Elements of Art

Question 1

What are the formal elements of art?

Answer 1

colour, space, shape, form, texture, tone, line

Question 2

What are the principles of art?

Answer 2

rhythm, movement, variety, unity, harmony, balance, emphasis, contrast, proportion, and pattern

Question 3

Name come physical materials that an artist has uses

Answer 3

paint, wood, marble

Question 4

Describe what content of art includes:

Answer 4

• what the artist meant to portray,
• what the artist actually did portray and
• how we react, as individuals, to both the intended and actual messages.
• the experience, imagination and message of the artist
• what their work was influenced by - religion,politics,the time period they were in,society,personal experience

Question 5

Describe the two different forms of subject matter:

Answer 5

Representational/figurative
represents a subject or object- (style of an artist)
Non-representational/Non-figurative
(abstract) does not represent anything from the real world (the formal elements and composition is their arrangement)

Question 6

What is subject matter?

Answer 6

thing(s)/object(s) or subject(s)

Question 7

What is the composition of an artwork?

Answer 7

How the subject matter/objects are arranged within the format
and how they work together is referred to as the composition.

Question 8

What is MEDIUM?

Answer 8

the materials the artist has used to make the work e.g. oil on canvas, bronze for a sculpture, clay for a fired bowl.

Question 9

What is TECHNIQUE and STYLE?

Answer 9

how the artist has manipulated the medium to
create the desired effect e.g. painterly, detailed, simplified, elongated, flat, graphic

Question 10

What is MOOD?

Answer 10

is the feeling that is created by the artwork as a result of the artists style and manipulation of the materials, composition and subject matter

Question 11

What is FORMAT?

Answer 11

is the size (A3, A4) and shape of the surface space (canvas, paper) and can be landscape (horizontal) or portrait (vertical) or square or circular etc.What is

Question 12

What is CONTEXT

Answer 12

the historical background of artwork. The time, place and what was
happening in the world and the artists life at the time (this all influences the artwork).

Question 13

What IS colour?

Question 14

Describe the use of line in a painting

Answer 14

Measurement – long, short, thick, thin, …
Direction – horizontal, diagonal, curved, …
Location – edge, surface, outline, linking, …
Character – mechanical, controlled, soft, hard,
jagged, wild, nervous, light, dark, precise, rough,
organic, sensitive, delicate, continuous

Question 15

Lines can be … {… … …} , … {… … …}, static or
… (sense of stability or movement), gestural (… … … …).

Answer 15

descriptive (describing the shape)
expressive (evoking a response)
dynamic
result of physical energy

Question 16

Many lines used together create :

Answer 16

tone, texture, pattern, rhythm, space or depth.

Question 17

What is tone?

Answer 17

the degree of lightness or darkness in a particular hue.

Question 18

How does tone affect an artwork?

Answer 18

to show distance and give the artwork depth.
A heavy concentration of light and dark tones tends to influence the mood or atmosphere of an artwork.

Question 19

texture can be … (be seen) or … (be felt).

Answer 19

visual
tactile

Question 20

Texture that is surface quality can be described as:

Answer 20

rough, smooth, furry, sticky, soft, hard, wet, sharp, blunt, shiny, reflective, still, rippled, wavy,
spiky, wrinkled, flaky, hairy, bumpy, etc.

Question 21

Texture can be used to create illusions like?

Answer 21

2-Dimentional objects and 3-Dimentional objects

Question 22

Texture can be used in an artwork to?

Answer 22

create illusions like 2-Dimensional objects and 3-Dimensional objects and enhance and enrich the surfaces of artworks, architecture and design objects.

Question 23

Shapes are … ….. (flat) areas which have only height and length. They are enclosed by an outline of one sort or another.

Answer 23

two dimensional

Question 24

Shapes can be …. (living, growing objects) and …. … … or man-made (geometric) with rigid straight lines.

Answer 24

natural
irregular in outline

Question 25

Form is … Dimensional

Answer 25

3

Question 26

Form is sculptural form that…

Answer 26

1. Occupies space (solid) and/or sometimes enclose space (hollow);
2. Has length, breadth, depth, height, width;
3. Has mass and volume; and
4. Can be natural or man-made.

Question 27

What is positive space?

Answer 27

‘solid’ space ie the 3D object itself.

Question 28

What is negative space?

Answer 28

Empty space; the space around the 3D
object.

Question 29

What is Aerial Perspective?

Answer 29

When differences in tone and lighting will make objects appear distant.

Question 30

What is Linear Perspective?

Answer 30

Objects become smaller the further they are from the viewer and that parallel lines eventually meet at a vanishing point or
converging point on the horizon line.

Question 31

What is colour?

Answer 31

Colour evokes emotions, moods and feelings and symbolizes and
transmits non-verbal information

Question 32

Complementary colours create a sense of … in the piece

Answer 32

contrast

Question 32

Complementary colours create a sense of … in the piece

Answer 32

contrast

Question 33

Related colours lie next to each other on the colour wheel e.g. blue and green. When together create a sense of … in the piece

Answer 33

harmony and unity - flow to the viewers eye

Question 34

Colours that create warmth?

Answer 34

(reds, yellows, oranges…)

Question 35

Colours that create coolness?

Answer 35

(blues, greens, purples…)

Question 36

Colours that create coolness?

Answer 36

(blues, greens, purples…)

Question 37

Unity in an artwork creates?

Answer 37

cohesive quality that makes an artwork feel complete and finished.

Question 38

Rhythm in an artwork creates?

Answer 38

flow and movement in artworks which may be, for example, controlled, smooth
or uncontrolled, jerky, erratic; and these movements are used to lead the eye around and into
an artwork, create unity, suggest visual effects and responses, etc.

Question 39

MOVEMENT in an artwork creates?