The Elements of Design

Line Line-a mark made by a pointed tool—a moving dot Has length and width (very small) Created by the movement of a tool and pigment

Line Suggests movement in a drawing or painting Variety in thickness of lines creates surface interest Can be thick, thin or combination of both

Line In nature: line can be seen as tree branches, cracks in rocks, grasses, flower stems, spider webs, etc. Contour lines: outline the edges of forms or shapes and describe shapes and forms in the simplest way

Line Gestural lines: indicate action and physical movement Implied lines: the edges of objects—if the object were silhouetted against the light

Line Lines can be used to create values and textures Hatching: the placing of many lines next to each other Cross-hatching: occurs when many parallel lines cross each other.

Line

Shape Shape: an area that is contained within an implied line or is seen and identified because of color or value changes Have 2 dimensions: length and width Can be geometric or free-form

Shape Designing in painting is the planned arrangement of shapes in a work of art Shapes are either positive or negative The subject in a realistic work is usually the positive and the background is the negative

Shape In abstract (nonobjective) art, positive shapes are usually central or featured elements—negative shapes surround them All shapes can be described 2 ways: geometric and organic

Shape Geometric shapes: square, triangle or rectangle Organic shapes: free-form Shapes in nature are organic.

Shape

Form Form describes volume and mass, or the 3-dimensional aspects of objects that take up space. Shape is 2-dimensional, form is 3 dimensional Can be viewed from many angles

Form Architectural forms usually contain enclosed spaces and most are geometric forms. Curvilinear forms: arches, ovals, etc. Natural forms: flowers, mountains, rocks, animals, people, etc.

Form Geometric forms: squarish, cubistic, straight-edged Organic forms: rounded, flowing, undulating. Abstract forms: simplify forms to their basic characteristics

Form Nonobjective forms: do not represent natural forms. Realistic forms: depict people, animals, birds, and plants as they actually appears.

Form

Value Value: dark and light contrast—allows us to read the letters on a page Value contrast is also evident in colors High key paintings are made mostly of light values w/ minimum contrast—suggest happiness, light, joy, and airiness.

Value Low key paintings use dark valued hues and contain little value contrast—suggest sadness, depression, loneliness, and mystery. Add white to make lighter contrasts in color.

Value Add black to make darker contrasts in color. Value changes help us “feel” the shape of an object by showing us how light illuminates it and creates shadows on it.

Value Value describes form Value creates a focal area or center of interest Value defines space

Value

Texture Texture: the surface quality, both simulated and actual, of artwork. Techniques in paintings can show texture—ex. dry brush

Texture Simulated texture: occurs when smooth painting surfaces appear to be textured Actual texture: heavy application of pigment with brush or other implement.

Texture Color and value contrasts help you “feel” texture with your eyes. Interior designers use textural variety to create interest.

Texture

Space Actual space is 3-dimensional—can be empty or filled with objects. Has width, height, and depth. Space that appears 3-dimensional in a 2-dimensional painting is an illusion that creates a feeling of actual depth.

Space Actual (real) space: sculptures, architecture, and craft pieces. If objects or people overlap in a painting/drawing, we sense space between them. If overlapping is combined with size differences, the sense of space is greatly increased.

Space Linear space: a way of organizing objects in space. 1-point perspective: used if the artist is looking along a street or directly at the side of an object. 2-point perspective: used when looking directly at the front corner of a box, building, automobile, or other form.

Space Combining 2-point perspective with light and shadow greatly increases the sense of space. Aerial perspective: a way of using color or value (or both) to show space or depth: distant elements appear lighter in value, have less details, and less intense color.

Space

Color Color depends on light because it is made of light—there must be light to see color. The whiter the light, the more true the color.

Color Yellow light on a full color painting will change the appearance of all the colors. Light passing through a prism separates into the hues seen in a rainbow.

Color Three properties of color: 1. Hue: the names of the colors Primary hues: yellow red blue Secondary hues: made by mixing 2 primaries. Intermediate colors are mixtures of a primary and adjacent (next to) secondary color. 2. Value: the lightness or darkness of a hue. 3. Intensity: the purity of the color

Color Warm colors: yellow to red-violet on the color wheel—represent warmth—In a painting they seem to advance. Cool colors: yellow-green through violet—represent cold—In a painting they seem to recede. Neutral colors: made by adding a complementary color to a hue—called tones.

Primaries

Secondaries

Tertiaries

Color Wheel

Color