The Elements and Principles

of Design

Presented
By
Mrs. Cole
Web Resources
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4 Categories of Art
Fine
Folk
Decorative
Functional
The Elements of Design are:
Line
Shape and Form
Value
Color
Space
Texture
The Elements again
The Principles of Design are:
Movement and Rhythm
Balance
Proportion
Variety and Emphasis
Harmony and Unity
Line
Line - is a mark on a surface that
describes a shape or outline. It can
create texture and can be thick and
thin. Types of line can include actual,
implied, vertical, horizontal, diagonal
and contour lines.
Suptermarket- Ben Shahn
Look at this painting by Ben
Shahn. What role do the lines
play in this piece? Shahn drew
these lines to define his
subject. Because of the lines
he made, we can see
recognizable images. Look at
the drawing. Look at the title.
Can you tell what Shahn has
drawn? He uses various line
directions to draw his shopping
carts. The lines are vertical,
horizontal and diagonal.
Tapa Cloth Island of Tonga
This large tapa cloth, from the Polynesian island
of Tonga, is made of strips of mulberry bark fiber
that have been pounded to softened them and
make a paper-like textile for ritual use. It is
stamped and hand painted. Bark cloth, or tapa,
has been produced throughout the islands of the
South Pacific--in both Polynesia and Melanesia.

The people of Tonga, Tahiti, Fiji, Samoa and

other islands have made bark cloth in distinctive
styles for both functional and ceremonial
purposes. The cloth has played important roles
in weddings, funerals and events associated
with royalty. The decoration features
geometricized plants and fish.
Look at the beautiful variety of lines. Repeated
lines form patterns and designs. Can you find
the repeated patterns? Why do artists repeat
particular elements?
Pen and Ink- Beardsley
In this pen and ink drawing, the artist
creates a beautiful image of two woman.
The lines are soft and flowing giving the
viewer the impression of elegance,
softness and femininity. Beardsley uses
curved lines to capture the lines of the
elegant costumes worn by the woman.
Why do you think he curved the line of
the skirt?
By curving the line, the skirt appears to
be swirling around the figure. This implies
Movement.
Why do you think the artist chose to call
this work "The Peacock Skirt"?
What do you know about the lives of
these women from this drawing? Are they

wealthy?
Needle Tower Kenneth Snelson
This is a view of the Needle Tower looking
directly up to the top from the ground. Notice the
effect the lines create with the pipes and the
wires. It creates a spiral. If you look closely, you
may even see a six pointed star. Do you think
the artist did this intentionally?

Sculptor Kenneth Snelson's "Needle Tower" is a

fragile-looking thing. Crisscrossing rods
suspended by taut wires soar perilously upward
20 meters high. Surely it ought to crumble or fall
over. Yet it doesn't. When the wind blows, the
Needle Tower bends, not breaks. When
someone shoves it, it shoves back. The tower is
lightweight, strong and curiously beautiful. This
is an example of a tensegrity (short for tensional
integrity) sculpture. It balances compression with
tension, and yields to forces without breaking. In
the Needle Tower, the wires carry tension and
the rods bear compression
Self Portrait- Kathe Kollwitz
Look at this stirring portrait. This is a self-
portrait of the German artist Kathe
Kollwitz. To learn of her art, you must first
learn about her life. She experienced WW
I married to a doctor. She lost her son in
that war. She later lost her grandson in
WW II. She saw the pain and suffering of
the mothers, wives and children of the
people lost in the war.
Look again at this work. Do you view it
differently?
Notice the lines carved into this woodcut
proof to create the texture of this print.
The direction of the lines follow the
contour of her face. What impact do the
lines have on the overall quality of this
print?
Shape and Form
Shape - is a 2-dimensional line with no form
or thickness. Shapes are flat and can be
grouped into two categories, geometric and
organic.

Form - is a 3-dimensional object having

volume and thickness. It is the illusion of a 3-
D effect that can be implied with the use of
light and shading techniques. Form can be
viewed from many angles.
Mondrian
This unique painting appears to
be all about shapes. The
shapes are squares and
rectangles. This includes the
spaces between the colored
shapes as well. Even the shape
of the canvas reflects the
square patterns in the painting.
Here Mondrian uses shape to
convey his ideas about the
mechanization of the world.
Fibonaccis Numerals
This is a colored paper collage
made up of organic shapes that
overlap. If you look carefully,
you may see that this
composition was based on the
Fibonacci Numerals. Each
shape represents the sequence
of numbers found in Fibonacci's
order: 0,1,2,3,5,8,13,21... Note
the rounded edges of the
shapes. Would you recognize
these shapes in nature?
Jaquar Mask- Mexico
This jaguar mask from Mexico
also emphasizes Shape. What
shapes do you see? Are they
Geometric, Organic or both?
Are the shapes arranged
symmetrically or
asymmetrically?
What shape did the artist use to
accent the nose? How about the
eyes?
What did the artist do to the
yellow shapes that make up the
skin of the jaguar?
Icon- Byzantine Period
This is an icon. An icon is a religious
painting created during the
Byzantine period. It was usually a
portrait of a saint or the Virgin Mary.
Often these icons were using egg
tempera on gessoed wood panels
and decorated in gold leaf. These
wooden panels were used to
decorate alters and churches. They
can still be found decorating Greek
and Russian Orthodox churches.

What shape do you notice first?

Chances are you noticed the circle
around the woman's head. What
does this circle represent?
Notice that the artist repeats the
circle again and again throughout
the painting. Why do you think he
did this?
Greek bas-relief
This is a Greek bas-
relief . The images are
carved from a slab of
marble, but they are not
carved out completely.
This type of low-relief
sculpture was very
popular on ancient
building walls and were
used to decorate
doorways, facades and
columns.
David- Michelangelo
This is a detail of the statue
David created by
Michelangelo. The complete
sculpture, called a statue,
stands 15 feet tall.
When you visit the statue,
you are able to walk around
the sculpture seeing it from
all sides and angles. This is
truly a three-dimensional
work.
Notre Dame Cathedral
This magnificent
building is an
architectural sculpture.
Architecture is the art of
designing buildings.
Buildings are examples
of works that occupy
three-dimensional
space. It took almost
200 years to complete
the building begun in
1163.
Calder Mobile
Here we are looking at
another type of three-
dimensional sculpture
called a mobile. This is
a sculpture that moves.
Suspended from the
ceiling, this mobile
moves slowly as air
currents circle the room.
Alexander Calder is
credited with inventing
the mobile as an art
form.
Value
Value - is the degree of light and dark in
a design. It is the contrast between
black and white and all the tones in
between. Value can be used with color
as well as black and white. Contrast is
the extreme changes between values.
Drawing
If you look carefully at this drawing,
you will begin to see recognizable
objects. This is a still life, a group of
inanimate objects arranged
together. What items do you
recognize?
The wide range of white, gray and
black values of shading, give this
work a realistic sense of form. Using
values in drawings is a good way of
showing light reflection and
shadows. Adding these will make
two-dimensional objects "look" like
they are three-dimensional.
Self- Portrait
Look at this student self-portrait.
Can you see what makes this
unique? The values were
created by stamping
fingerprints. The closer the
fingerprints, the darker the color
appears. Darker fingerprints
were added to give this picture
shadows. The shadows make
the face appear more realistic
and three-dimensional. Objects
that are dark appear to recede
into the picture. Objects that are
lighter in color or value appear
to come to the front of the
picture
Values and Color
Values can be exercised in all
colors. The range
of the values can be changed by
adding white to
lighten or tint a color. Adding black
will create a
shade of the original color which will
appear darker.
Color
Color - refers to specific hues and has 3
properties, Chroma, Intensity and Value. The
color wheel is a way of showing the chromatic
scale in a circle using all the colors made with
the primary triad. Complimentary pairs can
produce dull and neutral color. Black and
white can be added to produce tints (add
white), shades (add black) and tones (add
gray).
Color
What would our world look like without Color.
There have been many studies into the
psychological effects of Color. Artists have used
Color in such ways as to create a mood or feeling
of a piece of work. This is done by using colors
realistically and by using colors "creatively".
Color is also a very important Element Of Art.
Here we will take a look at the science of Color,
how we have organized Color and how artists
have used Color to express their ideas and
feeling in their artwork
Color Example 1
Look at this wonderful painting. What
strikes you at first glance? Chances are
you notice the colors used first. Why do
you think this is so?

The artist's use of complementary colors,

or colors opposite on the color wheel,
creates an exciting painting. The colors
appear very intense together.

Has the artist done this intentionally?

What does he want you to "feel" about
the message within this work?

Notice how the horses and clouds are

expressed in whites, violets and blues.
The people and the carousel are reds,
golds and oranges. What parts of this
painting do you notice first?
Color Example 2
Notice the color scheme in this
painting.
Do you recall which color family the
artist
used?

This is a monochromatic color

painting
which means the artist used one
true
color and added black and white to
create
tints and shades of that color.

How does a monochromatic color

scheme affect the overall "mood" of
this piece?
Color Example 3- Piet Mondrian
This is a painting created by Piet
Mondrian. Did he selectively use
one particular family of colors?
Absolutely. This piece is a good
example of the Primary Colors used
in a work of art.
If you look at the Credit Line you will
see the title and the size of this
work. The title "Broadway Boogie-
Woogie" should tell you something
about this work? Do you know
where Broadway is? It is a very
famous street in New York City
where all the theaters are
concentrated. Are you familiar with
the term "boogie-woogie"?
Illuminated Book of Hours- Part 1

During the Middle Ages and into the

Renaissance, every member of the
middle and upper classes would
have had to own an illuminated
Book of Hours. These books were
treasured and were given as gifts on
special occasions, such as
weddings. A Book of Hours was
often the first and only book an
individual owned. In the most
luxurious books, made for the
wealthiest patrons, each section
was decorated with a miniature and
words surrounded by beautifully
decorated border designs.
Illuminated Book of Hours- Part 2

The Book of Hoursthe main prayer

book used in medieval Europewas
divided into eight sections (or "hours")
that were meant to be read at specific
times of day. Each Book of Hours was
personalized for the owners and often
reflected their economic status.

Historically, illuminated (decorated with

silver and gold) manuscripts were
produced by monks. By the thirteenth
century, an increasing number were
created by professional artisans working
in commercial centers across Europe.

This page represents the month of May

and the book contained scenes from the
other months as well.
Illuminated Book of Hours- Detail

Look at the startling and brilliant

blue color that stands out from all
the other colors. The three
Limbourgh brothers used an
ultramarine made from crushed
Middle Eastern lapis-lazuli. (This
was, of course, extremely
expensive!) The original Riches
Heures manuscript is stored in the
Chantilly Museum, but is so
degraded that it is no longer
available to the public
Look at this detailed image. The
May jaunt was a pageant
celebrating the "joli mois de Mai" in
which one had to wear green
garments known as livree de mai.
The riders are young noblemen and
women, with princes and princesses
being visible.
Space
Space - refers to variations in the
proportions of objects, lines or shapes.
There is a variation of sizes in objects
either real or imagined. (some sources
list Proportion/Scale as a Principle of
Design)
Wooden Sculpure
Look at this wooden sculpture.
Notice the open space carved
through the torso of the body.
See how this opening gives
interest to the carving. The
round shape created by the
"hole" echoes the round shape
of the head and the rounded
form of the shoulders. Moore
deliberately removed a piece of
his sculpture.
Poster
This poster provides us with an
interesting example of how artists
use Space. The carver, including his
head, arms and tools represent the
Positive Space. The rest of the
space becomes the Negative
Space. Shahn chooses not to leave
the Negative Space empty. Instead
he fills a large portion of it with
words. This Negative Space
becomes a very important part of
Shahn's message. The words speak
to us about what ideals we, as
humans, should live by. Shahn
mentions ideas such as the Right To
Be Safe and Justice For All.
Note how the arms of the carver
encircle
The Persistence of Time - Dali
This is a unique work of art from
the Surrealism movement.
Surrealism artists painted
objects very realistically...but
place objects together that
would never be found together.
One could say that the artists
painted their dreams or
nightmares. Salvador Dali was
one of the great Surrealism
artists. How does he create a
sense of Space in this painting?
Dali - Study
He uses one-point
perspective. The
brick like blocks all
appear to be
converging on one
point on the horizon
line. Look at the
diagram below.
Texture
Texture - is about surface quality either
tactile or visual. Texture can be real or
implied by different uses of media. It is
the degree of roughness or smoothness
in objects.
Self-Portrait
This is a self-portrait.
That means that the
artist painted a picture
of him/her self. The
thick application of the
paint and the use of
many colors to accent
the paint strokes gives
this painting a Textured
quality.
Coral Drawing
Look at this delicate pen and
ink drawing of a piece of
coral. Here the artist used
lines to represent the actual
texture of the coral. It looks
as if you could reach out and
touch the rough surface and
feel the texture.
If the lines and texture were
not added, would you be
able to identify what was
drawn?
Klee Painting
At first glance, with the image
so small, you may notice the
shapes used in this work first,
before you notice the texture.
Look below at the detail, or
close-up of a section of this
work and what do you notice
first?
The entire surface of this
painting is covered in thick,
rectangular brushstrokes of
color.

Can you imagine what this

painting would feel like if you
could touch it?
Klee Detail
Klee (pronounced
"clay") adds the texture
to make the work
visually interesting. The
colors and lines of the
work are extremely
simple. The added
texture adds detail.
How would circular
brushstrokes have
worked with this piece?
Principles of Design
Movement and Rhythm
Directional Movement - is a visual flow through the
composition. It can be the suggestion of motion in a design as
you move from object to object by way of placement and
position. Directional movement can be created with a value
pattern. It is with the placement of dark and light areas that you
can move your attention through the format.

Rhythm - is a movement in which some elements recurs

regularly. Like a dance it will have a flow of objects that will
seem to be like the beat of music.
Tessellation Design
Here is an example of a cut
paper tessellation design. What
is used to create the
appearance of Rhythm in this
work?

Possible answers could be:

a) the fish design is repeated
over and over.
b) the colors white and orange
appear as a pattern. Do you see
anything else that is repeated in
this artwork? How about the
lines that form the scales of the
fish. Or the black triangles that
decorate the backbone of the
fish.
Starry Night Vincent Van Gogh
In Starry Night, famed artist
Vincent Van Gogh creates
Movement in his sky. How
does he show us this?
Possible answers could be:
a) the swirling motion of the
colors in the sky showing the
artist's interpretation of wind
b) the repetition of the
brushstrokes and paint dabs
Van Gogh 2
Can you find anything else
that appears to give this
painting a sense of
Movement?Look at the
stars. They are all yellow
and round, vary in size and
placement, and they have
"halos" of light encircling
them. Look at the painting
and concentrate on how your
eyes bounce from one star to
another. This is an example
of how an artist can create
Movement in a work of art.
Australian Aboriginals
This unusual work of art was created in
Australia by the indigenous people of that
country now called the Aboriginals. These
mystical designs are based on ancient
symbols and designs.

The paint is applied with the fingers in a

point by point method.

Notice how the repeated patterns and

rows of dots give the illusion that the
surface of the paper is moving.
Traditionally the Aborigines used colors
made from organic materials. Modern
Aboriginal artists often use brighter colors
and modern paints. This does not take
away from the ancient traditions these
young artists are trying to preserve.
Aboriginal Detail
Look at this detail. Notice the
rhythm created by the
repetition of the dots and the
colors.

This rhythm creates

Movement. How does it do
that? Notice how each dot
resembles a stepping stone
on a path. That path leads
the eye around the paper.
Balance
Balance - is a feeling of visual equality
in shape, form, value, color,
etc. Balance can be symmetrical or
evenly balanced or asymmetrical and
un-evenly balanced. Objects, values,
colors, textures, shapes, forms, etc.,
can be used in creating a balance in a
composition.
Oriental Poppies Georgia
OKeefe
Here is an example of a painting
demonstrating Formal Balance.
Note that you could visually
divide the paper in half. There
would be a poppy on both sides.
No one side dominates the
pictures. Neither poppy appears
to be more important than the
other. Formal Balance pictures
will have an imaginary "line of
symmetry".
Be aware that in evaluating
works of art, the symmetry does
NOT have to illustrate an exact
mirror image.
Rama's Rule-Ramraj
Here also is an example of Formal
Balance. Even though the objects
are different, the images on both
sides of the artwork balance each
other perfectly.
This is an illustration from an
illuminated manuscript. A
manuscript is considered illuminated
if it is decorated in gold and silver.

This illustration page comes from

one of the greatest pieces of Indian
literature the Ramayana.It is an epic
poem of the lives of Rama and Sita.
The Ramayana has been used for
centuries to teach moral dilemmas.
" "Whistler's Mother" James Whistler

Look at this painting commonly

called "Whistler's Mother". Is this an
example of Formal Balance?
No, it is not. Note that the woman is
placed far to the right. The black
curtain and large painting on the
wall were placed to the left to
balance the woman on the right.
This is an example of Informal
Balance. The large form of the
woman is "visually equal" to the
black curtain and white painting on
the wall. This makes the painting
appear balanced, though the
composition is more relaxed and
less stiff than if the woman had
been placed in the exact center of
the canvas
Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grand Jatte,
-George Seurat

Here the larger figures to the

right are balanced by the many
smaller figures to the left. Also,
Seurat add additional "light" to
the left. How does this add
balance to the painting?
Seurat's style of painting
became known as Pointillism.
Look at this detail below and
you will see that the canvas is
covered with small "dots" of
color, not brushstrokes. Seurat
felt that the human eye would
blend all the color dots together
when seen from a distance.
(This is the same principle used
in television screens)
Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grand Jatte,
-George Seurat

If you look at the size of the

completed painting, you will
see that it is approximately 5
1/2 feet tall by 10 feet wide.
Imagine covering a canvas
this size with tiny dots of
color!
Seurat believed that if he
painted yellow dots next to
blue dots, the human eye
would see the color green.
Loan, 7th Grade, pencil Drawing

Here, Loan's drawing is

an example of a
symmetrical work of art.
Symmetrical works can
be divided in half with
an imaginary "Line Of
Symmetry". Both sides
are mirror images of the
other. What you see on
one half, you see on the
other in a reversed
order, like a "mirror
image".
 Proportion
The word "Proportion" means one part in relation to
another. All people have a sense of proportion
concerning themselves as compared to others. "My
nose is too long for my face". "She has long legs".
"His eyes are wide set." All of these comments
reinforce the idea that we see and have opinions
about the relationships between one thing compared
to another. Artists use their sense of Proportion to
make statements or express a particular feeling
about a subject in a work of art. Let's see some
examples
Faheem, 6th grade, felt pen,
Computer generated image

One area often associated with

Proportion is Scale. Scale is a bit
different as it refers to a comparison of
one entire object in relation to other like
objects. Look at this illustration by
Faheem. Note the two figures. One figure
is extremely large or you could say that
one figure is extremely small. By altering
the scale, what does the artist intend for
you to see or think about his figures?
The larger figure implies that it is more
important, or more dominant. You could
even say that the larger figure is stronger,
fiercer or more powerful. The little figure
is weak and powerless. This is one way
artists use the Principle of Proportion to
give you clues about what the work of art
is about.
Artist Unknown, Little Warriors
Another term that one hears in the
world of art is Hierarchical
Proportion. When an artist
deliberately changes the scale of
the objects in his/her work to show
which object is the most important, it
is referred to as Hierarchical
Proportion.

Look as this Mayan bas-relief

sculpture. A bas-relief sculpture is a
work that is sculpted in the front
only. The images appear to be lifted
from the surface, but they are not
totally free and a true sculpture in
the round. Notice the size of the
king compared to the size of the
warriors. What does this tell you?
Little Warriors Detail
It is obvious that the king is
held in higher regard and
has more power than the
warriors. We do know that
the king is not necessarily a
much bigger person in
physical stature. The
sculptor sought to illustrate
the importance and
superiority of the king and to
impress this viewpoint
on the viewer.
Fernando Botero, (1932-),
Columbian, A Family
Sometimes an artist deliberately
changes the Proportion for unique
reasons. Look at this family portrait
painted by Columbian artist
Fernando Botero. Why do you think
the family members are painted with
such large volume and size?
He introduced inflated forms. These
"puffed up forms" exaggerate the
size of people. This larger than life
size celebrates the life within, and
sometimes mocks their role in the
world. Not without humor, the
symbols of power and authority
everywhere - presidents, soldiers
and churchmen - are targeted in his
attacks on a society still unable to
deal intelligently with social issues..
Family - Continued
When you look at this
family portrait, what
strikes you as unusual
about the placement of
the family members?
Why is the children's
nurse painted so much
smaller than the other
adult figures in the
painting?
Variety & Emphasis
Variety keeps life interesting. Imagine if
everything in your life was the same,
day in and day out. Imagine the
monotony! Artists also understand the
importance of Emphasis in their work.
Usually one part or area is given more
detail to enhance that section. Click
here to see how artists use Variety and
Emphasis in their work.
Goya
Goya uses which Elements Of
Art to draw your eyes to the
man raising his arms? Why
does he emphasize the area he
wants you to look at? Goya
"lights" up the painting in much
the same way a spotlight lights
up the actors on a stage. Goya
creates a very light value
around the area he wants you to
see. The man in the white shirt
is the Focal Point of the
painting. He uses value contrast
to emphasize this area.
Kadinsky
This is an example of an
abstract work. The picture does
not seem to represent a realistic
scene or image. Works such as
these are considered Non-
Objective.
Kandinsky uses a Variety of
lines, shapes and colors to give
this painting interest. He also
overlaps some of these
Elements. Look at this painting
carefully. What area is your eye
drawn to? Why? Kandinsky
emphasized the large black
circle in the upper left corner of
his work. The object is different
from everything else in the
painting and therefore it "stands
out".
Vase
Vases were created by
potters in Greece and
around the world to hold oils,
liquids and fruits. The
Greeks developed these
beautiful red on black vases
usually decorated with
scenes from Mythological
stories or images of great
leaders, warriors and artists.
Even thousands of years
later, these vases are still
considered beautiful. What
makes them special?
Vase Continued
How does the artist use
Emphasis? What did he
emphasize and why?The
contrast of the red and white
figures against the black
background draws the eye to
the images. To accent the
images, he decorated around
the vase using the same colors.
These patterns accent the
figures.
These vases are a form of
pottery or ceramics in which
clay is used to create the work
and it is fired in a kiln to make it
hard and permanent.Why did
Greek artists draw so much
from mythology?
Harmony and Unity

"Harmony" in music results in pleasing tones

to the ears. "Harmony" in art results from a
combination of related Elements of Art
creating a pleasing work for the eye. "Unity"
infers that the work of art is presented as a "
whole". When a work of art has "Unity", the
viewer sees the work as a whole, not in
separate sections. Let's go on to see just how
this works!
Beveux Tapestry
Look at this wonderful segment
of the Bayeux Tapestry. This is
considered a textile, or a work
made up of cloth and/or fibers. It
is not a Tapestry in the full
sense of the word. It is an
embroidery. It was constructed
from eight separate pieces of
linen which were joined to make
up its length. It is approximately
70 meters long and half a meter
wide. It is evident that at one
stage it was even longer,
probably by as much as seven
or eight meters which are now
missing.
Beveux Detail
Look at this detail of a
single section. Note the
details of the
embroidered images,
designs and words.
Eight earthen colors
were used to create this
marvel. The use of
related colors, stitchery
textures, two parallel
borders, and a similar
theme throughout make
this piece harmonious.
Landscape- Cezanne
This is a landscape. A
landscape details a scene of the
outdoors. Cezanne painted
many landscapes and many
scenes of this particular
mountain. What do you think he
used to keep this painting
unified, or having a sense of the
"whole" painting working
together?
( I'll give you a hint: The secret
was in his color palette.)
Klee Portrait
Look at this unusual portrait.
Is it realistic or abstract?
What makes this piece
appear as a "whole" or
finished product?
Look at Klee's painting style.
He uses flat, geometric
areas of color. All the details
have been reduced to the
most simple shapes and
areas. His color palette
emphasizes the warm
colors.
Klee Techniques
Because Klee uses these
techniques CONSISTENTLY
throughout his work, the final
painting appears to be
Unified. All the parts seem to
fit together. Unity is a very
difficult concept to
understand, but, if you create
a piece of art that just
doesn't look right, or appears
as if it needs more work,
then you need to unify the
Elements of Art