ELEMENTS OF ART LINE

“A man paints with his brains, not with his hands” - Considerred in two ways: The linear marks with pen or
brush or the edge created when two shapes meet.
“A man who works with his hand is a laborer, a man who
- Basic element of art
works with his hands and mind is a craftsman but a man
- Continuous mark, made on surface by a moving paint.
who work with his hands, mind and heart is an artist.”
- Mans own invention but doesn’t exist in nature
- MichaelAngelo - To imitate or to represent objects and figures on a flat
surface.
CATEGORIES OF ART
LINE VARIATIONS
1. VISUAL/SPACE ARTS
1. THIN LINES
* TWO DIMENSIONAL – possesses the dimensions of
height and width but does not possess depth. - Fragile

* THREE DIMENSIONAL – occupies three dimensions: - Appear easy to break or knocked

height, width and depth
- Suggest frailty and convey elegant quality
EXAMPLES:
2. THICK LINES
2D: 3D:
- Difficult to break
1. Paintings 1. Sculpture
- suggest strength
2. Drawings 2. Environmental Art
TYPES OF LINE
3. Prints 3. Craft & Folk Art
1. HORIZONTAL LINE ART
4. Photography 4. Architecture
- Impression of width, distance, peacefulness and
5. Mixed Media Art calmness and stability

2. AUDITORY/TIME ARTS 2. VERTICAL LINE ART

- elements of art - Straight up and down lines that are moving in space

Example: - Suggest height and strength because they extend

towards the sky and seem unshakeable.
Music and Spoken-Word Poetry
3. DIAGONAL LINE ART
3. LITERARY ARTS
- Implies action and lack of stability
- independent form of arts
- unbalanced and filled with restless/uncontrolled energy
Example:
4. STRUCTURAL LINE ART
Blogging
- hold design together
4. COMBINED ARTS
- variety of types with different qualities and
- combination of different kinds of categories of art characteristics

5. CONTOUR LINE ART

BUILDING TOOLS - describe the shape of an object, interior detail
1. Line 4. Value 7. Texture TYPE OF CONTOUR
2. Shape 5. Space * BLIND CONTOUR – drawing contour lines without
3. Form 6. Color looking at the paper
6. GESTURE LINES - formed after the artist has drawn out the essence of the
original object.
- suggest movement and emphasize direction.
3. NON-OBJECTIVE SHAPES
7. SKETCH LINES
- show geometric shape
- used to depict detail
4. POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SHAPES
- seen as information gathering activity for painting.
- in every design, artwork, photograph and sculpture.
8. ZIGZAG LINES
- positive shapes are tangible
- combination of diagonal lines that connect at points
5. DYNAMIC SHAPES
- dynamic and high energy characteristic
- movement of the eye that flows smoothly
9. IMPLIED LINES
6. STATIC SHAPES
- line is present without it being drawn or incorporated
into the artwork - appear still and composed

LINE OF SIGHT - give off the feeling of being stable and resting

- implied line between a figures focal point and an object We react to some shapes because they are symbolic; they
suggest or represent meaning
10. CURVED LINES
SYMBOLIC SHAPES
- softer than straight lines
- has an important role in communicating ideas
- sweep and turn gracefully

- less definite and predictable than straight lines

FORM
11. DIVIDING LINES
Has two meanings:
- define edges but they divide space
• It can refer to the overall form taken by the work; its
12. DECORATION LINES
physical nature.
- embellish an object • It can refer to the element of shape among the
various elements that make up a work.
- cross hatching is an example of decoration lines
- three dimensional geometrical figure (sphere, cube,
Lines can create other elements: shape, tone and texture
cylinder, cone atc)

- mentally capture the artwork

SHAPE
- geometric or organic
- Pervades all we see
TYPES OF FORM
- It is a vehicle for the elements of color, tone, texture,
size and direction 1. GEOMETRIC FORMS
- A single shape cannot exist without generating
- mathematical, precise and can be named in geometric
another (negative) shape
forms: space, cube, pyramid, cone, cylinder
TYPES OF SHAPE
circle becomes sphere, square becomes cube and triangle
1. NATURAL SHAPES becomes pyramid

- those we see in nature such as shapes of men, animals

or trees

2. ABSTRACT SHAPES
2. ORGANIC FORMS The illusion of space

- are those that are free-flowing, curvy, sinewy, and are Six ways
not symmetrical or easily measurable or named.

- derived in natural objects and nature

Form is mostly closely tied to sculpture, since it is a three-

dimensional art and has traditionally consisted almost
primarily of form, with color and texture being
subordinate
1. LINEAR PERSPECTIVE
Sculptures may be characterized in relative terms as
closed or open forms Technique of creating an illusion of depth in a flat surface.
All parallel lines using this technique
Closed- form has a similar feeling to the traditional form
of a solid opaque mass even if spaces exist within the 2. OVERLAPPING
form, they are contained and confined One object is positioned in front of another object
Open- form is transparent, revealing its structure and 3. SIZE
therefore has more fluid and dynamic relationship with
the ambient space. Objects that are closer to a viewer appear large than
objects that are further off in the distance.

4. PLACEMENT ON THE SURFACE

SPACE
Objects are positioned lower on the picture plane will
- Positive and negative areas are defined appear closer than objects that are higher positioned.
- Distance or area around, between or withing piece
- Can be positive (white or light) or negative (black or 5. COLOR AND VALUE
dark) open or closed, shallow or deep and 2D and 3D Objects that are closer to a viewer are darker in value and
- Illusion of itself warmer in color. In further away, appear higher in value
TYPES OF SPACE and cooler in color.

1. POSITIVE SPACE 6. DETAIL

- 3D object being viewed Objects that are closer appear more detailed than objects
that are further away
- actual object/shapes

- main focus of painting such as vase of flowers, fruit or

candle in a still life, a person’s face in a portrait or an TEXTURE
animal in a wild life painting or a building, trees and hills in - Way things feel or feel if touched
a landscape. - Surface is rough or smooth
2. NEGATIVE SPACE - Surface quality of work of art

- space around the object TYPES OF TEXTURE

- empty or open space 1. PHYSICAL OR REAL TEXTURE

- breathing room - some things feel as they appear. Texture can be felt with
hand. Build up of paint, slipperiness of soft pastel.
3. 2D SPACE
2. VISUAL OR IMPLIED TEXTURE
- when considering two-dimensional space we discuss;
- created to look like something is not. Illusion of physical
The picture plane – in paper, canva or wall, it is “into” the texture. Paint can be manipulated to give impression of
artwork texture while the support surface remains smooth/flat.
VALUE KEYWORDS:

- Lightness or darkness of tones or colors Color Wheel Cool Neutral

- White is the lightest color
Primary Warm
- Black is the darkest color
- Middle Gray half between the extremes (black and Secondary Intensity
white)
- Critical in a work Complementary Spectrum
- Deals directly to light Analogous Value

Monochromatic Hue
TYPES OF VALUE

1. HIGH KEY COLOR SCHEME COLOR from spectrum light (distribution of light energy
- set of color range from mid-tone hues to white versus wavelength)

- provide upbeat options

2. LOW KEY COLOR SCHEME

- mainly dark colors, from mid-tone to black

- provide more dramatic ones

VALUE TERMINOLOGIES

1. Light Source ColorWheel

Where light is originated from PRIMARY COLORS SECONDARY COLORS

2. SHADES • Red * Purple

• Blue * Orange
Dark values • Yellow * Green
3. SHADOWS Cannot be made mixing any made by mixing the
Areas on an object where light does not hit Other colors primaries
4. HIGHLIGHTS

Areas on an object where light is hitting Complementary Colors are opposite on color wheel, it is
5. TINTS seen brighter and more dynamic

Light values Analogous Colors are near on the color wheel

6. VALUE SCALE Colours are considered cool and warm

Guide in creating range of value, good pieces of art have 3 PROPERTIES OF COLOUR
full range of value. 1. HUE
COLOR - Name of color itself
3 ELEMENTS: hue, value and intensity - refers to the position of the colour in the spectrum

2. VALUE

- lightness or darkness of a color

- change color value by adding a black or white (tint or
shade)

3. INTENSITY

- refers to the brightness of a color, changes by adding

black, white or the complementary color

MONOCHROMATIC COLOR SCHEME artwork is made from

one color altered tints and shade only.

PRINCIPLES OF ART DESIGN

Arrange the elements of art into a composition—artwork

is arranged from Latin “to put together” – writer
assembles words and sentences to create meaningful
work.

Example of Compositional Tools:

1. Rule of Third

- breaks an image into third (both horizontally and

vertically)
- 9 pieces 4 gridlines

PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

1. PATTERN orderly repetition of an object

2. CONTRAST juxtaposition that accentuate difference

3. BALANCE distribution of equal visual weight but does

not have to be a mirror image

4. REPETITION repeating the same shapes, texture, color,

stroke and among others

5. EMPHASIS accentuation of importance

6. MOVEMENT directed path of optical

7. HARMONY a way of combining element to accentuate

their similarities

8. PROXIMITY placement of objects, near or far.

Unit – object that are near each other

9. RHYTHM repetitive organized movement or visual flow

that is within an image

10. PROPORTION scaling of objects in relation to each

other.