ELEMENTS OF ART; VISUAL
LINE
- A line refers to a point moving an identifiable
path– it has length and direction. It is one
dimensional, however it has the capacity to
either define perimeters of the artwork (edges)
become a substantial component of the
composition.
- HORIZONTAL and VERTICAL LINES- refers to the
orientation of the line. Horizontal lines are
normally associated with rest or calm.
Landscapes often contain these elements as
works like these connote a visual sense of being
parallel to the ground. Vertical lines on the
other hand, connote elevation or height, which
taken to mean exaltation or aspiration for
action.
KEITH HARING
- The creator of “TODOS JUNTOS PODEMOS
PARAR EL SIDA” which means TOGETHER WE
CAN STOP AIDS
DIAGONAL AND CROOKED LINES
- Diagonal lines convey movement and instability,
although the progression can be seen. Crooked
or jagged lines, on the other hand, are
reminiscent of violence, conflict or struggle.
CURVED LINES
- These are lines that bend or coil. They allude to
softness, grace, flexibility, or even sensuality.
PORQUE ESCONDERLOS
- Created by Francisco de Goya
THE RAFT OF MEDUSA
- Created by Theodore Gericault
SHAPE AND FORM
- These two are related to each other in the
sense that they define the space occupied of
art. Shape refers to two dimensions: height and
width, while form refers to three dimensions:
height, width, and depth.
GEOMETRIC
- These shapes find origin in mathematical
propositions. As such, its translation and use are
often man-made. These shapes such as squares,
triangles, cubes, circles, spheres, cones, among
others.
COMPOSITION WITH COLOR PLANES AND GRAY LINES
- Created by Piet Mondrian
ORGANIC
- Organic shapes are those readily occurring in
nature, often irregular and asymmetrical.
THE MADONNA OF THE MEADOWS
- Created by Raphael
SPACE
- Related to shape and form is space. It is usually
inferred from a sense of depth, whether it is
real or simulated. Real space is three-
dimensional. Like what has been previously
mentioned, sculptures are perfect examples of
artworks that bear this element. However, this
can be manifested in two-dimensional artworks
through the use of different techniques, or the
use of area around a drawing or picture
POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SPACE
- Usually identified with the white space is
negative space. The positive space, on the other
hand, is the space where shadow is heavily
used,
THREE-DIMENSIONAL SPACE
- Can be simulated through a variety of
techniques such as shading. An illusion of three-
dimensionality can be achieved in two-
dimensional work.
COLOR
- Color is perhaps one of the elements that
enhances the appeal of an artwork. Its effect
has range, allowing the viewer to make
responses based on memory, emotion, and
intrinsic among others. The element is a
property of light, as it is reflected off the object.
HUE
- this dimension of color gives its name. It can be
subdivided into:
o Primary colors- red, yellow, and blue
o Secondary colors- green, orange and
violet
 o Tertiary colors- six in total, these hues
are achieved when primary and
secondary colors are mixed
VALUE
- This refers to the brightness or darkness of
color. Often, used by artist to create illusion of
depth and solidity, a particular mood,
communicate a feeling, or in establishing a
scene. (e.g., day and night).
o Light colors- taken as the source of light
in the composition
o Dark colors- the lack or even the
absence of light
o Tint- this is a lighter color than the
normal value
o Shade- this is a darker color than the
normal value
INTENSITY
- This is the color’s brightness or dullness. It is
identified as the strength of color, whether it is
vivid or muted. To achieve a specific intensity of
a color, one may add either gray or its
complementary color.
o Bright or warm colors- positive energy
o Dull or cool colors- sedate/ soothing,
serious or calm.
MONOCHROMATIC HARMONIES
- Use the variations of a hue.
COMPLEMENTARY HARMONIES
- Involve two colors opposite each other in the
color wheel. Since they are at contrary
positions, the reaction is most intense.
ANALOGOUS HARMONIES
- Make use of two colors beside each other in
color wheel
TEXTURE
- Like space, texture can be either real or implied.
This element in an artwork is experienced
through the sense of touch (and sight). This
element renders the art object tactile.
“Margherita Gonzaga, Princess of Mantua”
- Created by Frans Pourbus the Younger
TEXTURES IN THE TWO-DIMENSIONAL PLANE
- Texture can be implied using one techniques or
a combination of other elements of arts. By
creating the visual quality in the artwork, one
can imagine how the surface will have if it was
to be touched.
- Surface Texture
o Refers to the texture of the three-
dimensional art object
PLANES AND PERSPECTIVE
- PICTURE PLANE is the actual surface of the
painting or drawing, where no illusion of a third
dimension exists. Here, the elements lay flat, as
if one was looking through a window into what
lies on the side of glass.
- LINEAR PERSPECTIVE
o As forms and objects recede, the
smaller they become.
o We were taught that parallel lines never
meet. However, when they, too seem
to converge when they recede into a
distance, at a point, they both
disappear. This point of disappearance
is called the vanishing point.
THREE TYPES OF PERSPECTIVE
ONE-POINT PERSPECTIVE
- Often used in depicting roads, tracks, hallways,
or rows of trees; this type of perspective shows
parallel lines that seem to converge at a specific
and lone vanishing point, along the horizon line.
TWO-POINT PERSPECTIVE
- Pertains to a painting or drawing that makes
use of two-vanishing points, which can be
placed anywhere along the horizon line. It is
often used in depicting structures such as
houses or buildings in the landscape that are
viewed from a specific corner.
THREE-POINT PERSPECTIVE
- In this type of perspective, the viewer is looking
at a scene from above or below. As the name
suggest, it makes use of the three-vanishing
point, each corresponding to each axis of the
scene.
ELEMENTS OF ART; AUDITORY
RHYTHM
- Often associated to the term beat, meter, and
tempo, rhythm is the element of music that
 situates it in time. It is the pulse of the music.
Beat is the basic unit of music while tempo
refers to its speed. Beats can be organized into
a recognizable recurrent pattern, which is called
the meter.
o Largo- slowly and broadly
o Andante- Walking pace
o Moderato- at moderate speed
o Allegro- fast
o Vivace- lively
o Accelerando- gradually speeding up
o Rallentado- gradually slowing down
o Allargando- getting slower, broadening
o Rubato- literally “robbed time”, rhythm
is played freely for expressive effect.
DYNAMICS
- The element of music that refers to the
loudness or quietness of music is dynamics.
Classical terms are used to refer to the different
levels pertaining to this:
o Pianissimo (pp)- very quite
o Piano (p)- quite
o Mezzo-piano (mp)- moderately quite
o Mezzo- forta (mf)- moderately loud
o Forte (f)- loud
o Fortissimo (ff)- very loud
MELODY
- Melody refers to the linear presentation
(horizontal) pitch. By horizontal, it means that
in musical notation, it is read in succession form
left to right. Pitch is the highness or lowness of
musical sound.
HARMONY
- If melody is horizontal, harmony is vertical. It
arises when pitches are combined to form
chords. When several notes are simultaneously
played, this refer to a chord.
- Harmony can be described in terms of its
‘harshness”: dissonance is the harsh- sounding
combination while consonance is the smooth-
sounding combination.
TIMBRE
- Timbre is often likened to the color of music. It
is a quality that distinguishes a voice or an
instrument form another. Dependent on the
technique, the timbre may give a certain tone
of impressions onto the canvas.
TEXTURE
- The number of melodies, the type of layers, and
their relatedness in a composition is the texture
of music. It may be:
o Monophonic- single melodic line
o Polyphonic- two or more melodic lines
o Homophonic- main melody
accompanied by chords
PRINCIPLES OF ART;
BALANCE
- This principle refers to the distribution of the
visual elements in view of their placement in
relation to each other.
SYMMETRICAL
- The elements used on one side are reflected to
the others. This offers the most stable visual
sense to any artwork.
ASYMMETRICAL
- The elements are not the same (or of the same
weight) on each side, putting the heaviness on
one side
RADIAL
- There is a central point in the composition,
around which elements and objects are
distributed
SCALE AND PROPORTION
- Scale pertains to the size in relation to what is
normal for the figure or object in question.
PORPORTION
- Is the size of the components, or of objects in
relation to one another when taken as a
composition or a unit. This can also refer to
values such as amounts or number of elements
or objects in the composition.
Proportions can be:
- Natural- relates to the realistic size of visual
elements in the artwork, especially for
figurative artworks. When it is the accuracy in
relation to the real world that the artist is after,
this is now referred to as the principle of scale.
- Exaggerated- refers to the unusual size of
relations of visual elements, deliberately
exaggerating the immensity or minuteness of an
object
- Idealized- most common to those that follow
canons of perfection, the sized-relations of
elements or objects, which achieve the most
ideal size-relations
EMPHASIS AND CONTRAST
- EMPHASIS allows the attention of the viewer to
a focal point accentuating or drawing attention
to these elements or through the assistance of
other principles, especially that of contrast.
- CONTRAST is the disparity between the
elements that figure into the composition. One
object may be made stronger compared to
other objects (hence, emphasis). This can be
done in many ways using the elements of art.
UNITY AND VARIETY
- Unless intended to be otherwise, compositions
are intended to imbue a sense of accord or
completeness from the artwork. This is unity.
- Variety, on the other hand, is the principle that
aims to retain the interest by allowing patches
or areas that both excite and allow the eye to
rest
HARMONY
- Like what is hinted above, unity and variety is
related to the principle of harmony, in which
the elements or objects achieve a sense of flow
and interconnectedness
MOVEMENT
- This refers to the direction of the viewing eye as
it goes through the artwork, often guided or
elements that are emphasized. These focal
points can be lines, edges, shape and color
within the work of art among others.
RHYTHM
- This created when an element is repeated,
creating implied movement. Variety of
repetition helps invigorate rhythm as depicted
in the artwork
REPETITION AND PATTERN
- Lines, shapes, colors, and other elements may
appear in an artwork in a recurring manner.
This is called repetition. In addition, the image
created out of repetition is called pattern. With
repetition, there is a sense of predictability that
is conveyed, which in turn imbues the feelings
of security and calmness.