ART ELEMENTS REVIEW
The Seven Building Blocks of Art THE ART ELEMENTS The Seven Building Blocks of Art SPACE SHAPE FORM LINE TEXTURE COLOR VALUE “South Seneca Falcons Love To Celebrate Victories”
“South Seneca Falcons Love To Celebrate Victories” LINE A continuous mark that is longer than it is wide. Almost every artwork begins with a line.
LINE can be used to communicate images, messages, and emotions LINE can be used to communicate images, messages, and emotions. It can define the edges and surface of a form. Line is also the basis of written communication, from pictograms and hieroglyphics, to our present-day alphabet.
3 TYPES OF LINE: Actual Line Implied Line Psychic Line
Actual Line is a solid line found in an artwork.
Edvard Munch “The Scream” Actual Line Edvard Munch “The Scream”
Actual Line Bridget Riley “Fall”
Implied Line takes the eye into and through the artwork, and leads to the focal point, like Lead-In Lines.
Johannes Vermeer “The Artist’s Studio” Implied Line Johannes Vermeer “The Artist’s Studio”
Henri Matisse “Lady in Blue” Implied Line Henri Matisse “Lady in Blue”
Psychic Line is an invisible line that connects two things, like a finger pointing to something.
Andrew Wyeth “Christina’s World” Psychic Line Andrew Wyeth “Christina’s World”
George Bellows “Dempsey and Firpo” Psychic Line George Bellows “Dempsey and Firpo”
Duane Hanson “The Tourists” Psychic Line Duane Hanson “The Tourists”
5 PROPERTIES OF LINE: Direction Length Waviness Solidness Thickness
Henry Moore “Reclining Figure” Line Direction HORIZONTAL LINES are quiet and restful, like sleeping. They are PEACEFUL lines. Henry Moore “Reclining Figure”
Line Direction VERTICAL LINES suggest life, growing, or reaching. They are POWERFUL lines. Maxfield Parrish “Ecstasy”
Line Direction DIAGONAL LINES show motion. They are ACTIVE lines. Greek “Laocoon & His Sons”
Line Length Short, Medium & Long Lines Kandinsky “Composition VIII”
CURVED LINES are graceful, fluid, and calm. Line Waviness CURVED LINES are graceful, fluid, and calm. Alphonse Mucha “Job”
Line Waviness STRAIGHT LINES imply precision and control. Piet Mondrian “Composition in Yellow, Blue, Red”
Line Waviness JAGGED LINES Lines express tension. Hokusai “The Great Wave”
Line Solidness
Ink Charcoal Line Solidness Crayon
Line Thickness
Line Thickness
6 FUNCTIONS OF LINE: Drawing a Form Show Movement and Emphasis Show Texture and Pattern Show Form and Shading Show Perspective Show Emotion
Line can DRAW FORMS Contour Line
Line can DRAW FORMS Sketched Line
Line can DRAW FORMS Gesture Line
Line can DRAW FORMS Broken Line
Line can SHOW MOVEMENT & EMPHASIS Vincent Van Gogh “Starry Night”
Line can SHOW TEXTURE & PATTERN Gustav Klimt “The Kiss”
Line can SHOW FORM & SHADING
Line can SHOW PERSPECTIVE
Jacques Louis David “Napoleon Bonaparte Crossing the Alps” Line can SHOW EMOTION Jacques Louis David “Napoleon Bonaparte Crossing the Alps”