Elements of painting, printmaking, photography, graphics art

Or how we talk about images on a flat surface

What is it? A two-dimensional object

Rejects representation Does not try to represent the real Iconic symbol of the real Techniques to unveil the process

Accepts representation Tries to imitate the real Tries to be threedimensional Techniques to fool the eye

How is it done?

How

the elements are used And put together describe the composition of the piece

Elements of painting/design
1.

Line 2. Form 3. Color 4. Space 5. Texture

Use of basic elements in composition

1. Repetition 2. Balance 3. Unity 4. Focal area 5. Perspective 6. Chiaroscuro 7. Dynamics

The composition of a piece helps us construct meaning in and for the artwork.

Line
line actual line on the surface Implied line suggested line through color, shape, boundaries of objects Painterly line more implied than real Linear more actual line than implied
Real

Line

is used to control our eye, create unity and balance, help construct meaning

Form

Shape

of object (as a result of the use of line) Shape of parts of composition Triangle, square, circle, and so on

Color

pure color (red, blue,.) Value amount of black or white in color Intensity degree of purity of color
Hue

Space

Illusion

of three dimensions

Texture
suggested roughness or smoothness of objects in the composition Real what it would feel like if you touched it
Implied

How those elements are used to create the image.

Repetition
The

repetition of line, color, shapes

Repeat

the element in a consistent pattern Repeat the element in a variation of the pattern Juxtapose elements in a pattern

Balance
Symmetrical
Bilateral

if divided the same on both sides

Asymmetrical
Placement

of unlike terms

Unity
Completeness

within the frame (closed

composition) Incomplete; viewers attention drawn outside the composition (open composition) Use of color, line, shape to pull the objects together

Focal Area
Where

ones attention is drawn Can have more than one focal area

Perspective
Making

a two-dimensional object into the illusion of three-dimensional Linear (1-point) perspective

Converging

line to achieve the sense of distance

Aerial

perspective
detail, size to create sense of distance

Color,

Chiaroscuro
Contrasts of light and dark

Dynamics
How lively or stable/stolid does the picture seem?

Subject matter
Continuum From real (representation) to nonobjective (iconic)

Our knowledge of the history of the use of elements also contributes to the meaning of the object.