Basic Elements of Fine Arts

Subject

- provides the answer to the question: What is the painting or piece of

sculpture about?

In painting, subject is no problem if the artist has painted realistically.

Medium
- refers to the materials which an artist uses
(Fresco)
- The most noble and monumental, is adapted to large
wall surfaces.

- The most exacting because it must be done quickly

while the plaster is wet,
& once applied cannot be changed.

(Tempera)
- Tempera painting, requires the meticulous skill of a
craftsman. The color is applied with tiny strokes of
pointed brushes & dries immediately.

(Oil)
- is the most popular medium today because the
pigment come ready-mixed in tubes. It dries slowly, so
that if the artist is dissatisfied, he can repaint his errors or
scrape all off for a fresh start.

(Water color)
- True water color did not reveal itself until the mid-19th
century. Since the artist must work rapidly & cannot
change anything, there is a freshness & spontaneity in
water color not felt in oil.

(Materials used in sculpture)

Line

The shape of a work of art is defined by line. The line of a painting or sculpture
tell us what the work is about.
3 kinds of line:
- Horizontal
- Vertical
- Diagonal
Color
- is the decorative element in painting.

Texture
- refers to the way two objects feel to the touch.

- To the painter, texture is an illusion. He must make an

object look the way it would feel if we could touch it.

Volume

To the painter, volume is an illusion, because the

surface of the canvass is flat.
- refers to solidity or thickness.

Perspective

- To get depth or distance, an artist uses perspective, both

linear

Form
- applies to the over-all design of a work of art.

Style

- is the result of an artist’s temperament,

outlook in life, and training.

It is this spirit of the times which

determines the style of a period. The
Germans call it Zeitgeist.