ELEMENTS OF VISUAL ARTS

1.​ Line:
●​ basic building block of visual design
●​ By conventional definition — the path left by a moving point or can be thought of as an
extended mark.
●​ essential element that define shape, create structure, convey movement, and establish
boundaries.

Functions of Line:
●​ Used by an artist to control our vision by creating direction.
○​ artists wield lines to direct the focus of the viewers within a composition.
●​ Used to make outlines and define form.
○​ lines serve to demarcate the contours of objects that would aid in their visual
depiction and dimensionality.
●​ Implies movement and emphasis.
○​ lines can imply motion and accentuations.
●​ Creates pattern and texture.
○​ lines can be manipulated to generate intricate patterns and tactile sensations
●​ Creates shading and modelling (value and chiaroscuro)
○​ rendering depth and shadow through shading techniques, and creating the
illusion of volume.

Types of Line:
a.​ General:
●​ Actual lines which are shown when they are emphasized by making them thick and
bold implied lines which are formed when lines are suggested through formation of
objects, and lines formed by edges to separate objects.

b.​ Specific
●​ Straight and curved lines (vertical, horizontal, diagonal).
●​ Vertical lines suggest aspiration, poise, exaltation, power and force.
●​ Horizontal lines suggest calm and repose, infinity and stability.
●​ Diagonal lines suggest movement, action and life.
●​ Curved lines are lines of beauty.
●​ Thickness and thinness of each line for emphasis purposes.
●​ Whether it is straight, curved, thick or thin — lines play a crucial role in shaping the
overall aesthetic and impact of visual art and design.

2.​ Color
●​ Most appealing and one of the most expressive elements because its quality affects
our emotions directly and immediately.
●​ It begins with and is derived from light, thus, it is dependent on the presence of light,
for without it, there can be no color.
Color affects psychological and physiological responses due to a combination of
factors:
○​ Biologically colors stimulate specific receptors in the brain that would trigger
psychological reactions.
○​ Culturally and psychologically colors carry associations and meanings that influence
how they are perceived and interpreted impacting individuals based on their
background and experiences.
○​ Personal

Physical/Visual Properties of color:

●​ Hue pertains to the specific wavelength of light, reflected or emitted by an object,
determining its perceived color.
●​ Value refers to the brightness, or either the lightness or darkness. Lighter colors have
higher brightness and darker colors have lower brightness.
●​ Intensity is about the saturation or purity of colors. Highly saturated colors appear to
be more vivid and intense. Lower saturated colors appear more muted.
●​ We cannot change value without changing intensity — darker or lighter variations
correspond to shapes and saturation.

Color Relationships:
●​ Monochromatic: using variations of a single color by adjusting its value, starting from
the lightness to darkness of colors or saturation. (ex. light blue to navy blue)
●​ Analogous: adjacent to each other when referring to color wheel, and they share
similar use but have slight variations. (ex. yellow, yellow green, green)
●​ Complementary: opposite to each other, and when used together, they create strong
contrast and make each other stand out.
●​ Triadic: evenly spaced around the color wheel forming an equilateral triangle.
●​ Split Complementary: similar to complementary but uses two adjacent colors to
complement the base color.
●​ Tetradic: four colors arranged in two complementary pairs, and they offer a high level
of contrast while still maintaining harmony.

Cool and Warm Colors

●​ Warm Colors: red, orange, yellow, and warm shades of brown and pink.
●​ Cool Colors: blue, green, purple, violet, and cool shades of grey.

Functions of Color
●​ To give spatial quality to the pictorial field.
●​ To create mood and symbolize ideas.
●​ To serve as a vehicle for the expression of personal emotions and feelings.
●​ To attract and direct attention as a means of giving organization to a composition.
●​ To accomplish aesthetic appeal by a system of well ordered color relationships.
●​ To identify objects by describing the superficial facts of their appearance.
3.​ Shapes
●​ Two dimensional area with identifiable boundaries.
●​ It is a space enclosed by lines, and is created by lines, color, value, contrasting texture,
or by some combination of these.

Kinds of Shapes:
●​ Natural: found in nature and often irregular and organic in form such as leaves or
clouds.
●​ Abstract: simplified or distorted representations of real world objects or concepts
●​ Non-objective: non-representational and do not depict any recognizable objects or
concepts – purely abstract and focus on visual elements.
●​ Biomorphic: abstract forms that resemble living organisms or organic shapes found
in nature. They often contain curves, flowing lines and irregular contours.
●​ Geometric: precise regular forms that can be defined mathematically.

4.​ Space
●​ Comes from the Latin word “spatium” which means “a limitless medium in which
objects exist.”

Types of Space:
●​ Decorative: space used for ornamentation rather than depth.
○​ Ex. ornate patterns on textiles or wallpapers, and intricate designs on pottery or
ceramics.
●​ Plastic: special manipulation in sculpture to create form and depth.
○​ Sculpture – to create 3 dimensional forms. Ex. The David of Michelangelo or The
Thinker.

5.​ Value
●​ Relative degree of lightness or darkness in painting which indicates the presence or
absence of light.
●​ Chiaroscuro and Tenebrism: the use of light for expressive effects resulted in the
development of two styles.

Functions of Value
●​ Creates illusion of texture and form.
●​ Breaks up the picture surface into patterns of dark and light.
●​ Creates the illusion of light, space and movement.
●​ Express emotions

6.​ Texture
●​ The feel or tactile quality of the surface of an object, whether the surface is rough or
smooth, grooved or ridged, furry or silky.
●​ Texture in painting is an illusion.
●​ May be determined without the aid of the sense of touch.
ELEMENTS OF MUSIC
1.​ Tone:
●​ Basic sound material with which the composer works.

Components of Tone
●​ Pitch
○​ Highness or lowness of a tonal sound in terms of its location in the musical scale.
●​ Duration
○​ Length of time in which vibration is maintained without interruption.
○​ It is not fixed.
○​ Designed within musical notation.
■​ Musical Notation – consists of a series of symbols or notes.
■​ Whole note — length is 4 beats.
■​ Half note — 2 beats.
■​ Quarter note — 1 beat.
■​ Eighth note — 1/2 beat
■​ Sixteenth note — 1/4 beat
○​ Rhythm: recurring pulses and accent (beats).
■​ Beats — give music its regular rhythmic pattern.
■​ Tempo — rate of speed determined by the length of a beat.
○​ Composers use terms and symbols to indicate tempo.
■​ Grave — very very slow
■​ Largo — very slow
■​ Lento and Adagio — slow
■​ Adante — slow walking speed
■​ Moderato — moderate
■​ Allegretto — rather fast
■​ Allegro — fast
■​ Vivace — lively
■​ Presto — very fast
■​ Ritardando — slow down
■​ Accelerando — speed up

2.​ Timbre or Tone Color

○​ Quality of sound that distinguishes one voice or instrument from another.
○​ May range from dull to lush, from dark to bright.
○​ Soprano — highest register female voice.
■​ Coloratura Soprano
■​ Dramatic Soprano
■​ Lyric Soprano
○​ Mezzo Soprano — female vocal range between the soprano and alto.
○​ Alto or Counter-tenor — lower than soprano but higher than tenor
○​ Tenor — highest register male voice.
○​ Baritone — male voice lower than tenor but higher than bass.
 ○​ Bass — lowest male voice.

3.​ Dynamics
○​ Abbreviations or symbols used to signify the degree of loudness or softness of a
piece of music.
○​ Indicates whether there is a change in volume.
○​ Terms used to represent dynamics and its corresponding effects.
■​ Piano — soft
■​ Pianissimo — very soft
■​ Mezzo Piano — slightly soft
■​ Forte — loud
■​ Fortissimo — very loud
■​ Mezzo Forte — slightly loud
■​ Fortepiano — loud then soft
■​ Sforzando — sudden accent
■​ Crescendo — gradually louder
■​ Diminuendo — gradually soften

4.​ Melody
○​ Tune of a song or piece of music.
○​ Memorable tune created by playing a succession or series of pitches.

Properties of Melody:
●​ Dimension
●​ Range
●​ Register
●​ Direction
●​ Progression

5.​ Harmony
○​ Combination of notes or chords played together and the relationship between a
series of chords.

6.​ Texture
○​ The number of layers as well as the type of layers used in a composition and how
these layers are related.
■​ Monophonic — one or single melodious line
■​ Biphonic — two different simultaneous melodies
■​ Heterophonic — slightly elaborated melody with 1 or 2 voices
■​ Thick texture — when tones, chord or voice parts are closely spaced.
■​ Thin texture — when tones are widely spaced.

7.​ Forms
○​ Refer to musical structure, design or plan.
ELEMENTS OF THEATER

Theater
●​ Comes from the Greek word “teatron” which means a place for seeing.
●​ A place where a play is performed, or a drama performed before an audience.

Types of Theatre:
●​ Proscenium or picture frame stage
○​ Highness or lowness of a tonal sound in terms of its location in the musical scale.
●​ Arena Stage or theater in the round
●​ Thrust or open stage
○​ Platform stage that thrusts out into the audience.
●​ Amphitheater
○​ Open air building
●​ Black Box
○​ Developed in the 1960s in the US for inexpensive experimental work.

Elements of Theatre:
●​ Script — written text of the play
●​ Directing — creative guidance of the production
●​ Acting — portrayal of characters
●​ Set — physical environment on stage
●​ Costume — clothing and accessories worn by actors
●​ Properties or props — objects used by actors during the performance
●​ Make up — application of cosmetics
●​ Lights or Lighting — implementation of illumination
●​ Sounds — management of audio elements
●​ Stage Management — coordination of backstage activities.
ELEMENTS OF DANCE

Dance
●​ Kind of movement which is different from the kind of motion that people do in performing
everyday tasks.
●​ The movements involved in the dance and executed by the dancers are selected,
developed, abstracted, executed in an aesthetic way and rehearsed.

Elements of Dance:
●​ Space — area of movement including dimensions and levels
●​ Time — rhythm and tempo of movement
●​ Duration — length of movement sequences
●​ Force — energy and dynamics behind movement
●​ Theme — central idea guiding the dance
●​ Design — visual composition and arrangement of the dance
●​ Movement — physical actions performed by dancers
●​ Techniques — skills used in movement execution
●​ Music — auditory component accompanying the dance
●​ Costume and props — attire and objects enhancing visual storytelling
●​ Choreography — creation and arrangement of movement sequences
●​ Scenery — visual environment of the dance
ELEMENTS OF FILM

Elements of Film:
●​ Time — narrative sequencing and pacing in films
●​ Space — physical and conceptual environment
●​ Scale — proportion and framing within shots
●​ Lighting — illumination for mood and atmosphere
●​ Sound — auditory elements which may enhance immersion

Types of Shots and Camera Angles:

●​ Wide Shot — comprehensive view of the scene establishing its setting or environment
●​ Long Shot — scene from a wide distance offering a wide view of the setting
●​ Mid Shot — subject from the waist or knees of the actors offering a closer view with
surrounding contacts
●​ Close Up — focusing closely on the subject capturing fine details and conveying
emotions or expressions
●​ Extreme Close Up — zooms in tightly for specific detail or feature emphasizing its
significance or conveying emotions
●​ High Angle Shot — captures from an elevated position looking down on the subject
typically evoking feelings of vulnerability or inferiority
●​ Low Angle Shot — captures from below looking upward commonly employed to
accentuate power, dominance or authority
●​ Over the Shoulder Shot — scene from behind a character’s shoulder offering a
perspective and depicting interaction
●​ Bird’s Eye or aerial view — captured from directly overhead providing a unique and
often dramatic perspective of the scene below
●​ Dutch Angle or Tilt — captured by camera titled to create a skewed or disorienting
effect often used to convey tension or instability