Transcript blogs.spiritsd.ca

The Elements
of:
Art and Design
As a whole what are they?
● The elements of art and
design are a set of skills
that artists employ in their
creation of art.
So what’s their purpose?
● Through mastering these elements, and
applying them effectively, artists are able
to create artwork that is true to their
vision, visually interesting, and visually
successful.
● Let’s take a closer look at these elements,
and see how we may be able to develop our
skills, and use these elements effectively.
SHAPE
Shape
● Shape is defined as an area set apart from
what is around it through line, colour,
value, or texture.
● Artists use shape to define an object (a
football, the human figure, a tree etc.),
move the eye around an image, and create
an interesting figure/ground relationship
through positive and negative space.
The black areas
represent the
figure and are
the positive
space (the area
defined by
shape, and the
white areas are
the negative
space (the area
around the
shape)
Geometric Shapes
● Shape can be broken down into two
categories: geometric shapes and natural
shapes.
● Geometric shapes obey a set of rules based
on math.
● Geometric shapes carry with them a certain
psychological weight that we as viewers
consciously, or unconsciously recognize.
● These shapes include triangles, squares,
ovals, rectangles, pentagons etc.
Circles
●
Are the safest of all geometric shapes as
they are balanced and have no sharp edges.
●
They are typically viewed as soft, and often
associated with cuteness, youth, recreation,
fun, and represent connectedness.
●
Circles feature predominantly in the designs
of animated characters.
●
Because circles make the viewer feel at ease
they can also be used to mesmerize the
viewer.
Squares and
Rectangles
●
Squares and rectangles are generally
associated with strength, balance, and
stability.
●
Rectangles are more visually
interesting as they are not equal on all
sides, whereas squares are more
secure due to being even on all sides.
●
These shapes give the viewer a sense
of security and uniformity which is
why we see them often in architecture
and perspective drawing.
Triangles
●
Triangles are considered to be the most
visually captivating of all the geometric
shapes.
●
Because they have three sides that connect
at a point, the eye finds them more
interesting to look at than most geometric
shapes.
●
Triangles are often associated with power,
aggression, fear, and energy.
Organic Shapes
●
Organic shapes do not follow specific rules
life geometric shapes and are considered to
be free form.
●
Eyes tend to linger on organic shapes
because they are not easily understood and
take time to process mentally.
How do shapes come
together to create a
finished piece of art?
Let’s take a look at some examples.
LINE
Line
● Effective line work can truly transform
whatever an artist is working on.
● Lines can describe objects, create visual
harmony, rhythm, move the eye across an
image, break up the picture plane, and give
a connection or insight into whatever is
being depicted both visually and
emotionally.
Let’s Line up the Lines
● There are many different lines
an artist can use in the creation
of their artwork, and each of
them have different significance
to the viewer.
● Let’s take a look at some
directional lines.
Vertical Lines
● Tend to be thought of as powerful, hopeful,
and stable.
● Can be used to divide up the picture plane
into segments.
● Can also be used to stop eye movement
across the picture plane.
Horizontal Lines
● Are typically associated with rest,
balance, and stability.
● Are also used to divide/break up the
picture plan.
Diagonal Lines
● Are the most active and energetic of
of lines.
● Because they are unbalanced they
make the viewer excited and uneasy.
● Are typically associated with falling
and tension.
Swirling Lines
● Are typically associated with softness,
freedom, and organic forms.
● They can be energetic, dynamic, or
even lazy.
Implied Line
● Are used to suggest line, move the eye
around an image, or stop the eye at a
certain place within the image.
● They promote the viewer’s engagement with
the art piece because they are challenged to
complete the lines mentally, or move their
eyes directionally.
Line Quality
● Refers to the length, shape, thickness,
and thinness of the line.
● How descriptive is the line? Does it the
line give the viewer a sense of feeling?
● Thick lines are strong, sturdy. Thin Lines
are typically delicate, fragile. A
combination of thick and thin tend to be
the most descriptive.
How exactly do these
aspects of line play a
part in your artwork?
Let’s look at some
examples.
COLOUR
VALUE
TEXTURE
SPACE
FORM