slight changes in value. Words to describe: transition, smooth, abrupt, fast, value, light, dark…

31. Gradation Mediterranean Landscape Pablo Picasso

32. Gradation The Son of Man 1964 Rene Magritte

33. Gradation Improvisation No 31, Sea Battle Wassily Kandinsky