Elements of Visual Arts A Beginners Guide By Jessica Collins
About the Author: My name is Jessica Collins,I have a Bachelor of Fine Art, focusing in sculpture, and I am currently pursuing my Masters degree in Art Education both from Indiana University. My focus area of study was in sculpture, though I also spent a great deal of time working in the metal and jewelry design studios. I was born in Bloomington, Indiana and have lived here all of my life. I am not sure where my career will take me, but I am looking forward to the adventure! I have always had a passion for both art and education; I can think of no greater pursuit than that of sharing the gift of art with developing minds. The art studio is where I feel most at home, it is my hope that I can share even a part of this joy with my students. I believe that we all learn through experience and that it is through creative practice that we develop both intellect and understanding.
How to Use this Guide: I have created this manual as an introductory guide to the 4 most basic elements in visual art. Chapter 1 will give a brief overview of all terms you will be learning about. Chapters 2-5 will be formatted in a similar fashion; beginning with a detailed description of each element of art, followed by an exercise or video to help you better understand each concept put before you. I have designed this ebook in hopes that it will be used as a quick reference and digital workbook to help students enhance their knowledge of the elements of visual art.
C HAPTER 1
Introduction to the Elements of Visual Art Arguably, there are no rules in artistic expression, no restrictions or limits to the way one might use any aspect of visual art. Although, art like any language has its own set of terms and concepts that must be understood in order to fully realize one's capabilities. These terms are what we call the “Elements� of visual art, they are the building blocks of visual expression and they are as follows:
Line: A line is a continuous mark made on any surface (not just paper!), sometimes called a moving point. Line is absolutely essential for the creation of visual art. Line can be used to inform the texture, shape, movement, or volume of an object or composition.
Color: Color may be the most meaningful element in visual art. We describe color in terms of value, hue, and intensity. ●
Texture: Texture is anything that describes the way an object feels. If a work of art is sculptural or 3 dimensional, texture could refer to a pattern on the surface or whether the object is hard, soft, or spongy. In two dimensional works an artist must use line, color, and shape to inform the texture of an object. They must decide in what way they can express a texture through mark making, this can take some practice.
Value refers to the lightness or darkness of a color.
● Hue is the name we have set to a color such as red, yellow, or blue. ● The intensity of a color describes the color in terms of vibrance; for example we may describe a color as bright, muted, or rich.
Shape: There are two types of shapes; organic or geometric, these are closed lines and are two dimensional. Organic shapes are those naturally occurring and often assymetrical shapes such as a flower petal or a leaf. Geometric are rigid forms such as a circle, square, rectangle, or triangle with hard defined edges. 4
C HAPTER 2
Line
A Line is longer than it is wide; it could be straight, curved, diagonal, vertical, or horizontal. A line can be described by its thickness, orientation, or length. Lines are used to define objects, create texture, or add volume. Whether you are creating a precise rendering of a city skyline or an abstract painting of the color blue, chances are you are going to be using line in one way or another.
M.C. Escher, “Drawing Hands�, 1948
The Tip of the Pencil
University of Oxford Podcasts : Stephen Farthing
Professor Farthing describes the use of line in this short video; take a look to better understand what a line drawing is and how it could be useful in your personal practice.
C HAPTER 3
Color
What we see as color is in fact light reflected off of an object. This element carries its own set of rules to follow, when exploring color and experimenting with ways to use it be sure to have a clear understanding of the principles outlined in this chapter.
Portrait of Madame Matisse (The green line), 1905
• Primary colors are the only “true” colors ( blue, red, and yellow); they can not be created. All other colors are made from a combination of these three.
• Secondary colors, (green, orange, and purple); they are made from a mixture of two primary colors.
• Complementary colors are located directly across the color wheel from one another; they create the most extreme amount of contrast when juxtaposed. Complementary colors have no common color; purple and yellow are complementary, because purple is created using red and blue. When complementary colors are mixed together they make brown.
• Tertiary or Intermediate colors; such as yellow-green, blue-violet, and blue-green, are colors made by mixing primary and secondary colors together.
• Analogous colors are grouped closely on the color wheel; such as red, orange, yellow.
• White is the pure reflection of light.
• Black is the absence of light.
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Now take this short review quiz to test your understanding of the Color Wheel: Review Quiz:
Question 1 of 3 Red, Yellow, and Blue are examples of what kind of colors?
A. Primary B. Secondary C. Complimentary D. Analogous
Check Answer
C HAPTER 4
Shape Geometric Shapes
A Shape can be geometric, like a rectangle, a triangle, or a square; or it could be organic, a naturally occurring “freeform�. A Shape is a two-dimensional closed line. Most two-dimensional compositions can be broken down into general shapes, the use of color, value, or line to add depth can convert a shape into a form.
Organic Shapes
Geometric Shapes
Organic Shapes
Test your understanding with this short quiz:
R EVIEW 4.1 Lorem Ipsum dolor amet, consectetur Question 1 of 3 A ________ would be considered a geometric shape?
A. Square B. Circle C. Star D. All of the above
Check Answer
C HAPTER 5
Texture Texture refers to surface quality; it is either tactile or visual. Tactile refers to the way something feels, which can be surprisingly different than the way it looks. For example, one may find that a drawing of alligator skin appears rough and scaly, but the paper in fact feels smooth and soft. Tactile texture is most evident in 3 dimensional works such as sculpture or pottery. Tactile texture could be created by tool marks in wet clay, power tools and chisels in limestone, or even patinas on metal. Visual texture is a bit more difficult to put into words. Visual texture can be created through the use of line and color on paper in a way that describes the surface of an object. Here are a few examples of different types of visual texture using line, color, and shape.
Here Rembrandt has created depth and texture with the use of line in a cross hatching technique:
Rembrandt van Rijn, Self-portrait, etching, c.1630
Here Katsushika Hokusai has created visual texture by using organic shapes to represent waves of the ocean, different layers of earth, as well as color to add depth.
Awesome Printmaking Timelapse - DanMakesArt x The Storytellers Collective
Mount Fuji, from the Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, color woodcut by Katsushika Hokusai
Both of these examples were created through the process of printmaking; which is the ultimate combination of tactile and visual texture. Through the use of hand carved woodcuts, or chemically etched panels an artist can create tactile textures, which when used for stamping or “printing� ink on paper becomes visual texture.
Watch this short time lapse video to get a better understanding of the woodcut printing process. Notice that he is making a 3D relief with his chisels and gouges and transferring images into 2D as he prints.
http://youtu.be/xhIRD4D0eqE
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C HAPTER 6
Composition and the Visual Elements
When designing a well-rounded and complete composition, or an artistic structure; there are a few key principles you should keep in mind. First, ask yourself if your composition or design has balance; which is accomplished when all the elements are working together to form a unified work. Have you used line, shape, color, and texture in a way that enhances the visual appeal or artistic value of the piece.
Next, think about the movement of your composition, how is the viewers eye being directed from one area of the work to another? Have you used line, color, or contrasting shapes and textures to move the viewer through this piece? If so what strategies have you used to create this movement? Through the use of line, shape, color, and texture you are able to highlight areas of importance and interest. As an artist it is essential that you understand your own work; being able to hypothesize how your a composition will influence a viewer is a skill that comes through time and experience. You must understand possible cognitive and emotional responses that your work may elicit from the viewer, in other words what might a viewer think or feel upon looking at your artwork? Unity within your composition is when all of these principles are present and working together to achieve a cohesive end. Though, you may choose to create a composition that lacks unity, this could cause exciting, anxious, or tense emotional responses from your viewer. Remember to give deliberate thought to the how and the why of a piece. As the artist, you are in control of every aspect of your work. The experience of the viewer is completely dependent upon you and your choices.
Here is a conversation between Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker discussing the Alexander Mosaic, c. 100 B.C.E, going into detail about several aspects of the composition and the effectiveness of the techniques used.
Alexander Mosaic, c.100 B.C.E.
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Here I have included a link to NGAkids, it is an interactive website with several games and exploratory exercises. My personal favorite is called the “Collage Machine� this would be a great way to practice composition skills virtually. You can save your images as jpegs and include them in your own personal sketchbooks or portfolios. Have fun! http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/education/kids.html
C HAPTER 7
Integrating the Elements of Visual Art into your own Studio Practice
I found a short 3 minute video showing how to create beautiful rubbings from textured items found in nature or around the house. All you will need is some paper, a few colored crayons or pastels, and any items you find interesting. I have used this type of project for students ranging from age 2- 20 and everyone has enjoyed the ease of this technique as well as the immediate gratification of a completed composition. As you watch this video try to pinpoint the artists use of each artistic element, and how they come together to create simple yet quite beautiful compositions. Texture Rubbing Technique
In this manual we have explored the use of line, shape, color, and texture to create artwork. We have also discussed artistic principles such as balance, movement, and unity. So how can we put everything we have learned into action?
http://youtu.be/93X9ttm25YU
• Youtube Video by “ let nature feed your senses” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93X9ttm25YU
Resources:
• The Kennedy Center’s Artsedge, lesson about composition https://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators/how-to/from-theo ry-to-practice/formal-visual-analysis • Worx Color wheel images http://worqx.com/color/color_wheel.htm
• Stephen Farthing presenting online drawing course OER Commons http://www.oercommons.org/courses/the-elements-of-drawing • Google Images https://www.google.com/search?as_q=Impressionist+painting& tbs=sur:fmc&tbm=isch • Pixabay Images http://pixabay.com/en/drop-water-background-macro-splash-316 624/ • WikiMedia Images http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Philip_ Absolon._Cassie_Thinking_About_Cubism.jpg
• National Gallery of Art, kid’s interactive games http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/education/kids.html • Getty Resources for Art Education, elements lessons https://www.getty.edu/education/teachers/building_lessons/ele ments_art.pdf • Creative Commons Images http://www.ebsqart.com/Art-Shows/Exhibits/FOTM-Daisies/90/ Red-Gerber-Daisy/282660/ • Android Manual, Image used http://www.xdr.com/dash/blog/index.php?m=10&y=12&entry=e ntry121027-003612 • Wikipedia Images http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printmaking • Youtube Video posted by Dan Brenton • http://youtu.be/xhIRD4D0eqE