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.
• Repetition


  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.
• Transition line


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


  An element of art with three properties: Hue, Intensity, and 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.
• Value


  The lightness or darkness of the color.
• Primary colors


  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.
• Shades


  Values below the normal.
• Intensity


  The brightness or darkness of color. It gives color strength.
• When a hue is in vivid form, it is said to be in full intensity.
• When a hue is dulled, it is said to be partly neutralized.
• Psychological and emotional connotations of colors

  • Black is associated with death and gloom
  • White stands for purity and innocence
  • Red is associated with blood, anger and fear
  • Green implies happiness and abundance
• Meanings of colors conveyed by the rose

  • Red is for I love you
  • Pink conveys Thank you
  • White says You are heavenly
  • Coral speaks of desire
  • White roses denote secrecy, reverence and humility
  • Deep pink roses convey gratitude and appreciation
  • Light pink expresses sympathy, grace and gentility
  • Red roses also mean courage and fortitude
  • Yellow roses stand for freedom
  • Red and Yellow stand for jovial/happy feelings
  • Orange roses speak of enthusiasm and desire
  • Red and White convey unity
• Texture


  The element that deals more directly with the sense of touch. It has to do with the characteristics of the surface, 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.
• 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


  Distances or areas around, between or within components of a piece. Space can be positive (white or light) or negative (black or dark), open or closed, shallow or deep and two dimensional or three dimensional.
• Kinds of space

  • Positive space
  • Negative space
• Positive space


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


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


  The overall design of a work of art. It describes the structure or shape of an object.
• Organic form


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


  Corresponds to named regular shapes, such as squares, rectangles, circles, cubes, spheres, cones, and other regular forms.
• Volume


  The amount of space occupied in three dimensions. It refers to solidity or thickness.