The Elements of Art. A Practical Definition, Importance and Picture Sample of each of the 7 Elements of Art

1. THE ELEMENTS OF ART
Wilfred Dexter G. Tañedo

2. BY DEFINITION
 The Elements of Art are a commonly used
group of aspects of a work of art used in
teaching and analysis. Combined with the
Principles of Art.
 Also known as the building blocks of an art
work.
 Made up of
Line Shape Color
Texture
Space Form Value

3. IMPORTANCE
Knowing what the elements of art enables us
to
(1) describe what an artist has done,
(2) analyze what is going on in a particular
piece
(3) communicate our thoughts and findings
using a common language.
Also remember: No Elements of Art… No Art
Work!

4. ELEMENTS OF ART: LINE
 Line is most easily defined as a mark that spans a
distance between two points (or the path of a moving
point), taking any form along the way.
 As an art element, line pertains to the use of various
marks, outlines and implied lines in artwork and
design, most often used to define shape in two-
dimensional work.
 Implied line is the path that the viewer's eye takes as
it follows shapes, colours, and form along a path, but
may not be continuous or physically connected, such
as the line created by a dancer's arms, torso, and
legs when performing an arabesque.

5. EXAMPLE OF LINE

6. ELEMENT OF ART: FORM
Form may be created by the forming of two or
more shapes or as three-dimensional shape
(cube, pyramid, sphere, etc.).
It may be enhanced by tone, texture and
colour.
Form is considered three-dimensional showing
height, width and depth. Examples of these are
sculpture, theatre play and figurines

7. EXAMPLE OF FORM

8. ELEMENT OF ART: TEXTURE
The texture is the quality of a surface or the
way any work of art is represented.
Lines and shading can be used to create
different textures as well.
For example, if one is portraying certain
fabrics, one needs to give the feeling of the
right texture so that it closely resembles what
the artist is trying to convey.

9. EXAMPLE OF TEXTURE

10. ELEMENT OF ART: SHAPE
 Shape pertains to the use of areas in two
dimensional space that can be defined by
edges, setting one flat specific space apart from
another.
 Shapes can be geometric (e.g.: square, circle,
triangle, hexagon, etc.) or organic (such as the
shape of a puddle, blob, leaf, boomerang, etc.)
in nature.
 Shapes are defined by other elements of art:
Space, Line, Texture, Value, Color, Form.

11. EXAMPLE OF SHAPE

12. ELEMENT OF ART: SPACE
 Space is the area provided for a particular purpose.
 It may have two dimensions (length and width), such
as a floor, or it may have three dimensions (length,
width, and height).
 Space includes the background, foreground and
middle ground. Space refers to the distances or areas
around, between or within components of a piece.
 Two types of space:
Positive space refers to the space of a shape
representing the subject matter.
Negative space refers to the space around and
between the subject matter.

13. EXAMPLE OF SPACE

14. ELEMENT OF ART: COLOR
 Color pertains to the use of hue in artwork and
design.
 Defined as primary colors (red, yellow, blue)
which cannot be mixed in pigment from other
hues, secondary colors (green, orange, purple)
which are directly mixed from combinations of
primary colors.
 Further combinations of primary and secondary
colors create tertiary (and more) hues.
 Tint and Shade are references to adding
variations in Value;

15. EXAMPLE OF COLOR

16. ELEMENT OF ART: VALUE
Value, or tone, refers to the use of light and
dark, shade and highlight, in an artwork.
Value is directly related to contrast.

17. EXAMPLE OF VALUE