Elements of Art Principles of Design

183 Pages·2011·6.01 MB·English

Elements of Art
&
Principles of Design

Knowing basics of elements of art can help any artist to
create a well-balanced and beautiful work of art
In order to understand and
appreciate art, you must understand
it’s language

So, if Art is a language, what is its grammar
or structure?

We’ll find the answer in the
Elements and Principles of Design
The Elements of Art are the key components of a work of art.

It is the artist’s decision in how they want to put them to use.

Each element is very important to a piece of art, but some are
stressed more than others.

When looking at a work of art, which elements do you notice?

What kind of mood does it create?
The Elements of Art

The Elements of Design are:

Line, Shape, Form, Space, Value, Texture and Color

These are considered to be the “grammar” of art

As you study visual art, and the world around you, you will notice
that these Elements and Principles never appear by
themselves.
Let’s practice looking!

What elements do you see used in
this geranium?
If you said:
Color (red and green)
Shape (the outlines of flowers and leaves)
Line (the stems, the veins of the leaves) and
Texture (smooth petals and furry leaves)

You were
CORRECT!
Now we will be
learning the
meanings for our
new “grammar”
LINE
A mark on a surface that describes a shape or
outline

It can create texture and can be thick and thin

Types of line can include actual, implied,
vertical, horizontal, diagonal and contour lines

They also help communicate an idea or
feeling
Everywhere you look, you see lines.
What types of lines do you see in nature?