Defining the Elements of Art

Color – The perceived wavelength of light reflected by an object.  Color has three properties: hue, value and intensity.

Line - The path of a moving point, a mark made by a tool or instrument across a surface.  Lines can be straight curved or angular and lines can be thick, thin, light, dark, smooth, rough, solid or broken.

Shape – objects that have two dimensions; length and heights. Shapes are made when lines connect and can be geometric, organic or free-form.

Form – objects that have three dimensions; length, width, and depth. Forms are geometric organic or free-form.

Texture – refers to how surfaces of objects look or feel.  Textures can be visual or tactile.

Space- This is the area around below, above and within an object.  Positive space is the space occupied by shapes or forms in two or three dimensional artwork.  Negative space is the unoccupied or empty space over around, below and within shapes or forms in two or three dimensional artwork.