Back to the BasicsElements of Art

Principles of Design

December 2013

Elements of Art The Building Blocks

LineShapeColorValueFormTextureSpace

Elements of Art The Building Blocks

LineColorShapeFormSpaceTextureValue

Form Form has depth, length, and width. It is perceived as three-dimensional.

(Shape has height and width, but is flat. It is perceived as two-dimensional. )(Organic form is “nature made” and Geometric is “tool made”.)

ORGANIC forms in sculpture

CLOUD GATE, ChicagoAnish Kapoor

Midsummer Snowballs, Andy Goldsworthy

She-GoatPablo Picasso

GEOMETRIC forms in Sculpture

Alexander Calder’s MOBILE at the National Gallery of Art

White Vertical Water, 1972Louise Nevelson

TextureTexture refers to the tactile qualities of a surface (actual)

or to the visual representation of such surface qualities (implied).

The texture that we can actually feel is called Tactile Texture. These pictures remind us of objects with tactile texture and names the feel of those textures.

The texture that we can only see, but that has no feel is Implied or Visual Texture. The drawings we see here are implied texture. The pictures themselves have no texture, but the objects they represent do have texture.

TextureThere are two types of texture:

Tactile texture (real texture) is the way the surface of an object actually feels, such as sandpaper, cotton balls, tree bark, etc. Some artists put sand in their paints to create tactile texture in their painting. Some painters apply their paints very thickly to give real texture to their canvases. Carving into wood, as in MC Escher’s Sky and Water, gives tactile texture to this two-dimensional piece of art.

TextureThere are two types of texture:

Implied texture (visual texture) is the way the surface of an object looks like it feels. The texture may look rough, fizzy, gritty, but cannot actually be felt. This type of texture is used by artists when drawing or painting. It is the illusion of how an object would feel if it could be physically touched. How does Van Gogh give the idea of texture in his painting The Bedroom?

TextureTactile Texture in Nature:

TextureManmade Tactile Texture:

Paper

TextureImplied Texture in Nature:

Variegation in color gives the illusion of depth, alternate shape and thickness when in reality the texture of each of these surfaces remains unchanged over the entire leaf, fin, petal and hide.

Texture Actual Texture in Art:

Vincent Van Gogh Olive Trees 1889Oil on canvas 29 x 36 ½ in.Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Vincent van Gogh used very thick and expressive brushstrokes which create a flowing textured pattern in his paintings. Imagine this painting without texture. The brushstrokes add interest to the painting, but they also add energy. It is as if they give us a glimpse into the artist's mind and the rapid movement of his thoughts and feelings.

Texture Actual Texture in Art:

Bed 1955Robert RauschenbergOil and pencil on pillow, quilt, and sheet on wood supports, 6' 3¼ " x 31½ " x 8"Museum of Modern Art

Canyon, 1959Robert RauschenbergCombine painting: oil, pencil, paper, fabric, metal, cardboard box, printed paper, printed reproductions, photograph, wood, paint tube, and mirror on canvas, with oil on bald eagle, string and pillow; 86 ¾ x 70 x 24 in.

Texture Implied Texture in Art:

Veiled LadyRaffaelo Monti c. 1860Marble 21 ½ in. Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Representational, realistic three-dimensional art requires the illusion of varying textures. The tradition of marble carving often incorporates detailed and believable illusions of textures such as human skin and drapery.

Texture Implied Texture in Art:

The Arnolfini Portrait 1434Jan van Eyck Oil on panel 32.3 × 23.4 inNational Gallery, London

This is a portrait of a married couple in 15th century Holland, and includes many references to their social status and propriety within Dutch society at the time. There is a wealth of textures in this painting; notice the number and variety of them.

Texture Implied Texture in Art:

Portrait of the Baronness James de Rothschild, 1848Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres 55.9 × 39.8 in Private collection

The textures in this flattering portrait tell you that this is a woman of social status, distinction and taste who enjoys lavish luxury. The exquisite textural detail and accuracy within the painting--satin, lace, velvet, jewels, and flawless skin--emphasize these aspects of the subject.

Texture Implied Texture in Art:

Self Portrait with Horn No. 4, 1976Christopher James Gelatin silver print, hand dyed and enameled5 x 7 1/4 in. Minneapolis Institute of Arts

The shiny smooth surface of the horn is the focus of attention in this self-portrait--so much so that it is difficult to distinguish the subject. This reveals aspects of the subject's personality and significance of music in his life.

Texture Implied Texture in Art:

Trompe-l'oeil, 1750Johann Heinrich Füssli Oil on canvas 49 × 36,5 cmHermitage St. Petersburg, Russia

This type of painting is known as trompe l'oeil "to fool the eye". It is often used as a decorative element in architecture--interior and exterior--that plays with our perception of the space. It is also used in painting . Trompe-l'oeil seems to be like a whimsical practical joke that the artist plays on the viewer; it also reveals the technical competency of the artist.