Elements of ART

• COLOR

• LINE

• VALUE

• TEXTURE

• SHAPE

• FORM

• SPACE

COLOR• An element of art that is derived from

reflected light. The sensation of color

is aroused in the brain by response

of the eyes to different wavelengths

of light. Color has 3 properties: hue,

value, and intensity.

Alexander Calder

Wasilly Kandinsky

LINE• An element of art that is the path of a

moving point through space. Although

lines can vary in appearance;(they can

have different lengths, widths, textures,

directions, and degrees of curves); they

are considered one-dimensional and are

measured by length. A line is also used by

an artist to control the viewer’s movement.

There are 5 kinds of lines: vertical,

horizontal, diagonal, curved and zigzag.

Ansel Adams

VALUE• The element of art that describes the

darkness or lightness of an object. Value

depends on how much light a surface

reflects. Value is also one of the three

properties of color.

TEXTURE• The element of art that refers to how things

feel, or look as if they might feel if touched.

Texture is perceived by touch and sight.

Objects can have rough or smooth textures

and matte or shiny surfaces.

SHAPE

• A 2 dimensional area that is defined in some

way. While a form has depth, a shape has

only height and width. Shapes are either

geometric or free form.

FORM• Objects having 3 dimensions like a shape, a

form has height and width, but it also has

depth. Forms are either geometric or free

form.

SPACE

• The element of art that refers to the

emptiness or area between, around, above,

below, or within objects. Shapes and forms

are defined by space around and within

them.