UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHEASTERN PHILIPPINES
Bo. Obrero, Davao City, Philippines
ARTS APPRECIATION
GE 218
ELEMENTS OF ART
Visual
In order to understand any field, it’s important to have a solid foundation from which to grow.
For visual art, this means understanding the elements of art. These creative building blocks are
essential and having a grasp on how they work is important both for artists and for lovers of art. By
gaining a deeper understanding of the elements of art, it’s easier to analyze, unravel, and create any
type of artwork from painting and photography to sculpture and architecture.
The elements of art are concrete visual components that work in tandem with principals of
art that organize and harmonize them. Whether talking about drawing, painting, sculpture, or design,
these components of art all need to be taken into consideration. Once you have a handle on these
seven visual elements, it’s even easier to create your own art.
The elements of art make it possible to engage with the visual and tactile qualities of the
artwork through a “common language” that may be widely understood. It offers a starting point or a
baseline from which analysis may take place. This kind of analysis is called formal analysis of art.
But you don’t need to be an artist yourself to find the elements of art useful. Any art lover will
be able to view artwork in a more meaningful way by learning more about these core visual
components.
The Visual Elements have a relationship to one another:
Most images begin their life as line drawings.
Lines cross over one another to form shapes.
Shapes can be filled with tone and color, or repeated to create pattern.
A shape may be rendered with a rough surface to create a texture.
A shape may be projected into three dimensions to create form.
, 7 VISUAL ELEMENTS OF ART
1. Line
LEONARDO DA VINCI (1452-1519) A Study for an
Equestrian Monument, 1488 (metalpoint on blue paper)
Line is the foundation of all drawing. It is the first and most versatile of the visual elements of
art. Line in an artwork can be used in many different ways. It can be used to suggest shape, pattern,
form, structure, growth, depth, distance, rhythm, movement and a range of emotions.
Line refers to a point moving at an identifiable path. It has length and direction. IT also has
width. It is one-dimensional, however, it has the capacity to either define the perimeters of the
artwork and/or become a substantial component of the composition. Although line is “simple”, it has
variations in view of its orientation/direction, shape, and thickness. These variations import not only
the visual elements into the artwork, but suggest meaning or message being conveyed by the artist.
TYPES OF LINES
We have a psychological response to different types of lines. The way we draw a line can
convey different expressive qualities.
a) Horizontal and vertical lines – refers to the orientation of the line. Horizontal lines are
normally associated with distance, rest or calm. Vertical lines, on the other hand, connote
elevation or height, which is usually taken to mean strength, exaltation or aspiration for
action. Together, these lines communicate stability and firmness.
b) Diagonal and crooked lines – diagonal lines convey movement and instability, although the
progression can be seen, while crooked or jagged lines are reminiscent of violence, conflict,
struggle, turmoil or anxiety.
c) Curved lines – these are lines that bend or coil. They allude to softness, grace, flexibility,
comfort, ease, or even sensuality.
d) Freehand lines – these express the personal energy and mood of the artist.
e) Mechanical lines – these can express a rigid control.
f) Continuous lines – they often lead the eye in certain directions.
g) Broken lines – can express the ephemeral or the insubstantial.
h) Thick lines – these lines can express strength.
i) Thin lines – can express delicacy.
Bo. Obrero, Davao City, Philippines
ARTS APPRECIATION
GE 218
ELEMENTS OF ART
Visual
In order to understand any field, it’s important to have a solid foundation from which to grow.
For visual art, this means understanding the elements of art. These creative building blocks are
essential and having a grasp on how they work is important both for artists and for lovers of art. By
gaining a deeper understanding of the elements of art, it’s easier to analyze, unravel, and create any
type of artwork from painting and photography to sculpture and architecture.
The elements of art are concrete visual components that work in tandem with principals of
art that organize and harmonize them. Whether talking about drawing, painting, sculpture, or design,
these components of art all need to be taken into consideration. Once you have a handle on these
seven visual elements, it’s even easier to create your own art.
The elements of art make it possible to engage with the visual and tactile qualities of the
artwork through a “common language” that may be widely understood. It offers a starting point or a
baseline from which analysis may take place. This kind of analysis is called formal analysis of art.
But you don’t need to be an artist yourself to find the elements of art useful. Any art lover will
be able to view artwork in a more meaningful way by learning more about these core visual
components.
The Visual Elements have a relationship to one another:
Most images begin their life as line drawings.
Lines cross over one another to form shapes.
Shapes can be filled with tone and color, or repeated to create pattern.
A shape may be rendered with a rough surface to create a texture.
A shape may be projected into three dimensions to create form.
, 7 VISUAL ELEMENTS OF ART
1. Line
LEONARDO DA VINCI (1452-1519) A Study for an
Equestrian Monument, 1488 (metalpoint on blue paper)
Line is the foundation of all drawing. It is the first and most versatile of the visual elements of
art. Line in an artwork can be used in many different ways. It can be used to suggest shape, pattern,
form, structure, growth, depth, distance, rhythm, movement and a range of emotions.
Line refers to a point moving at an identifiable path. It has length and direction. IT also has
width. It is one-dimensional, however, it has the capacity to either define the perimeters of the
artwork and/or become a substantial component of the composition. Although line is “simple”, it has
variations in view of its orientation/direction, shape, and thickness. These variations import not only
the visual elements into the artwork, but suggest meaning or message being conveyed by the artist.
TYPES OF LINES
We have a psychological response to different types of lines. The way we draw a line can
convey different expressive qualities.
a) Horizontal and vertical lines – refers to the orientation of the line. Horizontal lines are
normally associated with distance, rest or calm. Vertical lines, on the other hand, connote
elevation or height, which is usually taken to mean strength, exaltation or aspiration for
action. Together, these lines communicate stability and firmness.
b) Diagonal and crooked lines – diagonal lines convey movement and instability, although the
progression can be seen, while crooked or jagged lines are reminiscent of violence, conflict,
struggle, turmoil or anxiety.
c) Curved lines – these are lines that bend or coil. They allude to softness, grace, flexibility,
comfort, ease, or even sensuality.
d) Freehand lines – these express the personal energy and mood of the artist.
e) Mechanical lines – these can express a rigid control.
f) Continuous lines – they often lead the eye in certain directions.
g) Broken lines – can express the ephemeral or the insubstantial.
h) Thick lines – these lines can express strength.
i) Thin lines – can express delicacy.
