The elements and principles of art and design are the foundation of the language used to analyze art.
The elements of design are visual tools that designers and artists use to create a composition. The elements are defined as line, shape, color, value, form, texture, and space.
The principles of design represent how the artist uses the elements of design to create a design and to help convey a message. The principles of art and design are balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, pattern, rhythm, and unity/variety. The use of these principles can help determine whether a design or piece of art is successful.
Each artist decides what principles of design they would like to incorporate in their composition. While not all the principles of design may be used at the same time in one piece, the principles are intertwined and work together. For instance, when creating emphasis, the designer might need to use contrast to achieve it. It is often agreed that a successful piece is unified, while also having variety created by areas of contrast and emphasis; is visually balanced; and moves the viewer's eye around the composition.
The 7 elements of Design
Line can be considered in two ways. The linear marks made with a pen or brush or the edge created when two shapes meet.
A Shape is a self-contained defined area of geometric or organic form. A positive shape in a painting automatically creates a negative shape.
Direction All lines have direction - Horizontal, Vertical or Oblique. Horizontal suggests calmness, stability and tranquility. Vertical gives a feeling of balance, formality and alertness. Oblique suggests movement and action see notes on direction
Size Size is the relationship of the area occupied by one shape to that of another.
Texture is the surface quality of a shape - rough, smooth, soft hard glossy etc. Texture can be physical (tactile) or visual.
Color is the element of design that is produced when light, striking an object, is reflected back to the eye. There are three properties to color: hue which is the name we give to a color (red, yellow, blue, green, etc.). The second property is intensity, which refers to the vividness of the color. A color's intensity is sometimes referred to as its , its "saturation", its "purity" or its "strength". The third and final property of color is its value, meaning how light or dark it is.
Value is the lightness or darkness of a color. Value is also called Tone
The 7 principles of Design
Balance refers to the visual weight of the elements of the composition. It is a sense that the painting feels stable and "feels right." Imbalance causes a feeling of discomfort in the viewer.
Balance can be achieved in 3 different ways:
Symmetry, in which both sides of a composition have the same elements in the same position, as in a mirror-image, or the two sides of a face.
Asymmetry, in which the composition is balanced due to the contrast of any of the elements of art. For example, a large circle on one side of a composition might be balanced by a small square on the other side.
Radial symmetry, in which elements are equally spaced around a central point, as in the spokes coming out of the hub of a bicycle tire.
Contrast is the difference between elements of art in a composition, such that each element is made stronger in relation to the other. When placed next to each other, contrasting elements command the viewer's attention. Areas of contrast are among the first places that a viewer's eye is drawn because it usually stands out. Contrast can be achieved by juxtapositions of any of the elements of art.
Emphasis is when the artist creates an area of the composition that is visually dominant and commands the viewer's attention.
Movement is the result of using the elements of art such that they move the viewer's eye around and within the image. A sense of movement can be created by diagonal or curvy lines, either real or implied, by edges, by the illusion of space, by repetition, by energetic mark-making.
Pattern is the uniform repetition of elements of design or any combination thereof. Anything can be turned into a pattern through repetition. Some classic patterns are spirals, grids and weaves.
Rhythm is created by movement implied through the repetition of elements of design in an organized way but not necessarily uniform. It is related to rhythm in music. Unlike pattern, which demands consistency, rhythm relies on variety.
Unity/Variety A painting should feel unified in such a manner that all the elements fit together comfortably. Too much unity creates monotony and too much variety creates chaos. Both are needed to create harmony. Ideally, a composition should have parts of interest along with places for your eye to rest.
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