Principles and Elements of

ArtBy McKenzie Morrill

COLOR- ElementThe response of vision to wave lengths of light. It has three properties- hue, value ,a and intensity or chroma

Color

Georges Seurat (1859-1891). Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. Oil on Canvas

LINE- ElementThe path of a point moving through space.

A record of action or movement.

Line

Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890).

Oil on paper.

SHAPE- ElementWhen a line moves through

space until it meets itself and forms an enclosure, it becomes a shape, form or mass.

A shape is the area enclosed by a line when the ends meet in 2-d design the title, shape, is used.

Shape

Georgia O’Keeffee, 1887 -1986.

Goat’s Horn with Red, 1945.

Pastel on paperboard mounted on paperboard.

SPACE- ElementThe element which can be thought of as the distance of area between, above, below, or within shapes.

Space

M.C. Escher, Belvedere,

1958. Lithograph.

TEXTURE- ElementConcerned with how things feel or look as if they might feel on the surface.

Texture

Vincent van Gogh. La Mousme

(1888). Oil on canvas.

VALUE- ElementPortrays the contrast between

light and dark.

Also a property of color as it create lighter or darker shades of different hues.

Value

Rembrandt Van Ryn (1606-1669) The Mill, c. 1650Oil on canvas.

Balance- PrincipleA feeling of visual weight.

Contains both formal (symmetrical) and informal (asymmetrical) balance.

Balance

Henri Rosseau, The Football

Players, 1908. Oil on canvas.

Unity- PrincipleMakes all the separate elements

of an artwork look like they belong together.

It is a harmonious blend of all elements.

Unity

Diego Rivera (1886-1957). Night of the Poor

(detail). Oil on canvas.

Movement- Principle

Gives life to an artwork.

It catches and simulates motion to create an illusion in art.

Movement

Vincent van Gogh,

The Starry Night (1889) .

Oil on canvas

Proportion- Principle

The relationship of one part to the whole or to another part.

Proportion

Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920) Portrait of the Artist’s Wife, Jeanne

Hebuterne, 1918 .Oil on canvas.

Repetition, Rhythm, Pattern – Principle

Repetition in the world of nature and art forms rhythm and pattern.

Repetition Rhythm Pattern

Andy Warhol, Green Coca Cola

Bottles, 1962. Oil on canvas.

Emphasis- Principle

That which catches your eye when you first look at an artwork.

The focal point or center of attention.

Emphasis

Mary Cassat (1844-1926).

Sketch of Mother and Daughter Looking at the Baby, ca 1908. Pastel on paper.

Variety- PrincipleConcerned with differences; “the

spice of life” even in art.

It enlivens artwork!

Variety

Romare Bearden, The Block (detail). Cut and pasted paper on masonite.