Art Final Paper
Presentation 4 Vocabulary
Elements and Principles of Art and Design
This presentation is about the Visual Elements and Principles of Art and Design.
You should refer to this presentation when writing about art for your essays!
When describing art, it’s expected that you use the appropriate vocabulary. Parts of your essays will include a formal analysis of the artwork’s composition.
Formalism is the description and analysis of the way an artwork is made and its visual aspects.
The Composition of an artwork is the arrangement of the Visual Elements using the Principles of Art and Design.
The Visual Elements
Line
Shape
Form
Space
Value
Texture
Color
Time and Motion
The Principles
Unity
Variety
Balance
Scale / Proportion
Emphasis
Repetition
Movement
Contrast
Some amount of the Elements/Principles are present in EVERY bit of visual art. They also overlap in many many ways!
An analogy could be cooking food… The Visual Elements would be like the Ingredients. You would include some or all of these “ingredients” to make your food. You wouldn’t throw them in, but you would follow the recipe. The Principles of Art would be the recipe.
The Elements are arranged to produce the Principles. So, an artist uses one or more of the Elements which create the Principles. The use of these thereby causes a reaction in us.
The idea is to use these terms to visually to describe artworks. This will help explain your reactions. Here is a simple example…
“The artist’s use of repeating lines creates a sense of unity and balance, therefore giving me a feeling of calm.”
Line
Can be actual or implied
Indicate direction
Define boundaries
Suggest motion
Suggest emotion
Can create patterns
Ellsworth Kelly, Brier. 1961. Black ink on wove paper,
22-1/2 × 28-1/2".
We know that lines don’t actually surround objects in the real world. But we understand line can be used to form the edge of 3-Dimensional shapes to suggest edges and forms. We would call these Contour lines.
Qualities of Line
Here are some ways you might describe the use of line in an artwork.
Orientation of line- horizontal, vertical, diagonal These qualities can emphasize stability or instability. Diagonal lines can seem dynamic.
Directional Lines - These lines can give a sense of direction in a work of art. We tend to follow lines across the art with our eyes. They can give a sense of movement.
Continuity – the line may be continuous or broken
Weight – the thickness or thinness of a line
Geometric or Curving line – angular line with hard turns or curving, flowing line
Aleksandr Rodchenko. Untitled.
c.1920. Pencil on colored paper. 12" × 8”
Sophie Taeuber-Arp. Mouvement de lignes en couleurs
(Movement of Colored Lines). 1994 Colored pencil on cardboard. 14" × 12"
Rico Lebrun, Charcoal and pastel on paper. 1941.
This drawing uses a variety of line. Notice how thick some of them are that create the collar. Look at the wispy ones that make up his hair and facial features.
Daniel Richter - Ooa2 2011. oil on linen. 78”× 106”
Find how many lines are in this work. The artist used lots of different line weights in many different colors to produce a sense of variety.
Attributed to Torii Kiyonobu I (1664–1729). Woman Dancer with Fan and Wand (or possibly
Tsugawa Handayu). c. 1708.
The black contour lines in this Japanese prints help to suggest rhythm and movement within the composition.
These rectilinear and relatively straight lines may convey a sense of stability, order and enclosure.
Richard Diebenkorn Interior with Book
oil on linen
Kate Bingaman Burt has been using line to create drawings of her purchases each day. She’s been working on this project since 2006.
Lee Friedlander. Bismarck, North Dakota. 2002. photograph
Diana Al-Hadid, The Escape of Anarkali, 2020 steel, wire, paint
Diana Al-Hadid used thin steel rod to create line. Her use of line creates a 3-Dimensional form that encompasses space.
Marc Chagall I and the Village. 1911. Oil on canvas
Not all line is readily visible in an artwork. Sometimes it is Implied.
Do you see any implied line in this work?
Marc Chagall I and the Village 1911, Oil on canvas
Implied line suggests visual connections.
Can you find the implied lines? Several implied lines in combination can make an implied shape.
Edouard Manet – Luncheon on the Grass 1862-63 (82”x104”) oil on canvas
“There are no lines in nature, only areas of colour, one against another.” - Édouard Manet
Shape
Shapes are flat 2-Dimensional enclosed areas in Visual Art. Shapes can appear positive or negative. They can also be Geometric or Organic.
There are many ways to create shapes…
Enclosing an area within a continuous line Surrounding an area by other shapes. Filling an area with color or texture.
We saw this example earlier. Ellsworth Kelly used line, but by
connecting them he created shapes too.
Check out these two simple ways of creating shape, both geometric and organic.
This risograph print has shapes created by blocks of color.
Philip Guston, Monument (detail) 80”x100,” oil on canvas. 1976.
Guston uses both thick lines of paint and color to create shapes. Notice the few little areas in between, those are also shapes.
M. C. Escher. Sky and Water I. 1938
When dealing with shape one consideration is the FIGURE-GROUND relationship. Artist often play with the ambiguity that is possible in reading shapes.
In this image, which shape is the subject, and which is the background? This is called figure ground tension.
Here are some more examples of how shapes of color create a figure-ground relationship. The shapes seem to switch back and forth, between a positive or negative shape. Ever notice the arrow in the Fed-Ex logo? It’s created by the positive shapes of the red letters.
Fairfield Porter Forsythia and Pear in Bloom
1968
Organic shapes are more irregular and rounded. Painting could be considered more of a language of shapes as opposed to line.
Torkwase Dyson- Oh the Horizon. acrylic on canvas, 60” x 60”. 2017.
An example of geometric shapes, as they are more angular or straight.
Aaron Noble - Luna 2005. 30”x22”. Six plate aquatint
etching with dry point, hard ground, spit bite, and sugar lift
How would you describe Aaron Noble’s use of shape?
Form
Form is similar to shape, but it exhibits Height, Width, and Depth.
It can also be actual or implied.
Actual form is evident in all 3-Dimensional artwork and Architecture.
Shapes can be combined to create the illusion of form in a 2-Dimensional work.
Rectangular shape
A combination of s hapes;
rectangle and trap ezoids.
This creates the illu sion of
form.
Wayne Thiebaud – Cake Rows Oil on canvas. 1962
A tasty example of implied form.
Alberto Giacometti – Man Pointing bronze. 1947
Fernando Botero – Maternity bronze. 1999
Two examples of actual form in sculpture.
This one by Botero could be described as a Closed Form.
While this Giacometti could be described as Open Form. It interacts with the surrounding space.
Mike Womack, Untitled (Chairs), paint, bricks, chair. 20”x20”x38”. 2005
This sculpture by Mike Womack has actual form, it exists in all three dimensions. But he also includes line to confuse our sense of space and form. The flat painted lines create illusionistic form of the top of the chair.
Space
The area around, above, and within an object. This can be actual or implied.
Actual space is evident in 3-Dimensional artworks and Architecture.
Implied space can be in 2-Dimensional artworks too. The viewer may get a sense of depth or distance, but the artwork is flat. This is achieved by a few techniques…
Placement of Shapes – Overlapping, Diminishing Size, Vertical Placement
Linear Perspective – One Point and Two Point Perspective
Atmospheric Perspective – Change in color, contrast and detail
Clues to Spatial Depth: - Overlap - Diminishing size - Vertical placement
Notice how the placement of these simple shapes can suggest depth and space.
Renoir, Moulin de la Galette, Oil on Canvas. 1876
Renoir uses these same techniques to create a sense of space.
Linear Perspective : a systematic way of depicting depth developed in the Renaissance which is built on the fact that as objects move away from the viewer, they appear smaller and move
towards the horizon where they seem to disappear.
One point perspective
Two Po int pers
pective
One-point perspective gives the illusion that all objects recede or connect to one vanishing point. Two- point perspective gives the illusion of depth for objects seen from two sides so two vanishing points are needed. There is also three-point perspective.
The Renaissance artist Raphael used both One- and Two-point
Perspective in The School of Athens (1508). This is unusual but
it isolates the box and figure of Michelangelo; thereby making it
seem separate and different.
Asher Brown Durand. Kindred Spirits. Oil on canvas. 1849.
Changing color, value and detail, also creates the illusion of depth. This is referred to as Atmospheric Perspective. The mountains in this painting seem very far away because of this technique.
Shen Zhou - Poet on a Mountaintop c. 1500, ink and watercolor on paper
These works by Franz West create actual space
within the forms he made.
Architects must stay particularly aware of how space affects people.
The Guggenheim Museum in New York City Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built in 1959.
Value
Value is the measure of relative lightness or darkness in a work of art.
There is a spectrum of value and it is dependent on values within the artwork.
Notice how the same gray appears different in the examples when it’s surrounded by black and white.
Artist can use value to create the illusion of form too.
Vija Celmins, Ocean with a Cross, graphite on paper, 24”x28” 2005
There is a barely visible X across the middle of this work by Vija Celmins. Since there is less contrast in the values, we don’t immediately notice it. Do you see it?
Olive Ayhens, Computer Lab, from Extreme Interiors series, oil on linen, 52”x61,” 2005-6
The darker values catch our eye in this mostly monochromatic work.
Caravaggio – Judith Beheading Holofernes Oil on linen. 1598.
Caravaggio’s use of value is an example of Chiaroscuro; an Italian word for ‘light and dark.’ The range in value–from heavy darkness to bright white–emphasizes a heightened sense of drama.
Texture
The surface quality in an artwork. Texture can be actual or implied.
Actual Texture: Texture that is the actual objects within a composition
Implied Texture: mark making that references actual texture
Kiki Smith - Ginzer -2000. etching
Kiki Smith’s etching of her cat seems to include every hair, but the texture of the soft fur is implied.
Texture can help to unify the surface of an artwork.
Giorgio Morandi - Natura morta con il cestino del pane Charcoal on paper. 1921
Vincent Van Gogh – Starry Night Oil on canvas. 1889
Check out details of Van Gogh’s use of paint. He’s implying texture but also creating actual texture with thick paint.
Tara Donovan, Untitled (Styrofoam Cup Cloud), 2003. Dimensions variable. Styrofoam cups.
Tara Donovan’s use of actual Styrofoam cups creates actual texture.
Meret Oppenheim Object (breakfast in fur) Fur covered cup, saucer, spoon. 1936
Texture can be very useful in creating a reaction in a viewer. Imagine using Meret Oppenheim’s surrealist cup and spoon!
Color
Color is our perception of visible wavelengths in the spectrum of Light.
The science of color mixing and perception can get quite involved. We will try to understand the basics and how they may often be seen in art.
There are technically two ways to mix color–additive and subtractive. Subtractive refers to objects absorbing certain wavelengths and reflecting others. Paint would be an example. Additive refers to light rays themselves interacting. An example would be computer monitors and televisions.
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Light
We will concentrate on how we perceive light bouncing off objects.
We will also look at the color wheel and color strategies
It is generally understood that the Primary Colors are Red, Blue and Yellow. No other colors can produce these three.
The Primary colors are mixed to create Secondary Colors.
Orange (Red & Yellow) Green (Yellow & Blue) Purple (Blue & Red)
The Primary colors are mixed with the Secondary Colors to create Tertiary Colors.
Yellow Orange Red Orange Red Violet Blue Violet Blue Green Yellow Green
Color strategies or Color Harmonies or Color Schemes can all refer to combinations of colors throughout the color wheel.
Four major ones are:
Complementary Triadic Monochromatic Analogous
These can affect our mood or how we react to artwork. We can find these color strategies in our daily lives. For example, you choose colors of your clothes for a certain look, and companies use color combinations to be recognized.
Complementary Colors
- Two colors opposite the color wheel
- When placed next to each they create a strong contrast
Alex Katz Orange Hat Silkscreen on paper, 18” x 36”. 1990
Triadic uses three equally spaced colors on the color wheel.
Layla Ali B Painting (Greenheads) Gouache on paper, 1996
Piet Mondrian Broadway Boogie-Woogie Oil on canvas, 50”x50”. 1943
Analogous Colors are adjacent on the color wheel
Vincent van Gogh Irises Oil on canvas. 29”x37”. 1890
Monochromatic uses one hue and changes of value or intensity
Still from the film Moonlight, directed by Barry Jenkins. 2016
Some works by Keith Haring. What color strategies are in these?
Time and Motion
Some artwork has actual and implied elements of Time and Motion.
Film, Video, Digital art, and Kinetic Sculptures are some examples of actual motion and time. There is actual movement and elapsing of time.
While examples of implied Time may include art that shows a progression such as comics. Motion is implied in painting, drawings, and photographs too.
Sassetta and Workshop of Sassetta. The Meeting of Saint Anthony and Saint Paul.
Tempera on panel. 19”x13”. circa. 1440.
This Early Renaissance painting shows the long journey of Saint Anthony to see Saint Paul. In the top left Anthony can be seen leaving and heading towards dense forests, steep hills and even confronting a centaur. Finally, the bottom right shows their meeting.
This work tells a story visually and implies the passing of time.
Alison Bechdel, Fun Home (excerpt). 2006.
Comic strips or graphic novels generally express a linear conception of time. In this piece, the sequence of frames implies time passing.
Marcel Duchamp Nude Descending a Staircase No. 2
Oil on canvas. 1912.
Motion can be implied by the interaction and overlapping of shapes. Actual and implied lines can help direct vision and give the illusion of motion.
Giacomo Balla - Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash Oil on canvas, 35” x 43”. 1912
Umberto Boccioni Unique Forms of Continuity in Space
1913 - bronze 43” x 34” x 16”
An example of implied motion in this bronze sculpture.
Hans Haake – Blue Sail Nylon, fan, wire, weights 1965
Art that has actual movement is sometimes referred to as Kinetic Art.
Christian Marclay’s major film piece is a (very long) example of actual time in an artwork. Titled ”The Clock,” the artist edited together hundreds of movie clips that reference time. The film last 24 hours and corresponds to the actual time of day. Viewers may enter at any time and watch the film.
Jonathan Schipper The Slow Inevitable Death of
American Muscle Cars, motors, steel. 2008
For 6 hours a heavy-duty motor slows pushes the cars together. Schipper’s work simulates a head-on-collision car wreck.
Artists constantly change and they utilize the Elements differently within their art. Notice the use of line, shape and color in the evolution of Piet Mondrian.
Next, we will see how the Elements work to make the Principles happen in an artwork.