Art Resources

Elements of Art

We use the Elements of Art to describe what a painting, drawing, or sculpture looks like, feels like, or how it is composed. The elements are shape, color, form, line, texture, value, and space.

In these videos you will get a better understanding of how to look at a work of art and describe it using the seven Elements of Art.

What are the Elements of Art?

Line -

Lines are visual representations of edges. To do so, we make marks that go between two points. Lines can have various widths (thickness), directions, curves, and lengths.

Shape -

Shapes are two dimensional constructions normally made of lines. The space between the lines is what we call a "shape". They can be geometric (squares, triangles, circles, etc.) or organic (non-geometric).

Form -

Form is actual or implied three dimensional space. Take a square (shape), for instance, and compare it to a cube (form). In art we can create the illusion of three dimensions if you are drawing or painting, or make actual forms through sculpture.

Color -

Color is made when light, striking an object, is reflected into the eye. We see color in three ways.

          1. Hue is the name we have given a color (red, yellow, blue, green, etc.)

          2. Saturation is how intense that color is. Is it very bright, or is it very dull?

          3. Value is how light or dark a color is. Adding black to a color with make a shade (darker), whereas adding white will make a tint (lighter).

Space -

Space is the illusion of depth, or lack of depth. Space can include the background, foreground, and middle ground in a work of art. In a work of art, the area occupied by an object or form is considered "positive space" whereas the area around, or between objects is "negative space".

Texture -

Texture describes how something feels or looks. Actual texture can be felt in real life. Implied texture is the way a drawing or painting tricks the eye into thinking it is seeing the actual texture.

Value -

Value is how light or dark an object or color looks. Darker values are called shades and lighter values are called tints. If you see a large difference between values we say they have "high contrast". However if you don't see a large difference between values we say they have "low contrast".

Principles of Design

There are several variations on the Principles of Design that you may come across. Often we use the terms balance, unity, contrast, emphasis, pattern, movement, and rhythm to describe works of art and how they are laid out in a composition.

This video covers these, as well as a few extra terms, pretty well. Take a look.

What are the Principles of Design?

Movement -

The path the viewer's eye takes through the artwork, often to areas of focus.

Balance -

The visual weight of each element is distributed in a way that makes the composition feel stable.

  • Symmetrical Balance: The artwork could be divided in half and both sides would look the same.

  • Asymmetrical Balance: A type of balance in which the two sides of the artwork are different, but still feel stable.

Unity -

Using similar or repeated elements in an artwork to create consistency (marks, moods, colors, themes, etc.).

Variety -

Using many different elements to create interest or contrast in an artwork.

Rhythm -

Repeating elements in order to create a feeling of organized movement.

Pattern -

A repeated design.

Scale -

The comparison of one object to another in terms of size.

Proportion -

Ratio; comparing parts of a whole in terms of size.

Emphasis -

What we focus on in an artwork. Usually the largest or most detailed area.

Contrast -

The amount of difference between elements.

  • Value Contrast: The amount of difference between values.

    • High Contrast: There is a large difference between the lightest and darkest areas. Edges look harder.

    • Low Contrast: There is not much difference between the lightest and darkest areas. Edges look softer.

Juxtaposition -

Combining two or more unlike things to show contrast.