5th grade
elements and principles of art
The ELEMENTS OF ART and PRINCIPLES OF ART are the building blocks used to create a work of art.
The elements of art are what you use to create art. The principles are like the sprinkles on top that make your artwork awesome. The Elements of Art can be thought of as the things that make up a painting, drawing, design etc. Good or bad - all art work will contain most of if not all of them. The Principles of Design can be thought of as what we do to the Elements of Art. How we apply the Principles of Design determines how successful we are in creating a work of art. |
ELEMENTS OF ART & DESIGN
(building blocks of visual art)
Line: An element of art that is used to define shape, contours, and outlines, also to suggest mass and volume. It may be a continuous mark made on a surface with a pointed tool or implied by the edges of shapes and forms. Some characteristics of line are: Width, length, direction, focus, feeling. And some types of line are: outlines, contour lines, gesture lines, sketch lines, calligraphic lines, and implied lines.
Shape: When a line crosses itself or intersects with other lines to enclose a space it creates a shape. Shape is two-dimensional it has heights and width but no depth. Categories of shapes: Geometric shapes, organic shapes, positive shapes, negative shapes, static shape, and dynamic shape.
Form: Form is the three dimensionality of an object. Shape is only two-dimensional; form is three-dimensional. You can hold a form; walk around a form and in some cases, walk inside of a form. In drawing and painting, using value can imply form. Shading a circle in a certain manner can turn it into a sphere. The for basic forms are; cube, cylinder, cone and sphere.
Value (Tone): Value is the range of lightness and darkness within a picture. Value is created by a light source that shines on an object creating highlights and shadows. It also illuminates the local or actual color of the subject. Value crates depth within a picture making an object look three dimensional with highlights and cast shadows, or in a landscape where is gets lighter in value as it recedes to the background giving the illusion of depth.
Space: Space is the three-dimensionality of a sculpture. With a sculpture or architecture you can walk around them, look above them, and enter them, this refers to the space of the sculpture or architecture. A three-dimensional object with have height width, and depth. There is different kinds of space; positive space, negative space, picture plane, composition, and focal point.
Texture: Texture is the surface quality of an object. A rock may be rough and jagged. A piece of silk may be soft and smooth and your desk may feel hard and smooth. texture also refers to the way a picture is made to look rough or smooth. You can have two types of texture; Real texture and implied texture.
Color: Color comes from light; if it weren't for light we would have no color. Light rays move in a straight path from a light source. Within this light rays are all the rays of colors in the spectrum or rainbow. Shining a light into a prism will create a rainbow of colors because it separates the color of the spectrum. When the light rays hits an object our eyes respond to the light that is bounced back and we see that color. For example a red ball reflects all the red light rays. As artists we use pigments in the form of powder or liquid paints to create color.
PRINCIPLES OF ART & DESIGN
(use or arrangement of the building blocks of visual art)
Unity: Unity brings together a composition with similar units. If your composition was using wavy lines and organic shapes , you would stay with those types of lines not put in just one geometric shape.
Contrast: Contrast offers some change in value creating a visual discord in a composition. Contrast shows the difference between shapes and can be used as a background to bring objects out and forward in a design. It can also be used to create an area of emphasis.
Pattern: Repeating visual elements such as line, color, shape, texture, value or image tends to unify the total effect of a work of art as well as create rhythm. Repetition can take the form of an exact duplication (pattern), a near duplication, or duplication with variety. Pattern uses the art elements in planned or random repetitions to enhance surfaces of paintings or sculptures. Patterns often occur in nature, and artists use similar repeated motifs to create pattern in their work. Pattern increases visual excitement by enriching surface interest.
Rhythm: Rhythm is about creating patterns of repetition and contrast that move the eye around the art work.
Emphasis: Emphasis creates a focal point in a design; it is how we bring attention to what is most important. Emphasis is what catches the eye and makes the viewer stop and look at the image. Without emphasis, without getting the viewer to look at the image, communication cannot occur.
Balance: Balance is a feeling of visual equality in shape, form, value, color, etc. Balance can be symmetrical or evenly balanced or asymmetrical and unevenly balanced. Objects, values, colors, textures, shapes, forms, etc., can be used in creating a balance in a composition. There are three types of balance; symmetrical balance, asymmetrical balance and radial balance.
Movement: Movement is a visual flow through the composition. IT can be the suggestion of motion in a design as you move from object to object by way of placement and position. Directional movement can be created with a value pattern. It is with the placement of dark and light areas that you can move your attention through the format.