Elements and Principles of Art (& Design) The Building Blocks of a Work of Art The Elements of Art (Design) ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ (Point) Line Shape Form Space ■ ■ ■ Value Texture Color Point ■ ■ A point is a basic element in art It can serve as the focus, like a bull's-eye A series of points can attract attention. In large numbers they can reflect value and/or texture Jasper Johns’ Target with Four Faces ■ Point Pointillism is an extreme example of what can be accomplished with points. It uses varied color dots on a surface to create a larger image. An Afternoon at La Grande Jatte by George Seurat Line ■ ■ ■ ■ Line can be viewed as the path of a point Line is movement It can be used to separate space A line’s thickness and shape can express complex ideas Line Blue Poles by Jackson Pollock Form and Shape ■ ■ A shape is an enclosed object Shapes can be created by line, or by color and value changes which define their edges Positive and negative space Reptiles by M.C. Escher ■ Form and Shape ■ Geometric shapes ■ ■ Squares, triangles, circles Organic shapes ■ Unsymmetrical, natural, non-distinct points Form and Shape ■ ■ ■ Positive space is the subject or object Negative space is the ground or background Sometimes the difference of the two can be unclear or interchanged Value ■ ■ ■ ■ The lightness or darkness of an object, form, or color White is the lightest Black is the darkest Gray scale can be broken down into 8 distinct values Value ■ There are 4 main techniques for creating value: ■ ■ ■ ■ Flower Still Life by Rachel Ruysch Hatching Cross-hatching Stippling Blending Value Melancholia by Albrecht Durer Color ■ ■ ■ Claude Monet’s Sunset The visual quality of objects caused by the amount of light reflected by them Also called Hue Color has value and intensity Color ■ Various colors evoke different emotions or symbolisms ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Reds Oranges Yellows Greens Blues Purples **We will delve deeper into color when we focus on color theory Pattern (A principle of design) ■ ■ Death of Sarpedon by Euphoronios Repeated colors, lines, shapes, forms, or textures in an artwork Can represent the surface of object or the objects themselves or the overall composition Pattern Francis I by Jean Clouet Hyacinthe Rigaud’s Louis XIV Pattern Emperor Justinian and His Attendants uknown artist Texture ■ ■ The tactile quality of a surface or the representation or invention of the appearance of such a surface quality Texture on a surface affects the values Texture Texture can be formed in various ways ■ Working 3-D ■ ■ The actual textures of the object can be imprinted onto the sculpture A tactile pattern can be cut or added to the surface to mimic the original ■ Working 2-D ■ ■ you can create the illusion of texture with pattern and value The actual surface of your piece can be alter ■ ■ ■ Decoupage Thick paint layers Gluing real texture Texture Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh Principles of Design ■ Balance ■ Proportion ■ Rhythm ■ Movement ■ Variety (includes repetition & pattern) ■ Emphasis ■ Unity & Harmony Principles of Design ■ ■ When elements of design are successfully used together, the principles are met The principles all interconnect and parallel each other. For example: ■ ■ ■ Good contrast aids in emphasis as well as balancing a piece Rhythm lends to the movement All the elements and principles help form the composition Balance ■ ■ Arrangement of parts achieving a state of equilibrium between opposing forces or influences Not just shape and size of objects Balance Artist unknown: Dying Warrior Edward Munch’s The Scream Balance Balance ■ Asymmetrical (formal) ■ ■ Varied or different forms or compositions on opposite sides of a central axis Symmetrical (informal) ■ Identical or nearly identical forms or composition on opposite sides of a central axis Edouard Manet’s Abar at the Folies-Bergere Balance Teresa of Avila in Ecstasy by Gianlorenzo Bernini Balance ■ Balance can be achieved by: ■ ■ ■ Countering dark values with light values Warm colors with cool colors One larger shape with many smaller ones Jan Van Eyck’s “Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and his wife Proportion ■ ■ ■ Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci The size relationship of parts to a whole and to one another Crucial in accurate depictions of the human body Can be manipulated or altered as part of the content John Singleton Copley’s Samuel Adams Aphrodite of Melos unknown artist Proportion Examples of manipulated Proportion Michelangelo's Pieta Michelangelo’s David Contrast ■ ■ It is a technique for defining shapes and creating emphasis: The elements can be used in different ways to create contrast ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ color value Direction Intensity Juxtaposing opposite elements Joseph the Carpenter and the Child Jesus by Georges de la Tour Rhythm ■ ■ ■ The regular or ordered repetition of dominant and subordinate elements or units in a design Can be as simple as a series of points or as complicated as numerous well-placed human figures or buildings Relates closely to pattern Rhythm Piet Mondrian’s Nike Dunk The Robert Shaw Memorial by Augustus Saint-Gaudens Rhythm ■ ■ ■ humans rely on a universal sense of timing, like the change of seasons or the rising and setting of the sun Intentionally upsetting the rhythm of a piece can create a sense of unease or discomfort in the viewer Rhythm in visual art is achieved through the creating a sense of movement Movement ■ ■ ■ The sense of motion or action created in an artwork Action within the story of the piece, it’s subject can also be created with points, lines, and contrasts to move the viewer's eye Emphasis ■ Importance given to certain objects or areas in an artwork ■ ■ ■ ■ To emphasize a sentence, you enlarge it or capitalize it In art you use the elements of design Size and scale can also be altered for emphasis Dominant and subordinate ■ ■ Dominance is given to the most important part Other parts should be subordinate Emphasis ■ ■ Oath of the Horatii by Jacques Louis David Directional lines as well as points and color can be used to draw attention to a specific point Placement of elements and the movement work almost like an arrow to direct you Emphasis Cupid and Psyche by Antonio Canova Artemisia Gentileschi’s Judith and maidservant with head of Holofernes Unity ■ ■ ■ The bringing together of parts or elements to form a whole Seeming whole and complete, with all parts looking right together All the elements and principles sum up to successful unity Unity ■ Unity can be achieved by: ■ ■ ■ Repetition Proximity Continuation ■ ■ ■ Lines edges directions Calling of Saint Matthew by Caravaggio Unity ■The unity of a piece can be disturbed intentionally as part of the overall statement Object by Meret Oppenheim Jean Francois Millet’s The Gleaners