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Elements of Art
All pieces of art are constructed using several formal elements, or tools of creation, whether a painting, sculpture, or graphic medium. The following is a brief discussion on how these elements may be used in a particular piece with work examples sited.
Line: a drawn line is a creative device used to define a
particular form in space. There are no lines in nature so they become expressive
gestures in painting, drawing and sculpture, when describing line of movement,
and in some cases, architecture- particularly
Frank Lloyd Wright whose designs are characteristically linear.
Twentieth Century artist
Paul Klee described drawing as "taking a line for a walk".
Renaissance artist
Sandro Botticelli illustrated form primarily by line in paintings
such as
La Primavera. In this instance, line is used to define form but
also as a compositional device to carry the viewer's eyes fluidly across the
canvas. In
Dove of Peace by
Picasso the artist uses virtually a single line to express the
dove. Notice the area where the line stops. This is known as the Gestalt theory
of closer, which states the mind will fill in the missing pieces if given enough
information. This technique adds interest and mystery to a work of art, which
allows the viewer the joy of discovery.
Tone: Another way to define form is through tonal values. Artists
use the gradual tonal range from white to black to describe light as it forms an
object. This is most obvious in photography. Shades and tints of color also have
a specific value. The most dramatic effects of light are used in the Renaissance
technique called chiaruscuro, most notably by Caravaggio.
Color: Of all the formal elements of art we respond to color with
the greatest emotion. With this in mind, the Fauves, in the beginning of the
20th century, started to use color to convey emotion rather than giving an
object its local, or natural color. This is evident in Femme au Chapeau by
Matisse where the planes of the woman's face are delineated by pure
hues of green and red rather than traditional cool and warm flesh tones. The
color field paintings of
Mark Rothko evoke purely emotional responses. Color also has
symbolic meaning. For example yellow in medieval times symbolized evil. Judas
was often portrayed in yellow robes.
Shape: This refers to specific forms identified by color, line,
gesture or negative space (areas of the composition not occupied by formal
elements). In sculpture, mass and volume relates to the surrounding space and
may establish special relationships outside the confines of the particular work.
Texture:
John Singer Sargent is known for his ability to compare the
textures of different fabrics, the sheen of satin versus the intricate texture
of lace. Impasto techniques explore actual textured surfaces. Tactile texture is
an important characteristic in the work of
Jasper Johns who uses encaustic (hot wax) techniques to develop
tantalizing surface in his signature flag and target paintings. An artist may
also go to painstaking lengths to eliminate brushstrokes from the paintings to
create smooth glass-like surfaces.
Composition: The organization, or statement, of the proceeding
elements comes under the heading of composition and this can be achieved in
various ways. There is a proportion known as the Golden Section that applies to
a line so that when divided, the ratio of its shorter part to the longer is
equal to the longer to the whole. When this proportion is realized it is,
theoretically, the most pleasing to the eye. Perspective is the technique of
drawing a scene in three-dimensional reality. The triangle, an expansion of this
principle is a device used to compose objects in a two- dimensional space. It
produces a dramatic effect while simultaneously creating balance in the
composition. In the 20th century artist began to emphasize the canvas as a
two-dimensional object. One way to achieve this compositionally is to push the
focal point of the work to the edges of the canvas thereby establishing tension
in the work. In the western world, we have a tendency to read from left to
right. Color can also function as a tool to move the viewer's eyes around the
canvas. Movement, or rhythm, in a work can also be gestural and comes directly
from the artist's energy in the making of a particular mark. An example of this
is the German Expressionists, Kandinsky, Kokoshka, Emile Nolde, and Egon Schiele
among them. Repetition of a particular element can organize a work into a
unified whole. Andy Warhol used this compositional device to make a statement
about pop culture.
Subjects: Historically, the subjects of art have included religion,
politics and propaganda, preoccupation with nature, symbolism and art for
art's sake. An artist will deliberately oppose and sometimes ignore these rules
to evoke a particular response from the viewer. As an individual's body of work
progresses he begins to develop new methods of expression. At no other time has
the subject matter and range of creativity been so diverse as it is today.
