Elements of Art What are they? http://arthistory.about.com/cs/reference/f/elements.htm The elements of art are sort of like atoms, in that both serve as "building blocks". You know that atoms combine and form other things, right? Sometimes they'll casually make a simple molecule, as when hydrogen and oxygen form water (H2O). If hydrogen and oxygen take a more aggressive career path and bring carbon along as a co-worker, together they might form something more complex, like a molecule of sucrose (C12H22O11). A similar activity happens when the elements of art are combined. Instead of hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, etc., in art you've got line, shape, form, space, texture, value and color. Artists manipulate these elements, mix them in with principles of design and compose a piece of art. Not every work has every last one of these elements contained within it, but there are always at least two present.
Why are the elements important? The elements of art are important for several reasons. First, and most importantly, a person can't create art without utilizing at least a few of them. (No elements, no art, end of story. And we wouldn't even be talking about any of this, would we?) Secondly, knowing what the elements of art are enables us to (1) describe what an artist has done, (2) analyze what is going on in a particular piece and (3) communicate our thoughts and findings using a common language. Musicians can talk about the key of "A", and they all know it means "a pitch relating to 440 oscillations per second of vibration." Mathematicians may use the very basic word "algorithm", confident that most people know they mean "a step-by-step procedure for carrying out computation." Botanists world-wide will employ the name "rosa rugosa", rather than the much longer "that old-fashioned shrub rose - you know, the one that leaves hips in the fall - with the fivepetaled flowers that can be yellow, white, red or pink." These are all
Color Color is the element of art that is produced when light, striking an object, is reflected back to the eye. Color is the product of light. A ray of white light passing through a prism is separated into the colors seen in a rainbow.
First is hue, which simply means the name we give to a color (red, yellow, blue, etc.). The third and final property is intensity, which refers to the strength and vividness of the color or the quality of brightness and purity Color properties There are three (3) properties to color. The second property of color is its value, meaning its lightness or darkness. The terms shade and tint are in reference to value changes in colors.
The Color Wheel
Value value refers to the lightness or darkness of a color. Value becomes critical in a work which has no colors other than black, white and a gray scale. For a great example of value in action, think of a black and white photograph. You can easily visualize how the infinite variations of gray suggest planes and textures. Chiaroscuro
Range of Value High Key Low Key
Line (noun) - A line is a basic element of art, referring to a continuous mark, made on a surface, by a moving point. A line is long relative to its width. It can define a space, create an outline or pattern, imply movement or texture and allude to mass or volume. Absolutely essential in creating art, the line.
Direction of Line Horizontal Line Horizontal lines follow the horizon line. (The horizon line is, in a general definition, where the sky and land meet.) Vertical Lines Straight up and down lines in a composition create a sense of stability. Diagonal Line Diagonal lines are placed at angles in the composition. They are neither horizontal or vertical and the imply motion.
Properties of line Measure There can be an infinite number of combinations of long and short, thick and thin lines within a composition. Character The character of line shows emotional qualities and is greatly dependent on the nature of the artistic media that the artist uses.
Texture Texture is used to describe either the way a threedimensional work actually feels when touched, or the visual "feel" of a two-dimensional work. Take rocks, for example. A real, 3-D rock might feel rough or smooth, and definitely feels hard when touched or picked up. A painter, depicting a rock, would create the illusions of these qualities through use of color, line, shape, etc.
Example of Textures
Shape A shape is an enclosed space, the boundaries of which are defined by other elements of art (i.e.: lines, colors, values, textures, etc.). Shapes are limited to two dimensions: length and width. Geometric shapes - circles, rectangles, squares, triangles and so on - have the clear edges one achieves when using tools to create such shapes. Organic shapes have natural, less well-defined edges (think: an amoeba, or a cloud).
Shape to Form
Form is a threedimensional geometrical or organic figure as opposed to a shape, which is twodimensional, or flat. Form
Examples of form Open form sculptures and pottery have negative space openings through the piece. Pottery is open form only if it has holes through it. The opening of the vessel does not make it open form. Closed Form sculptures and pottery have no negative space piercing through it
Space Space refers to distances or areas around, between or within components of a piece. Space can be positive (white or light) or negative (black or dark), open or closed, shallow or deep and two-dimensional or three-dimensional. Sometimes space isn't actually within a piece, but the illusion of it is. Three dimensional forms occupy actual space
Examples of space
Identifying the Elements
Identifying the Elements
Identifying the Elements
-refers to the name of the color -refers Quiz to the quality Time of brightness and purity Directions: Fill in the space below with the correct term. -refers to the hue s lightness and darkness -refers to the lightness or darkness -A long thin stroke marked on a surface, the boundary or limit of an area -is the element of art that refers to the way things feel, or look as if they might feel if touched. -refers to an area clearly set by one or more of the other visual elements such as color, value, line, texture, and space. -is and object with three dimensions. -refers to the distance or area between, around, above, below, or within things
Web Links http://arthistory.about.com/cs/reference/f/elements.htm http://www.brigantine.atlnet.org/gigapalettegallery/websites/art iculationfinal/mainpages/elementsmain.htm http://faculty.indy.cc.ks.us/jnull/introelements2.htm http://char.txa.cornell.edu/language/element/element.htm