The Elements of Art & Principles

of Design
 The Elements of Art
the building blocks or“ingredients”of a
composition

The Elements of Art are: line, shape, value, colour, space, texture and form
Line
A line is a path made by a moving point through space. It is one-dimensional and can vary in width,
direction, and length. Line can guide the eye through a composition.
COLOUR
There are 3 properties to colour: hue (colour name), intensity (strength, purity), and value (lightness and
darkness). An awareness of colour theory helps artists select their colour palette for the desired effect
VALUE the lightness or darkness of a colour or tone
Shapes are flat, enclosed
areas that are
two-dimensional. They can
be organic or geometric
 Forms have volume and take up space. form can also
FORM be something in a two-dimensional work of art that
appears three-dimensional.
Space
Space is used to create the illusion of depth in an artwork. It can also refer to the positive and negative
space between, around, or within objects

positive (filled with something) and

foreground, middleground and background negative (empty areas)
create depth
TEXTURE
The surface quality or "feel" of an object, its smoothness, roughness, softness, etc.
Textures may be actual or implied.
 The Principles of Design
What we use to organize the elements of art to make a pleasing composition

The Principles of Art are: emphasis, variety, balance, unity, proportion, rhythm and movement
 B A L A NC E
Balance is the distribution of visual weight in an artwork. The 3 types of balance are
symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radial (design emerges from the centre point)
EMPHASIS
Emphasis is the creation of focal point in artwork. It draws the viewer’s eye to
a particular part of the artwork first.
Pattern
Pattern decorates the artwork with regularly repeated elements such as shapes
and colour
 Movement is how the eye travels through an artwork. Movement can

Movement lead the viewer from one aspect to another within the composition. It can
also be created through the repetition of elements to produce the look or
feel of movement.
Contrast
Contrast is the difference between elements in the composition. This can happen through a variety of
elements such as value change, size difference, etc.
Rhythm
Rhythm
(repetition) is the
regular repetition
of elements such
as line, shape and
forms to create
interest and
consistency
Unity
Unity means that all the elements within the artwork are in harmony. Variety within elements adds interest
to the composition