1. Shape

2. What is shape?

3. Shape is a two dimensional area or space defined by visible boundaries
Shape is a two dimensional area or space defined by visible boundaries. Shapes become visible when a line encloses an area or there is an apparent change in value (light/dark), color or texture. Shape is sometimes referred to as form, however it should not be confused with the term form when it applies to the physical product. Therefore the term shape is more specific.

4. Shape is a two dimensional area or space defined by visible boundaries
Claude Monet and Roy Lichtenstein. Rouen Cathedral

5. What is volume and mass?

6. Two-dimensional areas are referred to as shape, three-dimensional area is called mass. Mass is the physical bulk of a solid body of material, mass is often a major element in sculpture. Mass is inseparable from space because 3-D objects always relate to the space they occupy. In 2-D, mass must be implied. Volume in three-dimensions is referred to as negative mass. It is the appearance of height, width and depth.

7. Jennifer Bartlett, Boats
Shape/Mass/Volume
Jennifer Bartlett, Boats

8. Jennifer Bartlett, Boats
Shape/Mass/Volume
Shape
Jennifer Bartlett, Boats

9. Jennifer Bartlett, Boats
Shape/Mass/Volume
Shape
Mass
Jennifer Bartlett, Boats

10. Jennifer Bartlett, Boats
Shape/Mass/Volume
Shape
Mass
Volume
Jennifer Bartlett, Boats

11. When viewing or considering 2-dimensional versus 3-dimensional works, the latter requires more complex decisions. This is because an object in three dimensions has more viewpoints and angles in which it is seen and thus more angles and viewpoints to consider.

12. David Smith, Blackburn: Song of an Irish Blacksmith

13. Naturalism, Distortion, and Idealism

14. Naturalism is what most people refer to as realism and is concerned with true to life appearance. It is the reproduction of an image with the forms and proportions as seen in nature with the illusion of three-dimensionality.

15. Naturalism

16. Distortion is the purposefully altered or exaggerated natural forms, which produce or provoke some sort of emotional response.

17. Distortion
Rottgen Pieta

18. Distortion
Pablo Picasso

19. Idealism is a type of distortion
Idealism is a type of distortion. It produces images that are based on how they should be and not as they are. It is the improvement of nature and presents itself without flaws.

20. Idealism
Polyclitus

21. Abstraction

22. Abstraction is a specific type of distortion
Abstraction is a specific type of distortion. Abstraction reduces the natural shapes to their basic essential character. Details are ignored as the shapes are reduced to their simplest terms.

23. Abstraction
Paul Resika

24. Abstraction–Biomorphic
Biomorphic shapes are abstract shapes which allude to natural, organic forms.
Arshile Gorky

25. Abstraction–Biomorphic
Biomorphic shapes are abstract shapes which allude to natural, organic forms.
Rebecca Harvey

26. Nonobjective

27. Nonobjective shapes are pure forms
Nonobjective shapes are pure forms. They do not represent anything but the shapes themselves. There is no subject matter suggestion or object reference.

28. Nonobjective
Helen Frankenthaler

29. Nonobjective
Daniel Wiener, Chorus

30. Rectilinear/Curvilinear

31. Rectilinear shapes are shapes composed of straight lines.
Curvilinear shapes are shapes composed of curved/flowing lines.

32. Rectilinear
Yeardley Leonard

33. Rectilinear

34. Curvilinear

35. Positive/Negative

36. When shapes appear on a picture plane, it automatically creates a second shape out of the background. This relationship is fundamental to our perception of things; it allows us to sort out things.
Figure/Ground- Positive/Negative shapes
Figure/positive- active or dominant shapes
Ground/negative- passive background shapes

37. Figure/Ground

38. Integration

39. Positive/Negative
Integration

40. Confusion
M.C. Esher

41. What type of shape is this?
Somewhat rectilinear, abstract, distorted,

42. What type of shape is this?
Abstract, distorted, bimorphic, curvilinear, nonobjective