2. Line
A continuous point (mark)
used to delineate an edge,
or to lead the eye through
a design.
A line is just a continuation
of a point (dot), which is
the smallest unit of design.
2001:A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, 1968)
3. Types of Lines
Static
Horizontal = sense of peace
and calm.
Vertical = power, strength,
grandeur, and awe.
Dynamic
Diagonal = speed,
movement, and depth
Curved = Create a sense of
peace and tranquility.
Bedroom at Arles (1992) Roy Lichtenstein
4. Leading Lines
Lines that guide a viewer’s
eyes around, or through, a
design.
Scanno (1953) Henri Cartier-Bresson
5. Shape/Form
An area with clear
boundaries.
Shape is 2D, Form is 3D
Organic shapes occur
naturally.
Geometric shapes are
mathematically calculated.
(squares, circles, etc.)
Shell (1927) Edward Weston
6. Space
Used to create a sense of
depth, and is made up of
two kinds of space:
Positive space – the
object(s) in the artwork.
Negative space – the area
around/between the
object(s) in the artwork.
(also known as whitespace.
Includes line breaks,
margins, tabs & spaces.)
(Costello, ch. 4)
7. Digital Workspaces
Measured in pixels—tiny
rectangular or square
blocks of color.
Width is measured along
x-axis (horizontally), and
height is measured along
y-axis (vertically).
Coordinates are an x:y
position. The upper left-
hand corner is (0:0).
(Costello, ch. 4)
8. Texture
How a surface looks and/or
feels.
In some forms of art &
design, the artist can create
a surface texture that can
be felt by hand.
In other forms of art, such
as photography or graphic
design, the texture is
implied but cannot be felt.
Georgia O’Keeffe Annie Leibovitz
9. Value
The range from light to
dark in a design.
Migrant Mother (1936) Dorothea Lange
10.
11.
12. Color
Color is what we see when
light reflects off of an
object.
The three dimensions of
color are Hue (actual color
such as “blue” or “orange”),
Saturation (intensity), and
Value (brightness).
13. Complimentary Colors
Directly across from each
other on the color wheel.
Make each other appear
brighter and more intense.
Afghan Girl (1984) Steve McCurry
