What I Need to Know

The Visual Elements of Arts

1. Line is the foundation of all drawing. It is the first and most versatile of the visual
elements of art. Line in an artwork can be used in many different ways. It can be
used to suggest shape, pattern, form, structure, growth, depth, distance, rhythm,
movement and a range of emotions.
2. Shape can be natural or man-made, regular or irregular, flat (2-dimensional) or solid
(3-dimensional), representational or abstract, geometric or organic, transparent or
3. Color is the visual element that has the strongest effect on our emotions. We use
color to create the mood or atmosphere of an artwork.
4. Texture is the surface quality of an artwork - the roughness or smoothness of the
material from which it is made.
5. Form is the physical volume of a shape and the space that it occupies.Form can be
representational or abstract.Form generally refers to sculpture, 3D design and
architecture but may also relate to the illusion of 3D on a 2D surface.
6. Tone is the lightness or darkness of a color. The tonal values of an artwork can be
adjusted to alter its expressive character.

PRINCIPLES OF ART
The “principles of design” are mechanisms of arrangement and organization for the various
elements of design in artwork. Please note that different sources might list slightly different
versions of the “Principles of Design,” but the core fundamentals are essentially the same.
1. Harmony in art and design is the visually satisfying effect of combining similar,
related elements. For instance: adjacent colors on the color wheel, similar shapes
etc.
2. Balance is a feeling of equality in weight, attention, or attraction of the various visual
elements within the pictorial field as a means of accomplishing organic unity.
3. Proportion is the comparison of dimensions or distribution of forms. It is the
relationship in scale between one element and another, or between a whole object
and one of its parts. Differing proportions within a composition can relate to different
kinds of balance or symmetry, and can help establish visual weight and depth
4. Dominance/Emphasis- The principle of visual organization that suggests that certain
elements should assume more importance than others in the same composition. It
contributes to organic unity by emphasizing the fact that there is one main feature
and that other elements are subordinate to it. In the below examples, notice how the
smaller elements seem to recede into the background while the larger elements
come to the front. Pay attention to both scale and value of the objects that recede
and advance.
5. Variety is the complement to unity and harmony, and is needed to create visual
interest. Without unity and harmony, an image is chaotic and “unreadable;” without
variety it is dull and uninteresting. Good design is achieved through the balance of
unity and variety; the elements need to be alike enough so we perceive them as
belonging together and different enough to be interesting.
6. Movement is the path our eyes follow when we look at a work of art, and it is
generally very important to keep a viewer’s eyes engaged in the work. Without
movement, artwork becomes stagnant. A few good strategies to evoke a sense of
movement (among many others) are using diagonal lines, placing shapes so that the
extend beyond the boundaries of the picture plane, and using changing values.
7. Rhythm - A continuance, a flow, or a feeling of movement achieved by the repetition
of regulated visual information.

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Characteristics of Renaissance Art

The Renaissance period emerged in Italy in the late 14th century and reached its zenith in
the late 15th century. This was a period when Europe underwent an astonishing renewal in
the fields of fine art, such as painting, architecture, sculpture and drawing.
Renaissance art, painting, sculpture, architecture, music, and literature produced during the
14th, 15th, and 16th centuries in Europe under the combined influences of an increased
awareness of nature, a revival of classical learning, and a more individualistic view of man.
Scholars no longer believe that the Renaissance marked an abrupt break with medieval
values, as is suggested by the French word renaissance, literally “rebirth.” Rather, historical
sources suggest that interest in nature, humanistic learning, and individualism were already
present in the late medieval period and became dominant in 15th- and 16th-century Italy
concurrently with social and economic changes such as the secularization of daily life, the
rise of a rational money-credit economy, and greatly increased social mobility.
https://www.britannica.com/art/Renaissance-art

Characteristics of Baroque Art

Baroque art came about during the period from 1600 to 1700. The movement’s initial works
began in Italy but went on to be seen in France, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands.
During this time, artists were encouraged by the Catholic Church to exhibit stronger religious
characteristics in their paintings.
There is usually one source of light, known as tenebrism, in Baroque art. The contrasting
light and dark, such as in shadows, bring drama to the works. Both have an effect on the
emotions and the intensity of the piece.
Realism is an important aspect of Baroque art. Rubens embraced reality in his art. In
“Saint George and the Dragon,” Saint George is muscular with a suit of armor that appears
as it did in everyday life. His horse is depicted as feisty and strong.
Naturalism was also seen in Baroque art through the use of normal details unique to daily
life. Caravaggio employed this technique in his work by showing local places such as
taverns and peasants. He places the viewer in the painting through applying things as part
of both the foreground and central space. Facial expressions highlight the subjects’ moods
or emotions. Artists would sometimes put themselves in the painting as part of the
shadows. For example, Diego Velazquez is seen in the left of his painting “Las Meninas.”
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-arthistory/chapter/the-baroque-period/

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Summary
Elements of art are stylistic features that are included within an art piece to help the
artist communicate.The seven most common elements include line, shape, texture, form,
space, colour and value, with the additions of mark making, and materiality. When analyzing
these intentionally utilized elements, the viewer is guided towards a deeper understanding of
the work.
The “principles of design” are mechanisms of arrangement and organization for the
various elements of design in artwork. Please note that different sources might list slightly
different versions of the “Principles of Design,” but the core fundamentals are essentially the
same. Harmony, Balance, Proportion, Dominance/Emphasis, Variety, Movement and
Rhythm

The Renaissance typically refers to a period in European history approximately between

1400 and 1600. Many historians assert that it started earlier or ended later, depending on
the country. It bridged the periods of the Middle Ages and modern history, and, depending
on the country, overlaps with the Early Modern, Elizabethan and Restoration periods. The
Renaissance is most closely associated with Italy, where it began in the 14 thcentury, though
countries such as Germany, England and France went through many of the same cultural
changes and phenomena. 

Baroque music is a period or style of Western art music composed from approximately 1600
to 1750. This era followed the Renaissance music era, and was followed in turn by the
Classical era, with the galant style marking the transition between Baroque and Classical
eras. The Baroque period is divided into three major phases: early, middle, and late.
Overlapping in time, they are conventionally dated from 1580 to 1650, from 1630 to 1700,
and from 1680 to 1750.