Elements of Art and Principles of Design

ELEMENTS OF ART “ingredients” …the visual symbols, basic components or building blocks an artist uses to express their thoughts, ideas, and feeling

1. Line …the path of a moving point/dot through space. It can vary in width, direction, curvature, length, and even color

2. Texture …the way things feel, or look as though they might feel, if touched. It is the surface quality of materials. Touch your hair, desk, and/or shirt…how do they feel different? How do they feel the same?

3. SHAPE …is an area that is contained within an implied line, or is seen and identified because of color or value changes. It has two dimensions, height and width.

4. Value …refers to light and dark

5. Form …describes volume and mass, or the three- dimensional aspects of objects that take up space. It has three dimensions – height, width, and depth

6. Color …is what the eye sees when light is reflected off of or absorbed by an object

7. Space …the distance between, around, above, below, and within things. It has width, height, depth, and can be empty or filled with objects

Principles of Design – “the recipes” …the different ways or the rules that govern how the elements of art can be organized in a work of art

1. Unity …provides the cohesive quality that makes an artwork feel complete and finished because the elements used seem to belong together because of their organization

2. Variety …the combining of one or more elements to create interest by adding slight changes and is essential to keep art from being monotonous

3. Pattern …uses the elements of art in planned or random repetitions to enhance the surfaces of a piece of art

4. Emphasis …the different of importance of one object or element in relation to all other objects or elements. It can be used to create focus or to make something stand out. This principle may also be called dominance

5. Contrast …the use of opposites in close proximity to each other and refers to differences n values, colors, textures, shapes, and other elements (exs. Light and dark, rough and smooth, bright and dull)

6. Rhythm …the repeating of an element to make a work seem active or to suggest vibration

7. Movement …is used to create the look and feeling of action and to guide a viewer’s eye throughout the work of art

8. Balance …refers to the distribution of visual weight in a work of art and is achieved by the arrangement of elements so no one part of a work overpowers, or seems heavier than, any other part

9. Proportion …the relationship of one part to another and to the whole in a work of art

10. Harmony …the blending of elements to create a more calm, restful appearance in a work of art