Elements of Design

Line Value
Shape Texture
Form Color
Space
 Elements of Design
Elements of
Line Design
Value
are the
Shape fundamental aspects
Texture of any
visual design which include shape,
color, space, form, line, value,
Form
and texture.
Color
Space
 Line
A mark with length and
direction, created by a point
that moves across a surface. A
line can vary in length, width,
direction, curvature, and color.
 It can be straight,
contour, diagonal, broken,
curved, outline, implied,
vertical, zigzag, horizontal,
wavy, slanted, continuous,
solid, narrow, bold and can
combined with other
elements.
Jasper Johns, 0-9 (continuous line) Gesture drawing
Jackson Pollock, Autumn Rhythm
Andy Goldsworthy
Keith Haring
 Shape
is an enclosed space defined by
other elements of art. Shape is 2-
Dimensional
Shape can be:
Geometric: Angular, man-made concept

Organic: curvilinear - found in nature

Fernana Leger, The City

Matisse, from the series

“Jazz”
Picasso, Three Musicians
 Form
is a three-dimensional
object with volume of
height, width and
depth.
MC Escher, Self Portrait
 Vincent Van Gogh,
Shoes

Tamara de Lempicka
Portrait of Ira P. 1925
 Value
refers to luminance or luminosity –
the lightness or darkness of a color.

Value is an especially important

element in works of art when color
is absent. This is particularly likely
with drawings, printmaking, and
photographs.
Kathe Kollwitz,
Self portrait
 Chuck Close Edward Weston,
Pepper
(made w/ thumbprints!)
(photograph)
 Texture
refers to the surface quality or
"feel" of an object, such as
roughness, smoothness, or softness.
Actual texture can be felt while
simulated textures are implied by
the way the artist renders the
surface area
 Oppenheim
Fur-lined cup
 Texture
Actual and Implied

Albrecht Durer
Rhinocerus

Golsdworthy
 Color
 Is an element of art with three
properties
1) Hue, the name of the color,
e.g. red, yellow, etc. 2) Intensity
or the purity and strength of the
color 3) Value, or the lightness or
darkness of the color.
 Jasper Johns, Target
Delauney (primary colors)
Primary Colors
 Wassily Kandinsky
Piet Mondrian
 Warm Colors
• Colors that are often described as
being higher in temperature
• Reds, oranges, yellows
• Associated with fire and sun
• Optically, appear to advance
• Stimulating and passionate
Ex. Warm
 Cool
• Colors that are often described as
being lower in temperature
• Greens, Blues, and Violet
• Associated with water, sky, and spring
• Optically, they appear to recede
• Calming and depressing
Ex. Cool
 Color and Mood

Van Gogh, the Night Cafe

Picasso, the Old Guitarist

 Space
is the empty or open area
between, around, above, below,
or within objects. Shapes and
forms are made by the space
around and within them. Space
is often called three-dimensional
or two- dimensional.
MC Escher
 Space
Positive space is filled by a shape or form. Negative
space surrounds a shape or form.
 Space/Depth
May be created by overlapping, change in scale,
perspective placement, color theory, or projection toward the
viewer.

David Hockney
Place Furstenberg, Paris, August 7,8,9, 1985 -#11985
 Elements and Principles of Design

Elements: Principles:
Line Balance
Shape Emphasis & Focal Point
Form Contrast
Color Movement
Value Variety
Texture Pattern & Repetition
Space Unity
Harmony/Gestalt
 Balance
Balance is a sense of stability in the body of work.
Balance can be symmetrical (formal) or assymmetrical (informal)

Wayne Thiebaud, Around the Cake (formal balance)

Symmetrical/Formal Balance

Diane Arbus, Twins

 Symmetrical Balance

Leonardo da Vinci, The Last Supper 1495-1498

Asymmetrical Balance

Edgar Degas (informal balance)

Asymmetrical Balance
 Variety
When elements are changed in scale, color, or form.

Stuart Davis

Andy Warhol
 Movement
Movement adds excitement to your work by showing action and directing the viewers eye
throughout the picture plane.

Edward Munch, the Scream

 Movement

Umberto Boccioni,
Unique forms of continuity in space Marcel Duchamp, Nude Descending Staircase
Dominance & Subordination
The part of a composition that is emphasized, has the
greatest visual weight, the most important, powerful, or
has the most influence.
 Emphasis & Focal Point
Emphasis - Any forcefulness that gives importance to some feature or features of an
artwork; something singled out, stressed, or drawn attention to by means of contrast,
anomaly, or counterpoint

Focal Point = portion of an artwork's composition on which interest or attention centers

David Hockney
 Emphasis & Focal Point

Barbara Kruger Rene Magritte

 Pattern & Repetition
Involves multiples of the same element. Repeated elements can vary in size, color, or axis
placement. Repeated elements can create a pattern. The use of repetition may be applied to
all Visual Elements. Motion can be created by repetition.

William Morris
Arts and Crafts Movement
Pattern & Repetition

Chuck Close, Self Portrait, detail

 Contrast
A large difference between two things,
such as light and shadow, color and black/white

Andy Warhol
 Contrast

David, the Death of Marat

Economy
 Unity & Harmony
The quality of wholeness or oneness (Gestalt) that is achieved through the effective use of
the elements and principles of design.

Claude Monet
Haystacks
 Unity

Cezanne

Wayne Theibaud
 Unity

Van Gogh “Starry Night”

What Elements and Principles stand out?
What Elements and Principles stand out?

Goya, “The 5th of May”

What Elements and Principles stand out?

Gauguin
What Elements and Principles stand out?