Elements of art

                        Elements of Art

Elements of art are the basic visual components of the language of art.  The elements of art are line, shape, and form, space, color, value, and texture.

Line - An element of art that is the path of a moving point through space.  Although lines can vary in appearance, they can have different lengths, widths, textures, directions, and degrees of curve.  They are considered one-dimensional and are measured by length.  Artists often use lines to control the viewer’s eye movement through a work of art. Line types include but are not limited to vertical, horizontal, diagonal, curve, and zigzag. 

Shape - An area enclosed by an edge created by a line or other shapes.  A Shape is two-dimensional and has only height and width.  Shapes are either geometric or freeform.

Value - Value is an element of art that describes the darkness or lightness of a color or tone.  The value you see depends on how much light a surface reflects.  Value is also one of the three properties of color

Color - Color is an element of art that is derived from reflected light.   The sensation of color is aroused in the brain by the response of the eye to different wavelengths of light.  Color has three properties: hue value and intensity.

Texture - The element of art that refers to how things feel or look like they feel if touched.  Texture is perceived by touch and sight, and can be either real or implied.  Objects can have rough or smooth textures and matte or shiny surfaces.

Form - Refers to enclosed space such as objects. Form has three dimensions, like a shape a form has height and width but it also has depth.  Forms are either geometric or freeform.

Space - This element of art indicates areas in a drawing as positive or negative space and a feeling of depth in a two-dimensional work of art.  The picture plane refers to the flat surface on which an artist is working.

Positive space is the thing, the object, the subject, or the figure in a work of art.  Negative space is the space around the thing, the object, the subject, or the figure, otherwise known as the background, environment, or ground.