week five Flashcards
7 elements of art
the building blocks used by artists to create a work of art.
color
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).
line
a mark with greater length than width. Lines can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal; straight or curved; thick or thin.
shape
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.
form
three-dimensional shapes expressing length, width, and depth. Balls, cylinders, boxes, and pyramids are forms. A 3D shape.
value
the gradual change of lightness or darkness of a color. It is created when a light source shines upon an object creating highlights, form shadows and cast shadows.
space
the area between and around objects. The space around objects is often 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.
texture
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.
contrast
visual contrast happens when different elements of a piece are noticeably different from one another. When contrasting elements are juxtaposed, or place next to one another, it draws the viewer’s attention.
emphasis
the part of the design that catches the viewer’s attention because one area stands out by contrasting it with other areas. The area could be different in size, color, texture, shape, etc.
balance
the distribution of the visual weight of objects, colors, texture, and space. There are two types of balance; symmetrical and asymmetrical. In symmetrical balance, the elements used on one side of the design are similar to those on the other side; in asymmetrical balance, the sides are different but still look balanced.
rhythm
one or more elements of design are used repeatedly to create a feeling of organized movement. Rhythm creates a mood like music or dancing. To keep rhythm exciting and active, variety is essential.
unity
the feeling of harmony between all parts of the work of art, which creates a sense of completeness.
movement
the path the viewer’s eye takes through the work of art, often to focal areas. Such movement can be directed along lines, edges, shape, and color within the work of art.
scale
the size of one object in relation to the other objects in a design or artwork.
