Art elements &

Design principles
Art elements – the tools to make ART

precisionartblog.wordpress.com
Design principles – how to use the tools to make ART
Compiled by Melina Smit

Wayne Thiebaud
 ART ELEMENTS & DESIGN PRINCIPLES
(the tools to make art) (how to use the tools to make art)
• colour • contrast
• line • emphasis/focal point
• shape/form • pattern
• tone/value • variety
• texture • proportion & scale
• space • rhythm/movement
• balance
• unity & harmony
 Warm & Cold Colours
COLOUR

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

Complimentary Colours
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC
BY-SA
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tints_and_shades
Adding white, grey or black to a true colour or basic hue.
https://za.pinterest.com/pin/416442296766181594/?lp=true
 LINE

http://artiberty.blogspot.com
A long thin or thick mark or stroke being
made by using a drawing tool such as a
pen, pencil or piece of charcoal.

a pen sketch by using line

by Austin Uzoh from Nigeria

• All lines begin and end with a dot

• Line can be straight or wavy
• Line can be thick or thin
• Line can be solid or dashed
• Line can be horizontal, vertical or diagonal
• Line can be used to outline a basic shape or form
 2D SHAPE 3D FORM
Artist/Muralist www.quora.com
Chris Brown, Ex Art School , Ex Fulltime Scenic Artist, Now self employed

“The difference is essentially

about dimensions.
A "Shape" is two dimensional, an
area defined by an outline.
A "Form" is a shape that has the
illusion of being three
dimensional by the use of
shading and/or perspective
drawing.”
 Romero Britto using geometric-type
shape, line & colour.

uttiafinearts.weebly.com
 TONE or VALUE
In the artistic context it refers to light and
dark values to render a realistic object

www.slideshare.net

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

 TEXTURE
…is the surface quality of an object or artwork. It can be seen and/or felt and can for
example be rough or smooth and hard or soft.
Texture can be created using “shading”.
Here are 5 basic types of shading…
 Combining:
• Line
• Shape
• Tone/Value &
• Texture

Rendered in leeks (yes, the

vegetable) inspired by one of
Vincent van Gogh’s many self-
portraits: Chinese artist, Ju Duoqiâ.

www.buzzfeed.com
• Add colour
 SPACE

www.downgraf.com
…the area around, within or between images or parts of images
relating to perspective…

positive space represents the object…

www.slideshare.net
negative space refers to the space around or within the object…
SPACE REPRESENTS THE BACKGROUND, FOREGROUND AND MIDDLE-GROUND...
 https://www.kitchentableclassroom.com
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
 CONTRAST…
“the use (or juxtaposition) of different art elements – for example rough & smooth textures
or light and dark values- to highlight their differences or create visual interest or focal
point.” Can you sport the different art elements used to create the following examples of contrast…

http://www.adelacafe.com/elements-and-principles-of-design/elements-and-principles-of-design-46-best-art-elements-amp-principles-of-design-images-on-pinterest
EMPHASIS &
FOCAL POINT
Emphasis is the area or object
in the artwork that draws
attention and becomes a focal
point. The strongest focal
point with the greatest visual
weight is the most significant
part of the artwork. Art
elements within an artwork can
help direct the attention of the
viewer. An artwork does not
always have to have a focal
point.
www.thoughtco.com
thevirtualinstructor.com
graphicdesign.stackexchange.com Vladimir Kush
 http://snoron.com/
en.wikipedia.org
Focal point need not be in the center of an artwork.
“Son of Man” by Rene Magritte
 REPETITION &
PATTERN
 An element of art is repeated in
an organized way to create a
pattern.
 A regular arrangement of an
alternating or repeated element
(line, shape, colour or motif)
 Groups of elements or motifs that
repeat in a predictable manner:
spheres; mosaics or nests; lattices
(2D or 3D); polyhedral (3D);
spirals & helixes; meanders;
branching & circulation; waves;
symmetry & fractals are examples This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY. An example of a Fractal Pattern

hereof.
René Magritte’s Golconda

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

Zac Freeman-Garrett’s assemblage (form of collage)

type artworks called “Upcycled Junk”

http://www.dilanaworkshop.co.nz/image/rug/full/21.jpg
www.sophia.org
http://flyeschool.com
http://www.architectureartdesigns.com

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

 VARIETY
Combining different art elements (can be contrasting) to create visual interest or focal point within the
composition. It guides the viewer’s eye through the artwork, holding the attention.
http://www.chilloutpoint.com

www.andreasartstudio.com
This mosaic of President Barack Obama, created by It is interesting to note that there is a feeling of unity within
Hank Willis Thomas and Ryan Alexiev of CerealArt.com the variety in this photograph.
 The
relationship
of elements
PROPORTION & SCALE to each
other and to
the artwork
as a whole.
It refers to
the relative
size and
scale of the
various
elements in
a design as
parts of the
whole
http://mhsart3honors.wikispaces.com/principles+of+design
https://ind-maholland.weebly.com/8th-grade-drawing-assignments.html
RHYTHM & MOVEMENT

In Art, rhythm & movement are created through

repetition of lines, shapes, or forms. Rhythm & movement
means that your eye moves throughout the piece of art
and doesn’t focus on one area. The path the viewer’s eye
takes through the artwork can be directed along lines and
edges, shapes and colour with-in the artwork… It creates
a sense of direction.
http://jov.arvojournals.org
 Van Gogh’ s The Starry Night

https://ind-maholland.weebly.com/8th-grade-drawing-assignments.html
 BALANCE

http://www.eghsart.com
Organizing the elements (objects, colours, texture, space etc.) in an artwork to distribute their visual weight pleasingly.

René Magritte’s Décalcomanie

 thequiltshow.com
www.quora.com
sararecktenwald.wikispaces.com
The Great Wave off Kanagawa by http://artdesign130.blogspot.com
Katsushika Hokusai
Balance is the distribution of the visual weight of objects, colors, texture, and space.
There are 4 ways to create balance in designs:
Symmetrical (aka formal balance): It is a mirror image balance
Asymmetrical (aka informal balance): It occurs when several smaller items on one side are balanced by a
large item on the other side an is a more dynamic form of design
Radial: All elements radiate out from a central point to maintain a focal
point in radial balance
Crystallographic (aka mosaic or “allover” balance): It is about repetition. Evenly repeating seemingly random
elements with equal weight throughout the design, creates
a sense of balance www.shutterstock.com
 UNITY &
HARMONY
o Emphasizing specific
elements of an artwork to
connect the whole work of
art.
o Unity in an artwork creates
a sense of harmony and
wholeness, by using
similar elements within the
composition
and placing them in a way

www.pinterest.ca
that brings them all
together.
o Harmony means that all
parts of the visual image
relate to and complement
each other. It pulls the
pieces of a visual image
together.