The Elements of Art Seven Building Blocks Seven Building Blocks

Line is the most basic element of art. Line=Element #1 Line can be used to create all the other elements of art EXCEPT FOR COLOR! Line is the foundation of the elements.

Types of Line Vertical Horizontal Diagonal Curvy Zig Zag

Line As Form Line can create IMPLIED FORM in a few different ways. Hatching Contour Lines Cross-Hatching

Line as Shape Shape is usually created through the use of line.

You can create or shapes with line. Organic Geometric Line as Shape continued

Line as Value Line creates value using Hatching and Cross Hatching These techniques can also be used to create form.

Line as Texture Line can be used to create the illusion of various textures. Smooth Grainy Rough

Line as Space Artists use lines to create Perspective. Perspective creates an illusion of space in artwork.

Shape=Element #2 A shape is created when a line encloses an area.

Organic vs Geometric Organic shapes are usually made from curvy lines and often occur in nature. Geometric shapes are made from sharp straight lines or perfectly curved lines. They are usually man made.

Positive vs Negative Positive Shapes are the visible parts of an object. The positive shapes are black in this example.

Positive vs Negative Negative Shapes are created by the space around an object and are more difficult to see. The Negative Shapes are black in this example. What do the negative shapes look like now?

Space=Element #3 Space is the empty area in a piece of artwork. Space can be real (3-d) or implied (2-d). 3-d Space 2-d Space

Perspective creates Space in 2-d Artists use perspective to create the illusion of space on a 2-d surface. Perspective is a mathematical science and artists did not always know how to use it.

Perspective continued Filippo Brunelleschi was a 15th century architect and was one of the first artists to experiment with accurately representing a 3-d world in 2-d. Brunelleschi discovered a method of perspective that we still use today.

Perspective continued Andrea Mantegna ( ) was one of the first painters to use perspective to paint a figure. His most famous painting is titled “Dead Christ.” What looks wrong with “Dead Christ?”

Perspective continued We can use rulers and a precise system to draw buildings in perspective. One Point Perspective Two Point Perspective

Space in 3-d All of the air around and between forms are called space. Negative space is the area around a form. Positive space is the area that a form occupies.

Form=Element #4 Form is similar to shape and exists within space. Shape is a 2-d concept and form is a 3-d concept. Sculptures, buildings, and pottery are 3-d forms.

Actual vs Implied Form Actual forms have height, width, and depth so they are 3-d. Implied forms are 2-d and have only height and width but they appear to have depth.

Actual vs Implied Form Actual form can be created using clay, wire wood, stone, or anything three dimensional. Sand Sculpture

Actual vs Implied Form Implied form is created in 2-d. Artists use Line, Value, Shape, Texture, Space and Color to create Implied Form. When artists use deep shadows and proper perspective, Implied Form is more convincing. “Drawing Hands” By M.C. Escher

Open vs Closed Form An open form is a form that has negative space within it. The spaces between the arms and legs of the sculpture make it an open form

Open vs Closed Form A closed form is a form that has no negative space within it. Patrick Johnson’s “Father and Son” is a closed form.

Texture=Element #5 Texture is how a surface feels. Textures can be rough, smooth, pointy, hairy, soft, hard, mushy, bumpy etc. Texture can be Actual or Implied just like form and space.

Actual vs Implied Texture Actual Texture is “real” and can be felt when touched. Implied Texture is only an illusion created by using the elements of art.

Actual vs Implied Texture Actual Texture Implied Texture

Actual vs Implied Texture Artists can use Actual Texture in 2-d artwork. IMPASTO is a painting technique that uses thick paint to create Actual and Implied Texture. Impasto Painting

Value=Element #6 Value is how dark or light something is. Black is the lowest Value White is the highest Value

Value makes Contrast Contrast is the difference between light and dark areas in an image. Low ContrastGood ContrastHigh Contrast

Color=Element #7 Color is the way that our eyes perceive light that is reflected off of objects. White occurs when an object reflects all light back to our eyes Black occurs when an object sucks up all incoming light.

The Primary Colors The Primary Colors are pure hues that cannot be made by mixing other colors. All other colors are made by mixing the primary colors. Red, Yellow, and Blue

The Secondary Colors Secondary Colors are made by mixing two Primary Colors together. Red+Yellow=Orange Red+Blue=Violet Blue+Yellow=Green

The Intermediate Colors Intermediate Colors are made by mixing together Primary and Secondary Colors. Yellow+Green=Yellow-Green Green+Blue=Blue-Green Blue+Violet=Blue-Violet Violet+Red=Red-Violet Red+Orange=Red-Orange Orange+Yellow=Yellow-Orange

The Color Wheel PRIMARYPRIMARY SECONDARYSECONDARY INTERMEDIATE Gray

Warm vs Cool Colors Warm Colors are…warm! Reds, Yellows, and Oranges Cool Colors are…cool! Blues, Greens, and Violets Very Warm Monet’s “Water Lilies” Very Cool