SHAPES & FORMS - GEOMETIC & ORGANIC Shape: Two-dimensional (2-D) - length and width - circles, squares, rectangles, triangles (geometric) and odd (organic) shapes formed by a line that connects to itself and encloses a space. Positive space is the inside of the shape. Negative space is the empty area outside a shape.

Geometricshapesarethosethataredefinedinmathematicsandhavecommonnames.Theyhaveclearedgesorboundariesandartistsoftenusetoolssuchasprotractorsandcompassestocreatethem,tomakethemmathematicallyprecise.Shapesinthiscategoryincludecircles,squares,rectangles,triangles,polygons,andsoforth.

OrganicShapes:Whilegeometricshapesarewell-defined,biomorphicororganicshapesarejusttheopposite.Drawacurving,semi-circularlineandconnectitwhereyoubeganandyouhaveanamoeba-likeorganic,orfreeform,shape.

Organicshapesareindividualcreationsoftheartists;theyhavenonames,nodefinedangles,nostandards,andnotoolsthatsupporttheircreation.Theycanoftenbefoundinnature,whereorganicshapescanbeasamorphousasacloudoraspreciseasaleaf.

Form: Three-dimensional (3-D) - length, width, and depth - objects that are defined by shadows or "deepness"; somethingthatisthree-dimensionalandenclosesvolume,havinglength,width,andheight,versusshape,whichistwo-dimensional,orflat.Aformisashapeinthreedimensions,and,likeshapes,canbegeometricororganic.

Geometricformsareformsthataremathematical,precise,andcanbenamed,asinthebasicgeometricforms:sphere,cube,pyramid,cone,andcylinder.Acirclebecomesasphereinthreedimensions,asquarebecomesacube,atrianglebecomesapyramidorcone.

Geometricformsaremostoftenfoundinarchitectureandthebuiltenvironment,althoughyoucanalsofindtheminthespheresofplanetsandbubbles,andinthecrystallinepatternofsnowflakes,forexamples.Organicformsarethosethatarefree-flowing,curvy,sinewy,andarenotsymmetricaloreasilymeasurableornamed.Theymostoftenoccurinnature,asintheshapesofflowers,branches,leaves,puddles,clouds,animals,thehumanfigure,etc.