Exploring the Elements of Art
- Karen Hanna
- Jun 29
- 10 min read
You might wonder, what are the elements of art?
Sometimes I wonder why I hear things I think are rules but just turn out to be actual guidelines that for the most part I have instinctually followed. Many of these guidelines consist of the elements of art and the principles of art. More on the principles of art later, for now let me share the elements of art. If you have been to art school you have studied them but for us that are self-trained artist, you may want to read further. The elements of art consist of line, shape, form, space, value, texture and color.
These are concepts you've learned in art school or largely understand intuitively, but let's review them. Whether you're looking to enhance your skills or are unfamiliar with these details, knowing them could significantly impact your work.
It's not necessary to incorporate all the concepts into your artwork, but typically, you'll use at least two or more. A painting typically incorporates space, color, and line, but might emphasize form and texture less. Conversely, a drawing primarily utilizes line, value, and shape, without necessarily including color and form. You have the freedom to explore these elements and integrate them as you wish.
Let's analyze the elements and explain what they are and how to incorporate them into your artwork.
Line
A line is one of the simplest elements of art. A line is among the most basic elements of art. Many of us refer to the act of creating lines as mark making and sketching.
Lines can be horizontal, vertical, curved, or take on any shape. Even just a few carefully placed lines can result in an interesting and meaningful painting.
The line is the fundamental element of art. When lines connect, they create another art element, shape. Lines can vary in thickness; thin lines tend to recede in a painting or drawing, whereas thick lines provide emphasis and move forward in the artwork.
Straight lines are mathematical and dynamic, and they are seldom seen in nature. Curved lines smoothly change direction without sharp angles and are more associated with nature. Zigzag lines rapidly change directions, evoking a sense of unrest, turmoil, and movement. Diagonal lines add movement and dynamism to your drawing or painting. Horizontal lines convey a sense of stability and calmness, whereas vertical lines suggest height and strength.
Imaginary or suggested lines, such as a line of sight, guide the viewer's eye to a focal point in a drawing or painting. Lines by themselves can be employed to produce a three-dimensional effect of depth in a painting, while hatching, along with straight or curved lines, is utilized in a drawing to convey depth.
Shape
When lines connect to create enclosed spaces, these spaces are known as shapes. Shapes can be organic, similar to those found in nature, or geometric, originating from mathematics. Most drawings that use lines will also feature shapes, much like paintings. In essence, when a line connects and encloses a space, it forms a shape. These shapes can be either geometric or organic. Shapes are two-dimensional, possessing height and width but lacking depth. The simplest way to recall the concept of shape is to consider the outline of an object.
Shapes can be either positive or negative. The object you draw is defined by the boundaries of your canvas, making it a positive shape. The remaining space on your canvas is considered negative space unless additional positive shapes are drawn. A shape is formed through a combination of lines. Shapes contribute to creating visual interest, balance, and rhythm in a painting's composition. Essentially, everything the viewer sees in a painting is composed of shapes.
Space
Space refers to the differences in size and shape within the elements of a drawing or painting. It functions as a method to generate the illusion of depth on a flat surface. Space encompasses what exists between, around, or inside an object. In a two-dimensional painting or drawing, space is depicted so that the eye perceives one object as being in front of another, suggesting there is space separating them.
Space can be implied through the arrangement of objects. Items located higher on the painting surface will seem more distant to the viewer than those placed lower. It's important to note that distant objects should appear smaller in size compared to larger objects positioned in the lower section of the canvas.
An artist will add fewer details to objects that are farther away. By reducing detail, an object will seem more distant compared to one that is nearer to the viewer's eye. Additionally, to enhance the perception of distance, color is important; distant objects typically have cooler and lighter colors, while closer objects appear warmer and have darker values.
To evoke a sense of depth in a painting, an artist utilizes perspective. The most frequently employed types of perspective are linear and two-point perspective. Exploring perspective is worthwhile, as there is much to learn about it. As you might have guessed, space can be either positive or negative, similar to shapes.
Negative space plays a crucial role and should be considered as carefully as the main subject of the painting. It can be minimized or completely removed to concentrate on a specific object, or it can be more prominent on one side or at the top or bottom. Naturally, these decisions will influence the viewer's perception of the overall composition.
Form
Form represents the next progression from shape. Consider drawing a square compared to a cube; form encompasses volume, including height, width, and depth. In drawing or painting, form is merely suggested since these are two-dimensional media. Artists create the illusion of dimension using techniques like shading, color, and contour lines. Similar to shapes, forms can be geometric or organic. Geometric forms appear in architecture and sculpture but are also seen in drawing and painting. Organic forms include animals and plants, characterized by natural shapes without specific patterns or symmetry. They are fluid and patternless, typically found in nature. Many artists use form to convey a sense of movement or the illusion of space.
Value
For an artist, value refers to how light or dark something appears. Most artists use a value scale ranging from pure white to black, which can be downloaded, purchased, or created manually. Achieving the correct value is more crucial than getting the colors right in a painting. Value is essential for depicting a three-dimensional form on a two-dimensional surface. A highlight appears brighter when set against a dark value. Reducing contrast causes objects to visually recede and attract less attention, while increasing value differences enhances contrast. The focal point of a painting is where you should add the most contrast to capture the viewer's attention.
A painting that utilizes the darker range of the value scale is referred to as a low key painting. Such artworks are frequently characterized as heavy, moody, mysterious, and dramatic, often provoking a brooding feeling in the observer. Conversely, a high key painting employs values from the lighter end of the scale to convey sensations of lightness, quickness, or spirituality. Artists use value to represent light and form, with values becoming darker as they move away from the light source.
In conclusion, the way value changes influence the shape of an object. When an artist designs a gradual transition in value, it suggests to the viewer that the surface is smoothly rounded, resulting in a soft edge. Conversely, a rapid change in values indicates a much more pronounced edge, known as a hard edge. Additionally, value is essential for creating shadows, which reveal the direction of light and anchor the object, preventing it from appearing as if it is floating. This illustrates why value is crucial to the success of a painting.
Color
In art, colors are organized on a color wheel, which displays primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. I wrote a blog on color theory on June 23, 2023, if you're interested in learning how to use a color wheel more effectively. Every artist should have a color wheel to help plan the color palette for a painting. Color theory involves the use of the color wheel, color value, and
understanding which colors complement each other. Color has an intensity known as chroma or saturation. The purer a color is, the more intense or saturated it becomes. Typically, only small amounts of saturated color are used for accents, as excessive saturation can make a painting appear garish. Chroma differs from a color's value, which refers to how light or dark a color is. This is where the value scale becomes important for the artist.
Texture
Creating texture on a flat surface through drawing or painting can be challenging for artists. Texture is depicted by the skillful use of value and specific marks or brush strokes that imitate the texture. Every textured surface reflects light uniquely, as seen in the contrast between a chrome ball and a concrete ball. By employing light and dark values and keen observation, an artist can create the illusion of texture. Texture can also be achieved by using texture compounds like modeling paste or by adding sand to the paint. Even thick paints can leave brush marks that viewers can notice. Texture is a crucial element in art, as it makes an object appear more three-dimensional and imparts a sense of realism to the viewer's eye.
Why the elements of art are important
Understanding the elements of art provides us with a language to describe what is happening in an artwork. It explains what the artist has accomplished. An artist cannot create a piece of art or a drawing without employing some of these elements. Familiarity with the elements of art not only enables you to create a painting or drawing but also allows you to analyze, discuss, or write about a work of art. If you have been using these elements intuitively without awareness, now might be a good time to study how you have been incorporating them and to explore how you can experiment with the elements to enhance your composition and improve your painting skills.
Artists typically utilize a combination of two or more of the seven elements of art to create their works. Even if we are unaware, most of us incorporate these elements into our artwork. By understanding how these elements interact with each other, you can significantly enhance your painting or drawing, resulting in a more cohesive piece. In the Tips/Books section below, I've included a brief description of the principles of art to complement the guidelines for creating your art.
Freebie
Here's an enjoyable summer template sketch for you. Use it for journaling, as a relaxing coloring page, or as a greeting card to share with someone you care about. I included how I painted the template using acrylics. Make it youur own by adding a sunset or make it a dark and moody beach scene.
Here's how I painted mine.
Tips/Books
Having discussed the elements of art, let's briefly explore the principles of art. These principles serve as guidelines for artists to arrange the elements of art (such as line, shape, and color) into a cohesive composition. The principles include balance, proportion, emphasis, variety, movement, rhythm, pattern/repetition, and unity. They assist artists in creating visual harmony and impact in their work. Let's examine these principles. Balance refers to the visual weight within an artwork and can be symmetrical (formal), asymmetrical (informal), or radial. Contrast involves the difference between elements in a composition, achieved through changes in value, size, and more. Proportion is the relationship between the different parts of a piece. Emphasis involves creating a focal point that captures the viewer's attention. Pattern enhances the artwork with regularly repeated elements like shapes or colors. Variety involves using diverse elements and principles to add visual interest. Movement directs the viewer's eye through the artwork, often using lines, edges, or color. Rhythm creates a sense of visual flow through the repetition of elements. Repetition works with pattern to give the artwork a dynamic feel. The repetition of design elements fosters unity within the artwork. While these are not strict rules but guidelines, there has been an evolving list of contemporary elements (Postmodern Principles) in recent years. Nevertheless, these principles, alongside the elements of art, form the basis for understanding and creating art. They are flexible guidelines that artists can adapt and experiment with to achieve their desired outcomes.
What I'm working on
The transition from spring to summer has prompted significant reflection on my lifestyle. After experiencing a strange health event in March with septic shock, and then finding myself in the hospital again over Memorial Day weekend due to an internal bleed that required three units of blood, I am grateful to be home, healthy, and resting. These events have led me to consider the projects and goals I need to achieve to ensure my home, yard, and studio bring me joy in every space. Since becoming a widow and downsizing from a large two-story house to a small cottage near my son, I've worked hard to reduce my possessions and clutter. It was a challenging and time-consuming process, but I'm so glad I did it. Shedding the excess felt like lifting a weight off my shoulders and heart. Now, I can cultivate a new lifestyle centered around what truly matters to me, alongside my two little dogs. In my little cottage, I focus on small projects unless they evolve into larger ones. The detached garage, remodeled into a multipurpose room, is now my studio. The property is spacious with old oak trees, likely as old or older than the cottage itself, built in 1927. My dream from the start has been to transform it into my personal art retreat. The studio features French doors opening to the backyard, allowing me to paint outdoors or inside. It took time to adapt to the space, but now I am eager to complete it and continue exploring my painting craft. My next project involves finishing the
tiny breezeway between the cottage and the studio, a perfect spot to enjoy morning tea with the dogs. The front porch just needs some decor and cushion decisions for the furniture. I've always wanted a covered porch to relax in the evenings, watching people and cars pass by. Sometimes, I take my laptop there to watch YouTube or a movie under the stars. I'm gradually adding fresh flower beds to have cut flowers whenever I desire. These health challenges have made me pause and consider what I truly want in my life right now. Although I've slowed down my art business for the moment, I can return to it with renewed vigor once these projects are complete. As I've grown older, I've learned to prioritize what's most important to me, and focusing on my lifestyle is the right choice for now. I hope you'll follow along as I complete these projects.
New on my website
I have nothing new at the moment but I have been doing some painting an will post them and make them available on my website soon. I know many of us sit on a painting for awhile
because there has been something bothering us. I have several of these paintings. This one I have reworked and I think I like how it has turned out. I reworked the leaves, added a stencil, and did some glazes. I can frame it or if you're inetrested in it unframed let me know
Inspirational Quote
"Never look directly at the sun. Instead, look at a sunflower.
Vera Nazarian
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