1. #1 ART IS A LANGUAGE
The arts are symbol systems organized by elements and principles which provide a medium for communicating information, posing and solving artistic problems, and expressing feelings.

2. Aspects of a Language
Structural Aspect - Knowledge of the elements and principles and how to combine them into sequences or compositions that conform to the structural requirements of the language.
Functional Aspect -The ability to use the structural aspects of the language to communicate, think and solve problems.
Aesthetic Aspect - The ability to pose new problems, to creatively express strong personal feelings or images, and to create original ways of combing the structural aspects of the language.

3. Language/Symbol Systems
Verbal/Linguistic
Visual/Graphic
Dramatic/Gestural
Movement/Dance
Mathematic
Scientific

4. Art & Language: A comparison
In art a child learns
To see lines, shapes, colors, movements, rhythms, patterns,etc.
To associated visual, musical, movement images with meaning
To create images using tools & bodies
To use artistic conventions such as proportion and balance, character, call & response
To think like an artist
To create original artwork
To make meaning from visual, gestural, musical symbols
To respond aesthetically to visual images, music, drama, and dance
In language a child learns
To hear and make phonemic sounds
To associate sounds with meaning
To write words using tools
To comprehend words
To use linguistic structures such as grammar and syntax
To think like a writer
To create original writing
To make meaning from sound symbols
To respond aesthetically to written words

5. The Language of Visual Arts
Elements of Art
TEXTURE
COLOR
VALUE
LINE
SHAPE
FORM
Principles of
Visual Organization
BALANCE
REPETITION,
PATTERN &
RHYTHM
OVERALL UNITY
VARIETY
MOVEMENT
EMPHASIS
SCALE &
PROPORTION

6. Elements & Principles of Art
An artist uses the elements and principles in a work of art, like a chef creating a new recipe. Elements are the ingredients. Which elements did the artist use in the composition: color, texture, shape, line, form, value? Which ingredients are his/her signature elements? Principles are the amount the elements are used to show movement, variety, unity, scale, repetition and pattern, balance, proportion? What choices speak to the artist’s style or recipe?

7. Thinking with our Hands

8. COLOR ~ COLOR
COLOR is the quality of an object or substance with respect to light reflected by the object usually determined visually by measurement of hue, saturation, and brightness of the reflected light. The properties of colors include: primary (red, yellow, blue), secondary (orange, violet, green), intermediate, (red violet, blue-green) complementary (opposites), analogous (related family), monochromatic (one color plus tints, shades, tones of that color) and descriptions of color (warm, cool).

9. TEXTURE
TEXTURE -- visual and tactile quality of the surface of a work of art resulting from the way in which the materials are used.
All surfaces have some type of texture.
Texture involves height, shape, flexibility, density, uniformity, temperature and pressure
Texture covers a wide range of ways an objects looks and feels.
The way a surface feels to the is considered TACTILE TEXTURE.
An effect created by the way light falls onto a surface, creating a contrast between lit and shaded areas is called VISUAL TEXTURE.

10. Texture: Tactile & Visual
Touching Textures
Rough
Smooth
Ridgy
Bumpy
Slick
Puffy
Visual Textures
Sponging
Dry Brush
Funky Tool
Crayon Resist
Monotype

11. Reflection