Module 5 - Elements of Art

OBJECTIVES

Upon successful completion of this module, students should be

able to:

1.Define and describe the artistic elements and principles;

2.Compare and contrast art as a social activity and a singular
creative act;
4.Discuss the cultural ties to artistic process and training;
5.Translate a realistic artwork into an abstract composition;
6.Discuss composition;
7.Compare and contr.
The Point
A point is the visual element upon which all others are based.
It can be defined as a singularity in space or, in geometric terms,
the area where two coordinates meet. When an artist marks a simple
point on a surface, (also referred to as the ground), they
immediately create a figure-ground relationship. That is, they divide
the work between its surface and anything added to it. Our eyes
differentiate between the two, and their arrangement has everything
to do with how we see a final composition. The point itself can be
used as a way to create forms. For example, Pointillism is a style of
painting made famous by the French artist Georges Seurat in the late
nineteenth century. He and others in the Pointillist group created
paintings by juxtaposing points – or dots- of color that optically
mixed to form lines, shapes and forms within a composition.

DEFINITIONS & QUALITIES OF LINE

Essentially, when you put two or more points together you create
a line. A line can be lyrically defined as a point in motion. There
are many different types of lines, all characterized by their length
being greater than their width. Lines can be static or dynamic
depending on how the artist chooses to use them. They help determine
the motion, direction and energy in a work of art. We see line all
around us in our daily lives; telephone wires, tree branches, jet
contrails and winding roads are just a few examples.
Different Types of Line
Actual lines are those that are physically present.

Implied lines are those created by visually connecting two or more

areas together.

Expressive lines are curved, adding an organic, more dynamic

character to a work of art. Expressive lines are often rounded and
follow undetermined paths.

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Cross-hatch lines provide additional tone and texture. They can be
oriented in any direction. Multiple layers of cross-hatch lines can
give rich and varied shading to objects by manipulating the pressure
of the drawing tool to create a large range of values.

Calligraphic lines use quickness and gesture, more akin to paint

strokes, to imbue an artwork with a fluid, lyrical character.

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SHAPES: POSITIVE, NEGATIVE & PLANAR ISSUES
A shape is defined as an enclosed area in two dimensions. By
definition shapes are always implied and flat in nature. They can be
created in many ways, the simplest by enclosing an area with an
outline. They can also be made by surrounding an area with other
shapes or the placement of different textures next to each other –
for instance, the shape of an island surrounded by water. Because
they are more complex than lines, shapes do much of the heavy lifting
in arranging composition.

Positive / Negative Shapes and Figure / Ground Relationships

Shapes animate figure-ground relationships. We visually
determine positive shapes (the figure) and negative shapes (the
ground). One way to understand this is to open your hand and spread
your fingers apart. Your hand is the positive shape, and the space
around it becomes the negative shape.
A plane is defined as any surface area in space.
MASS
Mass, or form, refers to a shape or three-
dimensional volume that has or gives the illusion of having weight,
density or bulk. Notice the distinction between two and three-
dimensional objects: a shape is by definition flat, but takes on the
illusion of mass through shading with the elements of value or color.
In three dimensions a mass is an actual object that takes up space.

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SPACE
Space is the empty area surrounding real or implied objects.
Humans categorize space: there is outer space, that limitless void we
enter beyond our sky; inner space, which resides in people’s minds
and imaginations, and personal space, the important but intangible
area that surrounds each individual and which is violated if someone
else gets too close. Pictorial space is flat, and the digital realm
resides in cyberspace. Art responds to all of these kinds of space.
Clearly artists are as concerned with space in their works as they
are with, say, color or form.
VALUE
Value is the relative lightness or darkness of a shape in relation
to another. The value scale, bounded on one end by pure white and on
the other by black, and in between a series of progressively darker
shades of grey, gives an artist the tools to make these
transformations. The value scale below shows the standard variations
in tones. Values near the lighter end of the spectrum are termed
high-keyed, those on the darker end are low-keyed. The use of high
contrast, placing lighter areas of value against much darker ones,
creates a dramatic effect, while low contrast gives subtler results.

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 COLOR
Color is the most complex artistic element because of the
combinations and variations inherent in its use. Humans respond to
color combinations differently, and artists study and use color in
part to give desired direction to their work.
Color is fundamental to many forms of art. Its relevance, use and
function in a given work depend on the medium of that work. While
some concepts dealing with color are broadly applicable across media,
others are not.
The full spectrum of colors is contained in white light. Humans
perceive colors from the light reflected off objects. A red object,
for example, looks red because it reflects the red part of the
spectrum. It would be a different color under a different light.
Color theory first appeared in the 17th century when English
mathematician and scientist Sir Isaac Newton discovered that white
light could be divided into a spectrum by passing it through a prism.
The study of color in art and design often starts with color theory.
Color theory splits up colors into three categories: primary,
secondary, and tertiary.
The basic tool used is a color wheel, developed by Isaac Newton in
1666. A more complex model known as the color tree (Links to an
external site.), created by Albert Munsell, shows the spectrum made
up of sets of tints and shades on connected planes.
There are a number of approaches to organizing colors into meaningful
relationships. Most systems differ in structure only.

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Traditional Model
Traditional color theory is a qualitative attempt to organize colors
and their relationships. It is based on Newton's color wheel, and
continues to be the most common system used by artists.

Traditional color theory uses the same principles as subtractive

color mixing (see below) but prefers different primary colors.

 The primary colors are red, blue, and yellow. You find them
equidistant from each other on the color wheel. These are the
"elemental" colors; not produced by mixing any other colors, and
all other colors are derived from some combination of these three.
 The secondary colors are orange (mix of red and yellow), green (mix
of blue and yellow), and violet (mix of blue and red).
 The tertiary colors are obtained by mixing one primary color and
one secondary color. Depending on amount of color used, different
hues can be obtained such as red-orange or yellow-green. Neutral
colors (browns and grays) can be mixed using the three primary
colors together.
 White and black lie outside of these categories. They are used to
lighten or darken a color. A lighter color (made by adding white to
it) is called a tint, while a darker color (made by adding black)
is called a shade.

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Color Mixing
A more quantifiable approach to color theory is to think about
color as the result of light reflecting off a surface. Understood in
this way, color can be represented as a ratio of amounts of primary
color mixed together.
Additive color theory is used when different colored lights are
being projected on top of each other. Projected media produce color
by projecting light onto a reflective surface. Where subtractive
mixing creates the impression of color by selectively absorbing part
of the spectrum, additive mixing produces color by selective
projection of part of the spectrum. Common applications of additive
color theory are theater lighting and television screens. RGB color
is based on additive color theory.

 The primary colors are red, blue, and green.

 The secondary colors are yellow (mix of red and green), cyan (mix
of blue and green), and magenta (mix of blue and red).
 The tertiary colors are obtained by mixing the above colors at
different intensities.

White is created by the confluence of the three primary colors, while

black represents the absence of all color. The lightness or darkness
of a color is determined by the intensity/density of its various
parts. For instance: a middle-toned gray could be produced by
projecting a red, a blue and a green light at the same point with 50%
intensity.
TEXTURE

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 Texture is the tactilesense we get from the surface of a shape or
volume. Smooth, rough, velvety and prickly are examples of texture.
Texture comes in two forms:

 Actual: the real surface qualities we perceive by running a hand

over an object

Visual: an implied sense of texture created by the artist through

the manipulation of their materials.

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Principles of Design

Visual art manifests itself through media, ideas, themes and sheer
creative imagination. Yet all of these rely on basic structural
principles that, like the elements we’ve been studying, combine to
give voice to artistic expression. Incorporating the principles into
your artistic vocabulary not only allows you to objectively describe
artworks you may not understand, but contributes in the search for
their meaning.
The first way to think about a principle is that it is something
that can be repeatedly and dependably done with elements to produce
some sort of visual effect in a composition.
The principles are based on sensory responses to visual input:
elements APPEAR to have visual weight, movement, etc. The principles
help govern what might occur when particular elements are arranged in
a particular way. Using a chemistry analogy, the principles are the
ways the elements “stick together” to make a “chemical” (in our case,
an image). Principles can be confusing. There are at least two very
different but correct ways of thinking about principles. On the one
hand, a principle can be used to describe an operational cause and
effect such as "bright things come forward and dull things
recede". On the other hand, a principle can describe a high quality
standard to strive for such as "unity is better than chaos" or

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"variation beats boredom" in a work of art. So, the word "principle"
can be used for very different purposes.
Another way to think about a principle is that it is a way to
express a value judgment about a composition. Any list of these
effects may not be comprehensive, but there are some that are more
commonly used (unity, balance, etc). When we say a painting has unity
we are making a value judgment. Too much unity without variety is
boring and too much variation without unity is chaotic.
The principles of design help you to carefully plan and organize
the elements of art so that you will hold interest and command
attention. This is sometimes referred to as visual impact.
In any work of art there is a thought process for the
arrangement and use of the elements of design. The artist who works
with the principles of good composition will create a more
interesting piece; it will be arranged to show a pleasing rhythm and
movement. The center of interest will be strong and the viewer will
not look away, instead, they will be drawn into the work. A good
knowledge of composition is essential in producing good
artwork. Some artists today like to bend or ignore these rules and
by doing so are experimenting with different forms of
expression. The following page explore important principles in
composition.

VISUAL BALANCE
All works of art possess some form of visual balance – a sense
of weighted clarity created in a composition.
There are three basic forms of visual balance:

 Symmetrical
 Asymmetrical
 Radial

Symmetrical balance is the most visually stable, and characterized by

an exact – or nearly exact - compositional design on either (or both)
sides of the horizontal or vertical axis of the picture plane.

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Asymmetry uses compositional elements that are offset from each
other, creating a visually unstable balance. Asymmetrical visual
balance is the most dynamic because it creates a more complex design
construction.

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Radial balance suggests movement from the center of a composition
towards the outer edge - or vise versa. Many times radial balance is
another form of symmetry, offering stability and a point of focus at
the center of the composition

REPETITION
Repetition is the use of two or more like elements or forms within a
composition. The systematic arrangement of a repeated shapes or forms
creates pattern.
Patterns create rhythm, the lyric or syncopated visual effect that
helps carry the viewer, and the artist’s idea, throughout the work.

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SCALE & PROPORTION
Scale and proportion show the relative size of one form in
relation to another. Scalar relationships are often used to create
illusions of depth on a two-dimensional surface, the larger form
being in front of the smaller one. The scale of an object can provide
a focal point or emphasis in an image. Scale and proportion are
incremental in nature. Works of art don’t always rely on big
differences in scale to make a strong visual impact. When scale and
proportion are greatly increased the results can be impressive,
giving a work commanding space or fantastic implications.

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EMPHASIS
Emphasis – the area of primary visual importance – can be attained in
a number of ways. We’ve just seen how it can be a function of
differences in scale. Emphasis can also be obtained by isolating an
area or specific subject matter through its location or color, value
and texture. Main emphasis in a composition is usually supported by
areas of lesser importance, a hierarchy within an artwork that’s
activated and sustained at different levels. Like other artistic
principles, emphasis can be expanded to include the main idea
contained in a work of art.

UNITY & VARIETY

Ultimately, a work of art is the strongest when it expresses an
overall unity in composition and form, a visual sense that all the
parts fit together; that the whole is greater than its parts. This
same sense of unity is projected to encompass the idea and meaning of
the work too. This visual and conceptual unity is sublimated by
the variety of elements and principles used to create it. We can
think of this in terms of a musical orchestra and its conductor:
directing many different instruments, sounds and feelings into a
single comprehendible symphony of sound. This is where the objective
functions of line, color, pattern, scale and all the other artistic
elements and principles yield to a more subjective view of the entire
work, and from that an appreciation of the aesthetics and meaning it
resonates.

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