Elements of Art: Line, Shape, Form, Value, Colour, Space, and Texture

Elements
of Art
Line, Shape, Form, Value, Colour, Space, and

Texture
basic building blocks of making

art
Principles
of Design
Proportion & Scale, Balance, Emphasis, Variety,

Movement, Rhythm, and Harmony
Line
Line Lines
In geometry, a line is an endless series of dots.
In Art, a line is a mark made on a surface with a moving tool.

Lines are EVERYWHERE
Lines
Line
It can create shapes, texture, and variety in art depending on

how it is used.
It can also create a sense of depth depending on how thick or

thin you make them.
Types of line
line
VERTICAL HORIZONTAL ZIG-ZAG
DIAGONAL CURVED
Vertical Lines
These lines move up and down without a slant and can give the
appearance of height because they are perpendicular to the earth, line
extending upwards toward the sky.
Horizontal Lines
These lines move right to left and suggest a feeling of rest or repose
because objects parallel to the earth are at rest line
Diagonal Lines
Diagonal lines are neither vertical nor horizontal and convey a feeling of
movement. Objects in a diagonal position feel unstable because they are either line
about to fall or are already in motion
Curved Lines
line
The curve of a line can convey energy. Soft, shallow curves recall the curves of
the human body and often have a pleasing, sensual quality
Zig-Zag Lines
These lines slant and are diagonal lines connected at each point.
These lines can portray action and excitement. line
Shape
Shape
Shape is created when a line becomes connected and encloses.
Shape is an enclosed space defined by other elements of art.
Shapes are limited to two dimensions: length and width.
Shapes can be geometric or organic.

Shapes can be geometric or organic.
Shape
Shape
Geometric shapes have smooth even edges and are measurable.
There are three basic geometric shapes that can be defined with precise
mathematical formulas.
square circle triangle

Shape
Shape
All other geometric shapes are variations or combinations of these basic shapes
oval rectangle octagon parallelogram hexagon
trapezoid pentagon
Shape
Shape
Organic shapes or Free-form shapes are irregular and uneven shapes. Their
outlines may be curved, angular, or a combination of both. Leaves, flowers,
ameba, trees, human beings etc.
Shape
Shape
Fernand Leger, The City Henry Matisse, from the series “Jazz”
Shape
Shape
Picasso, Three Musicians

Form
Form
Form is three dimensional shape.
The form of a work is its shape, including its volume or perceived volume.
A three-dimensional artwork has depth as well as width and height. Three-
dimensional form is the basis of sculpture. However, two-dimensional
artwork can achieve the illusion of form with the use of perspective and/or
shading or modelling techniques.
Form can also be geometric or organic

Form
Form
CLOUD GATE, Chicago ,Anish Kapoor Midsummer Snowballs, Andy Goldsworthy

Space
Space
Space is the element of art that refers to the emptiness or area

between, around, above, below, or within objects. All objects take
up space. You for example, are a living breathing form moving
through space. Space refers to distances or areas around, between
or within components of a piece. Space can be positive (white or
light) or negative (black or dark), open or closed, shallow or deep
and two-dimensional or three-dimensional. Shapes and forms exist
in space.
Space refers to both outer space and inner space. People move
through the inner space of rooms and buildings. Space can be flat
and two dimensional, such as the space of a window. Space can
also be three dimensional, such as the space filled with water in a
swimming pool.
Sometimes space isn't actually within a piece, but the illusion of it is.
Space
Space
Space
Space
Colour
Colour
Wassily Kandinsky Tension in Red 1926

Colour
Colour
Colour is the element of art that is produced when light, striking

an object, is reflected back to the eye.
Color is the most expressive element of art. It shares a powerful connection

with emotion. Color can be a strong clue to an artists symbolism, or meaning
behind an artwork. Color can represent many different feelings or ideas.
Hue
Hue is the name of a color in its true form. Red, blue, and yellow are
called primary colors. You cannot make primary hues by mixing other Colour
hues together, however, by mixing black, white, or a combination of
primary colors, you can make any other color in the spectrum.
Primary colors
Secondary colors are made by mixing two

primary colors.
orange Green Violet
Red and yellow Yellow and Blue Red and blue

Colour
Red
Power, energy, passion, desire, speed, strength, power, heat, love, Colour
aggression, danger, fire, blood, war, violence, intensity, celebration,
luck, stop or danger
Yellow
Joy, optimism, happiness, danger, sunshine, idealism, imagination,
hope, summer, gold, deceit, philosophy, dishonesty, cowardice,
betrayal, jealousy, disease and warning.
Green
Nature, environment, health, good luck, renewal, youth, vigour, spring,
generosity, fertility
Blue
Peace, harmony, unity, trust, truth, security, confidence, conservatism, order,
sky, water, cold, technology, cleanliness, depression, loyalty, immortality,
stability, masculinity and protection.
Purple
Nobility, spirituality, ceremony, mystery, transformation, wisdom and
enlightenment.
Texture
Texture
It is the surface quality of any object.

Texture is the element of art that refers to how things feel, or look as if
they might feel, if touched. You perceive texture with two of your senses;
touch and vision.
Everything you touch has its own special feel, or texture. As an element
of art, texture may be real, or implied or suggested, like in a photograph,
or in a painting.
Texture
Texture
Texture is the character of a surface and is both tactile and visual.
Tactile texture is the tactile quality of a surface, such as rough, smooth,

sticky, fuzzy, soft or slick. A real texture is one you can actually feel with
your hand, such as a piece of sandpaper, a wet glass, or animal fur.
Specific use of a texture can affect the smoothness that an artwork
conveys. For instance, use of rough surfaces can be visually active,
whilst smooth surfaces can be visually restful.
Visual texture is a visual quality of a surface. It is the illusion of having

physical texture. It is the result from painting or drawing as the real
texture. Visual texture is an illusion of texture created by an artist. Paint
can be manipulated to give the impression of texture, while the paper
surface remains smooth and flat.
Tactile texture
Kanayi Kunhiraman “BULL” (1986, concrete)

Tactile texture
Vincent van Gogh The Starry Night, 1889

Visual texture
Chuck Close
Self-Portrait 1967-1968
Acrylic on canvas

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Elements

Line, Shape, Form, Value, Colour, Space, and

basic building blocks of making

Proportion & Scale, Balance, Emphasis, Variety,

In geometry, a line is an endless series of dots.

In Art, a line is a mark made on a surface with a moving tool.

It can create shapes, texture, and variety in art depending on

It can also create a sense of depth depending on how thick or

VERTICAL HORIZONTAL ZIG-ZAG

Shape is created when a line becomes connected and encloses.

Shape is an enclosed space defined by other elements of art.

Shapes are limited to two dimensions: length and width.

Shapes can be geometric or organic.

Geometric shapes have smooth even edges and are measurable.

square circle triangle

oval rectangle octagon parallelogram hexagon

Picasso, Three Musicians

Form is three dimensional shape.

Form can also be geometric or organic

CLOUD GATE, Chicago ,Anish Kapoor Midsummer Snowballs, Andy Goldsworthy

Space is the element of art that refers to the emptiness or area

Wassily Kandinsky Tension in Red 1926

Colour is the element of art that is produced when light, striking

Color is the most expressive element of art. It shares a powerful connection

Secondary colors are made by mixing two

orange Green Violet

Red and yellow Yellow and Blue Red and blue

It is the surface quality of any object.

Tactile texture is the tactile quality of a surface, such as rough, smooth,

Visual texture is a visual quality of a surface. It is the illusion of having

Kanayi Kunhiraman “BULL” (1986, concrete)

Vincent van Gogh The Starry Night, 1889

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