What are the Elements of What are the Elements of Art?Art?

* * * Remember... There are 7 * * * Remember... There are 7 Elements of Art we have Elements of Art we have

learned.learned.

Define the Elements of Define the Elements of ArtArt

Color:Color: color is produced when light rays reflect off an color is produced when light rays reflect off an object. Primary Colors, Secondary Colors, Tertiary Colorsobject. Primary Colors, Secondary Colors, Tertiary Colors

Form:Form: Has three dimensions. Has three dimensions. Forms have length, width and DEPTH. Forms have length, width and DEPTH.

Space: Space: Gives a sense of place in an image.Gives a sense of place in an image. LineLine: A mark with greater length than width. : A mark with greater length than width.

Vertical, Horizontal, Diagonal, ParallelVertical, Horizontal, Diagonal, Parallel ShapeShape:: When a line comes back around and overlaps itself When a line comes back around and overlaps itself

it creates a shape. it creates a shape. Can be formed in two ways Geometric & Organic Shapes Can be formed in two ways Geometric & Organic Shapes Positive shapes & Negative ShapesPositive shapes & Negative Shapes

ValueValue: The lights and darks that make up a picture: The lights and darks that make up a picture TextureTexture: In art, texture has to do with how surfaces would : In art, texture has to do with how surfaces would

feel if you could touch them. feel if you could touch them.

Elements vs. Elements vs. PrinciplesPrinciples

7 Elements of Art7 Elements of Art: : can be thought of as the can be thought of as the things that make up a painting, drawing, things that make up a painting, drawing, design, etc. Good or bad- all paintings will design, etc. Good or bad- all paintings will contain most of them.contain most of them.

8 Principles of Design: can be thought of as 8 Principles of Design: can be thought of as what we do to the Elements of Art. How we what we do to the Elements of Art. How we apply the Principles of Design determines how apply the Principles of Design determines how successful we are in creating a work of art.successful we are in creating a work of art.

Composition – Organization or Composition – Organization or arrangement of the elements of art arrangement of the elements of art in a given work.in a given work.

Design – Organization or planning of Design – Organization or planning of the principles in a given art workthe principles in a given art work

Principles Of DesignPrinciples Of Design BalanceBalance

Focus / EmphasisFocus / Emphasis PatternPattern RhythmRhythm

UnityUnity VarietyVariety

Contrast Contrast MovementMovement

Balance is a principle of design. We use Balance as a way of controlling gravity. When we walk, our body changes our weight from foot to foot. If we were to loose our balance, what would happen? Artists also recognize the importance of Balance in works of art.

There are different types of VISUAL BALANCE and artists use these types to create works that convey a particular message or idea to a viewer. Formal Balance usually is achieved by the artist placing objects in the work in a symmetrical or equal-sided arrangement. Informal Balance is created when an asymmetrical layout is used. There is also Radial Balance. Let's take a look at the different types of Balance.

Symmetrical (formal) balance means both sides of an imaginary line are the same

Asymmetrical (informal) balance means each side of an imaginary line are different yet equal

Radial balance means lines or shapes grow from a center point

Here is an example of a painting demonstrating Formal Balance. Note that you could visually divide the paper in half. There would be a poppy on both sides. No one side dominates the pictures. Neither poppy appears to be more important than the other. Formal Balance pictures will have an imaginary "line of symmetry".

Here also is an example of Formal Balance. Even though the objects are different, the images on both sides of the artwork balance each other perfectly.

Look at this painting commonly called

"Whistler's Mother". Is this an example

of Formal Balance?

No, it is not. Note that the woman is placed far to

the right. The black curtain and large painting on the wall were placed to the left to balance the woman on the right. This

is an example of Informal Balance. The large form of the woman is "visually equal" to the black curtain and white

painting on the wall. This makes the painting

appear balanced, though the composition is more

relaxed and less stiff than if the woman had been

placed in the exact center of the canvas

This is an example of Radial Balance. Consider looking for a spiral or spinning effect of the pattern. The axis is the center point and the

design or pattern appears to "radiate" from that point. Nature contains many examples of radial designs as does manufactured

objects that are usually round in shape, i.e.. wheels, plates, and fans.This is known as a rose window. It is made up of pieces of stained glass

held together by lead. The ornate dark areas are made of concrete and are called a tracery.

Rose Window, Notre Dame Cathedral, c. 1150, Stained Glass, Paris, France

Focus / Emphasis is one of the principles of design.

Artists use emphasis to make certain parts of their artwork stand out and grab your attention.

Goya uses which

Emphasis to draw your eyes to the man raising his arms?

Why does he emphasize the area he

wants you to look at?

Francesco Goya (Spanish) 1746-1828, The Shootings of May Third 1808, 1814, Oil on canvas, 104 3/4 x 136 in; Museo del Prado, Madrid

Goya "lights" up the painting in much the same way a spotlight lights up the actors on a stage. Goya creates a very light value around the area he wants you to see. The man in the white shirt is the Focal Point of the painting. He uses value contrast to emphasize this area.Notice the color of the shirt the man raising his arms is wearing. Why did Goya choose white?

White symbolizes truth and

purity, innocence.

Also the color white appears to jump out at the viewer.

A focal point (or center of interest) is the part of an artwork you look at first. Artists focus your

attention on the focal point by using various art elements and principles.

What do you see first?

In his painting, Summer, Henri Rousseau draws your eye to the figures by painting them with bright, saturated, complementary colors. The horse and the woman's scarf jump out because of the high contrast of white against the darker background. It is also common to place the focal point in the center. In this case, the focal point is framed by the lines of the tree branches.

Pattern is one of the principles of design. Artists create pattern by repeating a line, shape or color over and over again.

Lines create patterns on the headdress of the Golden Effigy of King Tutankhamen.

In "Water Lilies," Claude In "Water Lilies," Claude Monet repeats the Monet repeats the patternpattern of water lilies floating on the of water lilies floating on the pond.pond.

In Okazaki, Ando Hiroshige's bridge supports create a rhythm that leads your eyes through the landscape.

Rhythm is one of the principles of art. Visual rhythm makes you think of the rhythms you hear in music or dance. Artists create visual rhythm by repeating art elements and creating patterns.

Gustave Caillebotte used shape to create unity.

Repetition of shape and color can make an artwork unified.

Unity is one of the principles of design. Unity is the feeling that everything in the work of art works together and looks like it fits.

Variety is one of the principles of design. Variety occurs when an artist

creates something that looks different from the rest of the artwork. An artist may use variety to make you look at a certain part or make the artwork more interesting.

Artists use high contrast to make something show up. In Wheatfields with Ravens, Vincent Van Gogh used high contrast colors to make the yellow wheat fields stand out against the dark blue sky.

Contrast is one of the principles of design which creates excitement and interest in artworks. Two things that are very different have a lot of contrast. White and black have the greatest contrast. Complementary colors also have high contrast.

- In Starry Night, famed artist Vincent Van Gogh creates Movement in his sky. - How does he show us this?- Can you find anything else that appears to give this painting a sense of Movement?

Look at the stars. They are all yellow and round, vary in size and placement, and they have "halos" of light encircling them. Look at the painting and concentrate on how your eyes bounce from one star to another. This is an example of how an artist can create Movement in a work of art.