Module 2 Elements of Art

Question 1

Line

Answer 1

is a mark with greater length than width. Lines can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal; straight or curved; thick or thin.

Question 2

Shape

Answer 2

is a closed line. Shapes can be geometric, like squares and circles; or organic, like free-form or natural shapes. Shapes are flat and can express length and width.

Question 3

Forms

Answer 3

are three-dimensional shapes expressing length, width, and depth. Balls, cylinders, boxes, and pyramids are forms.

Question 4

Space

Answer 4

is the area between and around objects. The space around objects is of- ten called negative space; negative space has shape. Space can also refer to the feeling of depth. Real space is three-dimensional; in visual art, when we create the feeling or illusion of depth, we call it space.

• In 2D art space can be created by overlapping objects or differences in size to show distance
• positioning can be used to show space by having objects lower than others in a work of art (man above boat from lecture)

Question 5

Color

Answer 5

is light reflected off of objects. Color has three main characteristics: hue (the name of the color, such as red, green, blue, etc.), value (how light or dark it is), and intensity (how bright or dull it is).
• White is pure light; black is the absence of light.
• Primary colors are the only true colors (red, blue, and yellow). All other
colors are mixes of primary colors.
• Secondary colors are two primary colors mixed together (green, orange,
violet).
• Intermediate colors, sometimes called tertiary colors, are made by mixing
a primary and secondary color together. Some examples of intermediate
colors are yellow green, blue green, and blue violet.
• Complementary colors are located directly across from each other on the
color wheel (an arrangement of colors along a circular diagram to show how they are related to one another). Complementary pairs contrast because they share no common colors. For example, red and green are complements, because green is made of blue and yellow. When comple- mentary colors are mixed together, they neutralize each other to make brown.

Question 6

Texture

Answer 6

is the surface quality that can be seen and felt. Textures can be rough or smooth, soft or hard. Textures do not always feel the way they look; for example, a drawing of a porcupine may look prickly, but if you touch the drawing, the paper is still smooth.

• 3D texture - tangible
• 2D texture - an illusion

Question 7

Elements of Art

Answer 7

The elements of art are the building blocks used by artists to create a work of art. The basic vocabulary of art

Question 8

Value

Answer 8

presence of light and shadow - naturally occurs in 3D

helps create illusions in 2D objects - can make a work of art appear more interesting by adding depth

Question 9

Mass

Answer 9

A mass is a solid body or a grouping of visual elements (line, color, texture, etc.) that compose a solid form.

Question 10

Volume

Answer 10

Volume is a three-dimensional form comprising length, width, and depth.