Element of Art

The Elements of Art are line, form or shape, tone (value), colour, texture,
space. These elements are utilized together to form the work of art.
The arrangement of elements defined how the complete work
would look like.
Line

Form or Shape

colour

Texture

Space

Line
“Line is a dot that went far a walk”

A line is a path that a point takes from one place to another through space. Line is the
begging of art taking space. For any surface we put a mark and short drawing all kinds
of lines. Line is vital element of any artwork. Lines are frequently used to delineate
shapes, contours, forms and space.
Lines can create both 2D and 3D objects and figures.
There are many varieties of possible lines, including curved, bent, thick wide, dotted, zig
- zag, spiral, dotted, wavy, horizontal, vertical and diagonal.

Lines are two types-

(I)Geometrical lines: - These are ensured mathematically. They have regularity with
hard or sharp edges. They convey a sense of order, conformity and reliability.

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(II)Organic lines:-These types of lines are found in nature. They are irregular, curved
and often fluid. They convey a sense of gracefulness, dynamism and spontaneity.

Characteristics of Line: - lines are long, short, curved, thick, thin, horizontal,
vertical, straight, diagonal, broken, dotted, perpendicular, parallel, tapered, zigzag,
varied and spiral.

Form: - Form indicates 3D objects having volume and illusion in terms of art. The
illusion of a 3D effect and can be given with the use light and shading techniques. From
can be watched from many angles.

Forms are two types-

(I)Symmetrical form: - Symmetrical means mirror images. One side is mirror image of
the other.

(II)Asymmetrical form: - Asymmetrical form doesn’t create neatly divided or identical

halves. Asymmetrical form also creates interesting deigns than perfectly symmetrical
object.

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Shape: - Elements like lines or colours make spacious surrounded shape. At the point
where ongoing lines meet a shape is formed. It could just be on outline or it could be
shaded shapes are flat and can be grouped into three categories.

Geometric Shapes: - Geometrical shapes made with a ruler or a drawing tool the five
basic geometric shapes are square, circle, triangle, and rectangle, oval.

Organic Shapes: - Organic shapes also called free – flowing shapes are not regular or
even. These shapes occur in nature, such as clouds, amoeba etc
.

Abstract Shapes: - Abstract Shapes are not real but have identical form. They are
stylized or simplified version of organic shapes. Shape is two dimensional with height
and width. It can be geometrical or natural. Form is three dimensional with height width
and depth.

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Colour: - Isaac Newton’s theory of colour and primary colour introduced in 1676 AC.

Colour is one of the most powerful elements of art. Colour adds interest and mood to a
work of art. Knowledge of the uses of colour is significant for effective composition in
design and fine art. Colours the element of art that is produced when light strikes an
object is reflected back to eyes. Either way light is to see anything at all, we need light.
In the absence of light, it’s absolutely dark. When light from the sun passes through a
prism, the light is split into seven visible colours by process called refraction.

Type of colours

(I) Primary colours:- Primary colour are those which cannot be abstained by mixing
any two colours .They are pure and found in nature as it is. The Primary colours are –

Blue

Red

Yellow

(II) Secondary Colours: - Secondary colours abstained by mixing two primary

colours are called Secondary colour. Secondary colours are:-

Blue + Yellow = Green

Red + Yelloe = Orange

Red + Blue = Purple

(III) Tertiary Colours: - When we mix one primary colour and one secondary colour
we get tertiary colour. Tertiary colours are-

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 Red + Puple =Magenta

Purple + Blue = Vialet

Blue + Green = Teal

Green + Yellow = Charteuse

Yellow + Orange = Amber

Red + Orange = Vermillion

Further classification: - Colours can also be classified as follows-

Analogous colours: - Analogues colours are groups of three colours that are next to
each other on the colour wheel. Sharing a common colour, with on being the dominant
colour, this tends to be a primary, secondary and tertiary colour red, orange etc.

Complimentary or Opposite colour: - The secondary colour abstained by mixing

two primary colour is also opposite or complimentary to the third.
Blue + Yellow – Green which is opposite to Red, Green + Red – Brown
Red + Yellow – Orange which is opposite to Blue, Orange + Blue – Brown
Red + Blue – Purple which is opposite to Yellow, Purple + Yellow – Brown

Main characteristics of colour

Colour an element of art is made up of three properties

Hue: - Hue means a true colour e.g. Red Yellow, Violet are hue.

Value: - hue’s lightness and darkness (a colour’s value change when white or black in
added).
Red +White = Pink (Tint)
Red + Black = Maroon (Tone)

Intensity: - It is the strength of a colour brightness or dullness of a colour e.g. Magenta

is a bright colour where Olive green is a dull.

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Warm and coal colour:-
(i) Warm: - The colour which or give the illusion of heat or have maximum wave
length are called warm colour. Example – Red and yellow.

(ii) Cool: - The colour which or give the illusion of coolness or have minimum wave
length are called cool colour. Example – Blue and Green etc.

Neutral colours: - The colours which are neither strong nor bright nor have any hot or
cold effect are called neutral colour. There is black and white, shade of brown and gray.

Note –
RBG is short form of red, green and blue which are the three primary colours of the
light. R.B.G is used television and any kind of screen.

RYB is short form of red, yellow and blue which are the three primary colour of matter.

CMYK is short form cyan, magenta yellow and key (black) created by pigment is used
in colour print.

Tone: - Tone is a colour term commonly used by painter in colour tone technique many
artists use original colour for dark shades and mix white colour for shades.

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Texture:-Texture, like any other element of art, can also enhance and support the arties
concept behind the work the way a 3D work actually seems when touched, or the visual
feel of a 2d work.
There are four different type of texture-
1. Actual Texture
2. Simulated Texture
3. Invented Texture
4. Abstract Texture

Shape: - The emptiness or area around or within objects is known as space. It can also
refer to the artist’s use of the area within the picture plane. Space includes the
background, foreground and middle ground.

Three are two type of space-

Positive space: - Positive space refers to the part of the artwork that takes up space.
Negative space: - Negative space is made up of the spaces around of positive space.

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