Elements of Art

Basic Elements of Design

Following are the basic elements of

design which are common
throughout the field of designing.
1.Line
2. Shape and Form
3. Value or Tone
4. Color
5. Space
 Line

❑Fundamental of all elements

❑Identifiable path traced by moving

point
Broadly lines can be
categorized into four types
*Straight
-Horizontal
-Vertical
-Diagonal
*Curvilinear
 Line

❑It leads your eye

around the
composition and can
communicate
information through
their character and
direction.
Broadly lines can be categorized into
four types

*Straight
-Horizontal
-Vertical
-Diagonal

*Curvilinear
 Horizontal Lines

❖Horizontal lines suggest a feeling of rest or repose

because objects parallel to the earth are at rest.

❖In this landscape, horizontal lines also help give a

sense of space.

 calm and quiet

Horizontal Line
Horizontal Line
 Vertical Lines
❖Vertical lines often
communicate a sense of
height because they are
perpendicular to the earth,
extending upwards toward the
sky.
Vertical Lines
Vertical Lines
 Diagonal Lines
❖ Diagonal Lines convey a feeling of movement.

❖Objects in a diagonal position are unstable.

Because they are neither vertical nor
horizontal, they are either about to fall or
are already in motion.
 Diagonal Lines
❖Diagonal lines strongly suggest movements and give
more of a feeling of vitality to a picture.
Diagonal Lines
 Curvilinear Lines
❖The curve of a line can
convey energy.

❖Soft, shallow curves

recall the curves of the
human body and often
have a pleasing, sensual
quality and a softening
effect on the
composition.
Example of Curvilinear Lines
Curvilinear Lines
 Line Styles
• When it comes to line styles, you can group them into 4 style
categories:

1. Solid - continuous line

 Line Styles
• When it comes to line styles, you can group them into
4 style categories:

2. Interrupted or broken lines

- dashed lines, dotted lines
 Line Styles

3. Implied lines
-are the lines you assume
 Line Styles

3. Implied lines
- These lines are NOT actually drawn, but
you can see them as a border between
other elements
 Line Styles

3. Psychological lines
- The lines that are not physically present.

- They are generated by our minds based

on other subjects.
 Shape and Form

• Two-dimensional • Three-
figure dimensional
• Formed when ends
of a line meet
 Color

- Refers to the product of

light of different
wavelengths reflected
off objects
Color has three properties.

✓Hue
- refers to the quality
by which we
distinguished colors

- name of the colors.

Primary Colors
Secondary Colors

oRed + Yellow = Orange

oBlue + Red = Violet
oYellow + Blue = Green
Value
• Refers to the lightness or darkness of the color. It is a
quality which depends on the amount of light and dark
in color
Tint
• Values above the normal

Shades
• Values below the normal
 Shade vs. Tint
By adding black to the color, the value is made darker, resulting in
what is referred to as a “shade”.

When white is added to a color, the result is a lighter value. Lighter

values are referred to as “tints”.
Lavender Purple
✓Intensity
- saturation
- brightness and dullness
S
• These color are associated with objects like
sun, fire and other sources of heat
• They tend to impact warmth to any
composition in which they are used.
• They are called advancing colors
• Cool colors are not overpowering and tend
to recede
• These colors have a calming effect and
represent comfort and nurturing.
 Related Color Harmonies
Monochromatic harmony
• Made up several tones of
one hue
• Simplest and easiest to
use
• Different tones of the
same hue all have
something common, so
it’s easy for them to
agree
Related color harmonies
Adjacent Harmony
• 2 or 3 neighboring
hues on the color
circle are used
together
• Can be produced by
using other groups of
neighboring colors
 Contrasted color harmonies

•Colors which lie

directly opposite
each other in the
color circle called
complementary
colors.
 Psychology of Color

Death Purity
Gloom Innocence

Heaven Blood
Trust Action
Peace Passion

Assertive Nature
Optimism Balance
 Texture

•sense of touch
•felt with the
hands
 Texture

•The visible surface quality of an object

adding character to your picture.

•Texture can be smooth and shiny like a

new car, or rough and edgy as in tree
bark.
Perspective

•Deals with the

effect of distance
upon the
appearance of
objects
Linear Perspective
Linear Perspective

Linear perspective ( converging lines )

Aerial/Atmospheric Perspective
Aerial/ Atmospheric Perspective

Detail (aerial or atmospheric perspective)

 Space

❑It is the area around, above, and within an

object.
 Space

❑Positive Space is the

area or part of an
artwork’s
composition that the
subject occupies.
 Space

❑Negative Space
is the empty
space between
the shapes or
forms