Elements of Visual Arts

• Line - A mark on a surface that describes a shape or outline. It can create texture and can be thick and thin.
• Types of line

  • Actual
  • Implied
  • Vertical
  • Horizontal
  • Diagonal
  • Contour
• Horizontal lines


  • Lines of repose and serenity. They express ideas of calmness and quiescence.
• Vertical lines


  • Poised for action. They are poised, balanced, forceful, and dynamic. They express an impression of dignity.
• Diagonal lines


  • Suggest action and movement. They give animation to any composition in which they appear.
• Curved lines


  • Suggest grace, movement, flexibility, and joyousness.
• Three main types of lines

  • Repetition
  • Contrast
  • Transition
• Repetition


  Occurs when two or more lines are drawn within a corner following the lines of the corner.
• Contrast


  Lines that are in opposition to each other form a contrast.
• Transition line


  A line that connects two workflow elements. a lines that allow you to define what the next step in a workflow will be.
• Attributes of color

  • Hue
  • Intensity
  • Value
• Hue


  The name of the color, e.g. red, yellow, etc.
• Intensity


  The purity and strength of the color such as brightness or dullness. It refers to the brightness or darkness of color. It gives color strength. When a hue is vivid form, it is said to be in full intensity. When it is dulled, it is said to be partly neutralized.
• Value


  The lightness or darkness of the color. It is the quality which depends on the amount of light and dark in color.
• Primaries


  The three basic hues from which all other hues can be mixed.
• Color wheel


  An abstract illustrative organization of color hues around a circle, that shows relationships between primary, secondary, and tertiary colors.
• Tints


  • Values above the normal.
  • A hue's lighter value, created by adding white
• Shades


  • Values below the normal.
  • A hue's darker value, created by adding black
• Intensity


  The brightness or darkness of color. It gives color strength.
• Colors have varied psychological and emotional connotations.
• Black


  Associated with death and gloom.
• White


  Stands for purity and innocence.
• Red


  Associated with blood, anger and fear.
• Green


  Implies happiness and abundance.
• Meanings of colors conveyed by the rose..

  • Red roses mean courage and fortitude
• Texture


  The element that deals more directly with the sense of touch. It has to do with the characteristics of surfaces which can be rough or smooth, fine or coarse, shiny or dull, plain or irregular.
• Perspective


  The effect of distance upon the appearance of objects, by means of which the eye judges spatial relationships.
• Linear perspective


  • The representation of an appearance of distance by means of converging lines. It has to do with the direction of lines and with the size of objects.
• Painters usually show the effect of space and distance by using converging lines and diminishing size.
• Parallel lines - below the eye level seem to rise to a vanishing point in the horizon, while those above the eye level seem to descend to the vanishing point.
• Foreshortening


  The representation of objects or parts of the body as smaller from the point of view of the observer.
• Aerial perspective


  • The representation of relative distances of objects by gradations of tone or color. Objects become fainter in the distance due to the effect of the atmosphere. Objects appear to be lighter in color as they recede into the distance or atmosphere.
• Space


  As an element of art, refers to distances or areas around, between or within components of a piece.
• Types of space


  • Positive
  • Negative
  • Open
  • Closed
  • Shallow
  • Deep
  • Two-dimensional
  • Three-dimensional
• Positive space


  The areas in a work of art that are the subjects, or areas of interest.
• Negative space


  Areas around the subjects, or areas of interest.
• Form


  Applies to the over-all design of a work of art. It describes the structure or shape of an object.
• Types of form


  • Organic
  • Geometric
• Organic forms


  • Typically are irregular in outline, and often asymmetrical. Organic forms are most often thought of as naturally occurring.
• Geometric forms


  • Those which correspond to named regular shapes, such as squares, rectangles, circles, cubes, spheres, cones, and other regular forms.