Elements and Principles of Art & Design

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Visual Arts                                                                             September 2007

ELEMENTS & PRINCIPLES 

                                                                      of Art & Design

To look is one thing,

To see what you look at is another,

To understand what you see is a third,

To learn from what you understand is still something else,

To act on what you learn is all that matters.             

Taoist saying


THE ELEMENTS & PRINCIPLES OF ART & DESIGN

        Together the Elements and Principles form the basic structure (or composition) of any visual artifact, be it 2-D or 3-D, large or small, decorative or functional, abstract or representational, etc…

        There is some limitation to the number of both Elements and Principles, but the variety of work which may be produced from their combinations is practically infinite.  To help understand the function of each, and the differences between them, it is useful to consider the art work itself as a recipe..... the Elements of Art & Design are like the ingredients of a recipe, and the Principles work as the method of the recipe.

So, the idea determines the ingredients and the methods by which they are organized, and this eventually produces the art work.......

        Some artists and designers make conscious decisions on the use of Elements and Principles in their work, organizing them to create a unity.  Others work intuitively, but are still, subconsciously, making decisions on the role of the Elements and Principles within their work.  As students, you are necessarily learning the "language" of art and design and as such must understand each component before you can use them (or reject them) in an effective manner.  Art / Design work can be produced without a full appreciation of this language, but to communicate effectively and efficiently, and to understand the work of other artists/designers, an understanding of the Elements and Principles of Art & Design is essential.  

        Could you bake the cake without knowing of the ingredients or understanding the method?  

Unlikely...Guesswork and luck can be minimized and replaced by certainty if knowledge is gained.  True creativity, where individual choices are made, comes from a confident appreciation of the basics.

THE ELEMENTS of Art & Design are as follows;

1. Colour

2. Line

3. Texture

4. Value

5. Shape

6. Form

7. Space

THE PRINCIPLES of Art & Design are as follows;

1. Balance

2. Emphasis

3. Unity

4. Contrast

5. Pattern

6. Movement

7. Rhythm

                                

                                        Each of these is detailed overleaf......

ELEMENTS of Art & Design

1. LINE (Element)

Line is a mark make by a pointed tool – brush, pencil, stick, pen, etc.  A line is often defined as a moving dot.  It has a length and width, but its width is very tiny compared to its length.  A line is created by the movement of a tool and pigment or by focusing the viewer’s attention within a photograph.  Often line suggests movement in a drawing, painting, photograph, or sculpture.

A line is an element that is difficult to describe, and however it is explained in written or verbal terms, there will be exceptions which disprove its definition. In art or design a line is used in a practically infinite number of ways, but there are some main concepts which are basic to an appreciation of linear structure.

CONTOUR line is simply an outline.  

This may be used to accentuate any area of the work, which inevitably brings that area forwards.  It may also be a decorative feature or a way of defining a particular area separating it from its background, and can also be used to create the illusion of form. Contour lines indicate the edges of forms or shapes and actually describe shapes and forms in the simplest way.

Contour lines may be real or IMPLIED... the outline of an object or shape within a 2-D image may be suggested by a difference in texture, color etc. and would present an implied contour of the shape.  In sculpture the contour line changes as the work is viewed from different angles, and again is an implied or imaginary outline.

QUALITY of line may vary for any number of reasons and may be straight or curved, heavy or light, thin or thick, solid or broken, feathery or single.... there are many alternatives and each will give a particular quality to the work, showing confidence or gentleness, simplicity or complexity, etc.

AXIS lines are implied lines... they are imaginary, but suggest movement or direction within the work. They can also be indicative of mood or feeling and can be structured by placement of objects, colors, shapes etc. in particular ways so as to direct the eye's movement around or across the work.  As a line is created by movement, then that movement is often subconsciously followed by the viewer, and axis lines take particular account of this.

There are four kinds of Contour and Axis lines...

HORIZONTAL... implies calmness, tranquility or stability.

        VERTICAL...  suggests power and strength.

                DIAGONAL... indicates a feeling of instability, uncertainty

                        CIRCULAR... shows a continuum, a constant movement

Lines can be used to create vales and textures…

HATCHING is the placing of many lines next to each other.

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CROSS-HATCHING occurs when many lanes cross over each other.

GESTURAL lines indicate action and physical movement.  Our eyes follow the active lines as they move across the surface of the artwork.

Line is not necessarily an important or visible part of the art work produced; some artists and/or designers choose to de-emphasize linear qualities in their work, producing a more "painterly" approach, having more concern for the other Elements of Art and Design.

2. COLOUR (Element)

Colour depends on light because it is made of light.  There must be light for us to see ...

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