REFERENCE: ELEMENTS AND PRINCIPLES OF ART ( IMPORTANT TERMINOLOGY)

 ELEMENTS                          PRINCIPLES

Elements are the things that make up a painting, drawing, design... Visual components 

• Line is a dot (point) that moves through space. It's connects one point to another. Lines can organize, direct or separate. They can join elements or divide them. They can create shapes, be expressive, suggest an emotion, or create a rhythm. An actual line is clearly visible. An implied line is perceived by the viewer though not fully developed in the artwork.

• Shape is a self contained defined area of geometric or organic form. A shape is defined by lines or other elements elements of art. they can be simple or complex. The three basic shapes: the circle, the square, and the triangle are considered to be the fundamental shapes found in all design. 

• Color is the part of light that is reflected by the object we see. color is the portion of the electromagnetic energy that is visible to the human eye. of light that is reflected by the object we see. In 2D we mix pigments to create new colors. Color is defined by hue and value. Color is an element of art with Three properties.

1) HUE-pure color 

2) CHROMA-measurement of intensity (purity and strength) of the color 

3) VALUE-Relative lightness or darkness of the color.

• Value is the lightness or darkness of an area or object. It adds dimension by creating the illusion of depth. (there are 9 levels of value on a value scales from the darkness to lightest to white.

• Space refers to the distance between elements that creates positive or negative spaces in a composition. 

• Texture is the look and feel of a surface (rough, smooth, soft, hard, glossy, etc) and it can be physical (tactile) or visual (illusion). Texture adds richness and dimension to 2 dimensional artwork. 

• Typography is not only to read, letters can be used to create compositions.

Principles is what we do with these elements when creating artwork 

• Balance occurs when all the design elements are equally distributed through the design. There are essentially two types of balance: symmetrical and asymmetrical. 

• Contrast stresses the visual differences in size, shape, and color between the elements to enhance the perception of a message intended. Contrast also draws and directs the viewer's attention to specific areas. 

• Emphasis indicates the most important element because it attracts the viewer's attention first. 

• Rhythm is a pattern created by repeating elements. Rhythm also denotes the sequence to the viewing order. 

• Scale can attract in different ways. It can be use to draw attention to the unexpected or exaggerated. Overall size, monumental pieces are impact full while miniature has a sense of intimacy. Scale, alone, can change the meaning. 

• Unity is achieved when all the design elements relate to one another and project a sense of completeness. Artist and designers use the Gestalt Theory, the psychological process of perception, to create unity (also called harmony).