Elements of ART
LINE
vertical lines
implies alertness
horizontal lines
implies calm
diagonal lines
implies motion
zigzag lines
(combination of diagonal lines) implies tension, nervousness
curved lines
(change direction gradually) implies luxury, organic
length
can be long or short
width
can be wide or skinny
texture
can be rough or smooth
Mark Tobey, Calligraphy in White, Oil on Canvas, 1957
SHAPE/FORM
Form describes a three-dimensional object.
geometric shapes
man-made
organic shapes
natural, irregular
positive or negative shapes
the object or the background space
Form/Mass
COLOR
Hue is the name of a color.
analogous
side by side on the wheel (harmonious)
complementary
colors opposite on the wheel (high-contrast)
split complementary
one color plus the colors on either side of complement
subjective - expressive color
Matisse, Woman with a Hat, Oil on canvas, 1905
local - natural color
Vermeer, Girl with a Pearl Earring, Oil on canvas, 1665
monochromatic - one hue
Picasso, the Old Guitarist, Oil on canvas, 1903
neutral
black, white, gray
shade
color mixed with black
tint
color mixed with white
VALUE/LIGHT
Light is the radiant energy which makes everything we see visible, revealing the form of an object.
highlights
areas where light is hitting
shadows
areas where light does not hit
chiaroscuro
the arrangement of light and shadows "modeling" or "shading" (value study by Michelangelo)
TEXTURE
actual texture
Meret Oppenheim, Object, 1936, Fur covered cup, saucer, and spoon
implied texture
Janet Fish, Oranges, 1972, Pastel on sandpaper.
use of actual texture to create implied texture
Romare Bearden, Tomorrow I May be Far Away, 1966, Collage with charcoal and graphite on canvas
SPACE
WAYS TO SHOW SPACE:
1. linear perspective - lines coverge on vanishing point to imply depth
2. atmospheric perspective - foreground objects are more detailed, larger, have more contrast; background is grayed, smaller, and less detailed
3. aerial - above looking down
4. worms - below looking up
5. size or scale change (larger in front, smaller in back)
6. position in picture plane (high or low)
7. overlap
8. foreshortening
9. warm and cool colors have spatial qualities (warm advance, cool recede)
linear perspective
Perugino, Christ Handing the Key to Saint Peter, Fresco
atmospheric perspective
Durand, The Catskills, Oil on canvas
what do you see being used in this painting?
Bellows, Cliff Dwellers, Oil on canvas