The document defines the elements and principles of art. The elements are line, shape, form, color, value, texture, and space. The principles are balance, emphasis/focal point, contrast, movement, variety, pattern/repetition, and unity/harmony. Examples are given for each element and principle to illustrate how artists use them in their compositions.

1. Elements and Principles of Arts
Elements:
Line
Shape
Form
Color
Value
Texture
Space
Principles:
Balance
Emphasis & Focal Point
Contrast
Movement
Variety
Pattern & Repetition
Unity
Harmony/Gestalt

2. Line
A line is defined as a mark with length and direction, created by a point
that moves across a surface. A line can vary in length, width, direction,
curvature, and color.
Contour, Diagonal, Broken, Curved, Outline, Implied, Vertical, zigzag,
Horizontal, Wavy, Slanted, Continuous, Solid, Narrow, Bold
Jasper Johns, 0-9 (continuous line) Gesture drawing

3. line
Jackson Pollock, Autumn Rhythm

4. Andy Goldsworthy
LINE

5. Keith Haring

6. Shape
Shape is an enclosed space defined by other elements
of art. Shape is 2-Dimensional
Shape can be:
Geometric: Angular, man-made concept
Organic: curvilinear - found in nature
Fernana Leger, The City Matisse, from the series “Jazz”

7. Picasso, Three Musicians

8. FORM
3 Dimensional Shape. Volume

9. MC Escher, Self Portrait

10. Value
An element of art that refers to luminance or luminosity – the
lightness or darkness of a color.
Value is an especially important element in works of art
when color is absent. This is particularly likely with drawings,
printmaking, and photographs
Kathe Kollwitz,
Self portrait

11. Value
Chuck Close
(made w/ thumbprints!)
Edward Weston, Pepper
(photograph)

12. Texture
Texture refers to the surface quality or "feel" of an object, such as
roughness, smoothness, or softness. Actual texture can be felt while
simulated textures are implied by the way the artist renders the surface
area
Oppenheim
Fur-lined cup

13. Texture
Actual and Implied
Golsdworthy
Albrecht Durer
Rhinocerus

14. Color
Is an element of art with three properties
1) Hue, the name of the color, e.g. red, yellow, etc. 2)
Intensity or the purity and strength of the color 3) Value, or
the lightness or darkness of the color
Delauney
Jasper Johns, Target
(primary colors)

15. Primary Colors

16. Piet Mondrian
Wassily Kandinsky

17. Warm Colors
• Colors that are often described as being
higher in temperature
• Reds, oranges, yellows
• Associated with fire and sun
• Optically, appear to advance
• Stimulating and passionate

18. Ex. Warm

19. Cool
• Colors that are often described as being
lower in temperature
• Greens, Blues, and Violet
• Associated with water, sky, and spring
• Optically, they appear to recede
• Calming and depressing

20. Ex. Cool

21. Color and Mood
Picasso, the Old Guitarist
Van Gogh, the Night Cafe

22. Space
Space is the empty or open area between, around, above, below, or
within objects. Shapes and forms are made by the space around and
within them. Space is often called three-dimensional or two- dimensional.
MC Escher

23. Space
Positive space is filled by a shape or form. Negative space
surrounds a shape or form.

24. Balance
Balance is a sense of stability in the body of work.
Balance can be symmetrical (formal) or assymmetrical (informal)
Wayne Thiebaud, Around the Cake (formal balance)

25. Diane Arbus, Twins
Symmetrical/Formal Balance

26. Leonardo da Vinci, The Last Supper 1495-1498
Symmetrical Balance

27. Asymmetrical Balance

28. Variety
When elements are changed in scale, color, or form.
Andy Warhol
Stuart Davis

29. Movement
Movement adds excitement to your work by showing action and directing the
viewers eye throughout the picture plane.
Edward Munch, the Scream

30. Dominance & Subordination
The part of a composition that is emphasized, has the
greatest visual weight, the most important, powerful, or
has the most influence.

31. Emphasis & Focal Point
Emphasis - Any forcefulness that gives importance to some feature or features of
an artwork; something singled out, stressed, or drawn attention to by means of
contrast, anomaly, or counterpoint
Focal Point = portion of an artwork's composition on which interest or attention
centers
David Hockney

32. Emphasis & Focal Point
Barbara Kruger Rene Magritte

33. Pattern & Repetition
Involves multiples of the same element. Repeated elements can vary in size,
color, or axis placement. Repeated elements can create a pattern. The use of
repetition may be applied to all Visual Elements. Motion can be created by
repetition.
William Morris
Arts and Crafts Movement

34. Pattern & Repetition
Chuck Close, Self Portrait, detail

35. Contrast
A large difference between two things,
such as light and shadow, color and black/white
Andy Warhol

36. Contrast
David, the Death of Marat

37. Unity & Harmony
The quality of wholeness or oneness (Gestalt) that is achieved through the
effective use of the elements and principles of design.
Claude Monet
Haystacks

38. Unity
Cezanne
Wayne Theibaud

39. Unity
Van Gogh “Starry Night”

40. What Elements and Principles stand out?
1

41. What Elements and Principles stand out?
Goya, “The 5th of May”
2

42. Gauguin
What Elements and Principles stand out?
3

43. What Elements and Principles stand out?
4

44. 5