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• Akin to the atoms that are defined as the units or “building

blocks” of matter.

• Elements of art are the aspects of an artwork that can be

isolated from each other. When they are joined together, they
have the ability to create an artwork.

• These elements of arts are generally produced when something

is done to the medium after the technique is carried out.
Elements are the necessary preconditions for the creation of art.

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• LINE

• SHAPE AND FORM

• SPACE

• COLOR

• TEXTURE

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• It refers to a point moving at an identifiable path- it has length
and direction. It also has width. It is one-dimensional, but has the
capacity to either define the parameters of the artwork (edges)
and/or become a substantial component of the composition.

• Although, it is simple, it has variations in view of its

orientation/direction, shape and thickness. These variations
suggest meaning or message being conveyed by the artist.

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• Keith Haring first executed the public mural “Todos juntos podemos parar el
sida” (Together We Can Stop Aids) in Barcelona in 1989. In 2014, it was
recreayed at the foyer of the Museu d’ Art Contemporani de Barcelona
(Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art) to commemorate it.

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• A quality that is ascribed to lines is its ability to direct the eyes
to follow movement or provide hints as to a work’s focal point.

a. Horizontal (left to right) and vertical (from top to

bottom)- refers to the orientation with rest or calm.
Landscapes often contain these elements as works like
these often connote a visual sense of being parallel to the
ground. It also alludes to position of the reclined body at
rest. On the other hand, vertical lines connote elevation or
height, which is usually taken to mean exaltation or
aspiration for action. Together, these lines communicate
stability and firmness.

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b. Diagonal and crooked lines
- diagonal lines convey movement and instability,
although the progression can be seen. Crooked or jagged
lines, on the other hand, are reminiscent of violence,
conflict or struggle.

c. Curved lines
- these are lines that bend or coil. They allude to
softness, grace, flexibility or even sensuality.

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De Goya is known for his
prints, a master of etched
works and use of aquatint.
He use this medium to
articulate his political
views about the ills of
societies, war scenes and
even dreamlike and
grotesque while still
engaging with what was
happening around him.

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In this artwork, it can be
seen that lines may not
necessarily explicit or
literally shown. The position
and orientation of the
bodies that are aboard the
raft are predominantly
diagonal in direction. This
creates not only movement
but also tension in the scene.
This painting depicts the
1816 wreckage of the
French government ship
called Medusa.

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• These two are related to each other in the sense that they
define the space occupied by the object of art.

• Shape refers to two dimensions: height and width, while form

refers to three dimensions: height , width and depth.

• Two categories:
1. Geometric

2. Organic

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 GEOMETRIC ORGANIC
• These shapes find origin in • These are readily occurring in
mathematical propositions . As nature, often irregular and
such, its translation and use asymmetrical.
are often man-made.

• These include shapes such as • Example is the design of a

squares, triangles, cubes, vase which made use of
circles, spheres and cones. morning glories.

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 Example of artwork in
geometric lines.

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Designed by Louis
Comfort Tiffany and
made by Tiffany
Furnaces.

Example of artwork by
organic lines.

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In this artwork, shapes
are implied. It depicts
three figures: Mary, the
young Jesus (right) and
the young John the
Baptist ( left). The
positions in which the
group takes allude to a
triangular shape
reinforced by the garb
of Mary.

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• It is usually inferred from a sense of depth, whether it is real or
simulated. Real space is three-dimensional. Sculptures are a perfect
examples of artworks that bear this element. However, this can only
be manifested in two-dimensional artworks through the use of
different techniques, or the use (or non-use) of area around a
drawing or picture.

• Not all works are sculptures. In two-dimensional artworks, they may

be implied.
a. Positive and negative space- identified with the white
space is the negative space. Positive space on the other
hand, is the space where the shadow is heavily used.
b. Three-dimensional space – can be stimulated through a
variety of techniques such as shading. An illusion of this can be
achieved into a two-dimensional work.
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This is located in Chicago,
Illinois. It occupies a
considerable space.
Shaped like a bean, hence
its other referent, the
public sculpture was
unveiled in 2004. The dent
in the middle offers a gap
in which people can pass
through and gaze at the
sculpture in a different
perspective.

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• It is perhaps one of the elements that enhances the appeal of
an artwork. Its effect has range, allowing the viewer to make
responses based on memory, emotion and instinct .

• This element is a property of light, as its reflected off the

object. Color is not intrinsic to an object and without light, one
cannot perceive color.

• Much of the colors begin with the notion of a Color Theory that
was first unraveled by the experiments undertaken by Sir Isaac
Newton in 1666.

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18
1. HUE

2. VALUE

3. INTENSITY

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• This dimension of color gives its name. It can be subdivided
into:

a. Primary Colors –red, yellow and blue

b. Secondary colors- green (yellow & blue(
- orange (red & yellow)
- violet ( blue & red)
c. Tertiary colors- six in total, and achieved when primary
and secondary colors are mixed.

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• It refers to the rightness or darkness of color. Often, this is used
by artists to create the illusion of depth and solidity, a
particular mood, communicate a feeling, or in establishing a
scene.
• Light colors are taken as the source of light in the composition

• Dark colors are the lack of even absence of light.

• Tint is the lighter color than normal value (pink for red)

• Shade is a darker color than the normal ( maroon for red)

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• It refers to the color’s brightness or dullness. It is identified as
the strength of color , whether it is vivid or muted.

• Bright or warm colors- positive energy

• Dull or cool colors- sedate/soothing, seriousness or calm.

• To better understand intensity of color, color harmonies are to

be considered. Color harmonies are also integral considerations
not only for pictorial arts but also for other art forms.

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 • Monochromatic harmonies- use the variations of a hue.

Claud Monet’s
“Houses of
Parliament”

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• Complementary harmonies- involve two colors opposite each
other in the color wheel. Since they are at contrary positions, the
reaction is more intense. In this piece, Saint Lucy, patron of the
blind, whose red and green garb beautifully showcases an
example of this harmony.

Cima de Conegliano’s
“Three Saints: Roch,
Anthony Abbot and
Lucy”h

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• Analogous harmonies- make use of two colors beside each
other in the color wheel.

Edgar Degas’ “Before

the Race” (1882-1884)

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• Triadic harmonies- make use of three colors from equidistant
sites within the color wheel.

• Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” would bring oneself to ask: Did

Munch depict a romantic sunset or a warning of a coming
horrors? The clue is in the face of the man himself that is
prominent in the painting. Meaning, colors and imagery work
together to deliver a message.

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• Texture can be either real or implied. This can be experienced
through the sense of touch (and sight). This element renders the
art object tactile.

• It is commonly associated with textiles.

• Textures in the two-dimensional plane (paintings)- can be

implied using one technique or a combination of other elements
of art. By creating the visual quality in the artwork, one can
imagine how the surface will feel if it was to be touched. Some
of the words used to describe texture are the following: rough
or smooth, hard or soft, hairy, leathery, sharp or dull.

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In this portrait, garb is
adorned in opulent
bead and stitch work
that are befitting her
rank.

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• Surface texture- refers to the texture of the three-dimensional
(Sculpture) art object.

• The elements of art make it possible to engage with the visual

and tactile qualities of the artwork through a “common
language” that may be widely understood.

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• Picture Plane is the actual surface of the painting or drawing,
where no illusion of a third dimension exists.

• During the Renaissance (15th Century) , chiaroscuro was

developed. It made use of light and dark contrasts and tones in
which paintings not only looked three-dimensional , but also more
dramatic.

• Linear perspective changed the way pictorial representation was

done. Its early proponents include Leon Battista Alberti, Paolo
Uccello and architect Filippo Brunelleschi in the early 15th
Century.
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• Its use was based on the following observations:

1. As forms and objects recede (moves away) , the smaller

they become.

2. We were taught that parallel lines ( I I ) never meet.

However, when they , too, seem to converge when they
recede into a distance, at a point, they both disappear.
This point of disappearance is called the vanishing point.

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G. Herbert & Horace C. Bayley, photographer , Parlington – New Railway Viaduct,
Interior, negative, May 1893

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• One-point perspective- often used in depicting roads, tracks,
hallways or row of trees; this type of perspective shows parallel
lines that seem to converge at a specific and lone vanishing
point, along the horizon line.

• Two-point perspective- pertains to a painting or drawing that

makes use of two-vanishing points, when can be placed
anywhere along the horizon line. It is often used in depicting
structures such as houses or buildings in the landscape that are
viewed from a specific corner.

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Gustav Caillebotte, “Rue de Paris, temps de pluie” (Paris Street in Rainy Weather), 1877

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• Three-point perspective – in this type of perspective, the viewer
is looking at a scene from above or below. It makes use of the
three-vanishing points, each corresponding to each axis of the
scene.

Berenice Abbott, “Chanon Building, New York,” (about 1935).

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37
• Previous discussion about Elements of Arts pertained to visual
art such as paintings and sculptures. In the case of Auditory,
music as an art form is classified as auditory.

• Music is sound organized in a specific time. It is considered as

implement to cultural activities, answering a specific role or
functions. If there is an important quality that music has, it is
having the capacity to transcend barriers even that of differences
in language or conventions in sound.

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• RHYTHM

• DYNAMICS

• MELODY

• HARMONY

• TIMBRE

• TEXTURE

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• Element of music that situates it in time. It is the pulse of the
music. Beat is the basic unit of music while tempo refers to its
speed (beats per second). Beats can be organized into a
recognizable recurrent pattern, which is called the meter.

• Classical terms are used to refer to the variations in tempo,

some of which are: Largo ( slowly and broadly) , Andante
(walking pace), Moderato (at moderate speed), Allegro (fast),
Vivace (lively), Accelerando (gradually speeding up) ,
Rallentado (gradually slowing down) , Allargando (getting
slower) , Rubato (literally “robbed time”, rhythm is played
freely for expressive effect.

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• Refers to the loudness or quietness of music. Classical terms are
used to refer to the different levels pertaining to:
Pianissimo (pp) – very quiet
Piano (p)- quiet
Mezzo-piano (mp)- moderately quiet
Forte (f)- loud
Fortissimo (ff)- very loud

• Crescendo indicates an increase in loudness while decrescendo or

diminuendo indicates decrease in loudness.

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• It refers to the linear presentation (horizontal) of pitch. When
you say horizontal, it means that in musical notation, it is read in
succession from left to right.

• Pitch is the highness or lowness of musical sound.

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• If melody is horizontal, harmony is vertical. It arises when
pitches are combined to form chords. When several notes are
simultaneously played, this refers to a chord.

• Harmony can be described in terms of its “harshness”:

dissonance is the harsh-sounding combination while consonance is
the smooth-sounding combination.

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• It is often likened to the color of music. It is a quality that
distinguishes a voice or an instrument from another. Dependent
on the technique, the timbre may give a certain tone or
characteristic to music, much like how a painter evokes different
effects or impressions onto the canvas.

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• The number of melodies, the type of layers, and their
relatedness in a composition is the texture of music. It may be:

Monophonic- single melodic line

Polyphonic- two or more melodic lines

Homophonic- main melody accompanied by chords

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46
• These principles will provide explicit ways in which elements of
art are used, how they are manipulated, how they interact, and
how they inform the overall composition of artwork to assist the
artist in conveying his intention. It influence the effect achieved
by the elements, and the linkages of other principles.

• Balance, scale and proportion, emphasis and contrast, unity and

variety, harmony, movement, rhythm, and repetition and pattern.

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• It refers to the distribution of the visual elements in view of
their placement in relation to each other. (Example: distribution
of lines and colors)

Isamu Noguchi, “Cube” Entrance of Marine Midland, Manhattan

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• Symmetrical- the elements used • Example of symmetrical
on one side are reflected to the
other. This offers the most stable
visual sense to any artwork.

• Asymmetrical- the elements are

not the same (or of the same
weight) on each side, putting the
heaviness on one side.

• Radial- there is a central point in

the composition, around which
elements and objects are
distributed. UP Diliman Oblation Statue
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• Scale pertains to the size in
relation to what is normal for
the figure or object in
question. Sculptures of
exaggerate scale are
common all over the world. In
the Philippines, Arturo Luz
has created enormous
sculptural versions of the
paper clip, which occupied a
prominent spot at the
entrance of the Ayala
Claes Oldenberg and Coosje van
Museum. Bruggen, “Plaintor” (2001)

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• Proportion, on the other
hand, refers to the size
of the components, or of
objects in relation to one
another when taken as a
composition or a unit.
This can also refers to
values such as amounts
or numbers of elements
or objects in the
composition.
Leonardo da Vinci, “Vitruvian Man” (1490)

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• Proportion can be:

a. Natural- relates to the realistic size of the visual

elements in the artwork, especially for figurative artworks. When
it is the accuracy in relation to the real world that the artist is
after, this is now referred to as the principle of scale.

b. Exaggerated- refers to the unusual size relations of

visual elements, deliberately exaggerating the immensity or
minuteness of an object.

c. Idealized- most common to those that follow canons of

perfection, the size-relations of elements or objects, which achieve
the most ideal size-relations.
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• Emphasis allows the attention of the viewer to a focal point (s),
accentuating or drawing attention to these elements or objects.
This can be done through the manipulation of the elements or
through the assistance of other principles , especially that of
contrast.

• Contrast is the disparity between the elements that figure into

the composition. One object may be made stronger compared
to other objects (emphasis). This can be done in many ways
using the elements of art. (Example; the use of negative and
positive space and the use of complementary colors in a work.

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• Unity refers to a sense
of accord or
completeness from the
artwork, variety, on the
other hand, is the
principle that aims to
retain the interest by
allowing patches or
areas that both excite
and allow the eye to
rest. “Vasudhara Mandala” (1777) Distemper on
Cloth

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• Unity and variety is related to the principle of harmony, in
which the elements or objects achieve a sense of flow and
interconnectedness.

MOVEMENT

• This refers to the direction of the viewing eye as it goes through

the artwork, often guided by areas or elements that are
emphasized. These focal points can be lines, edges, shape, and
color within the work of art, among others.

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• This is created when an element is repeated, creating implied
movement. Variety of repetition helps invigorate rhythm as
depicted in the artwork.

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• Repetition refers to recurring
manner of lines, shapes,
colors and other elements
that may appear in an
artwork.

• Pattern refers to the image

created out of repetition.
With repetition, there is a
sense of predictability that is
conveyed, which in turn
imbues the feelings of
security and calmness.
Vincent van Gogh “La Berceuse”(1851-1930)
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• Combined arts refer to two or more art forms and styles
combined as a product of development in a complex world.
Some examples are dance, theater, installation art, video art,
documentary, photography, puppetry, designs and other forms
of production.

• In combined arts, the artist is challenged to deconstruct an idea

or stimulus from which the content, narrative, technique, art
forms and styles will take form. Often, improvisation or
inventiveness is necessary to create an art form that is
unprecedented. (Examples are theatrical performance that
taps into many art forms such as music, 2D and 3D art,
literature , lighting and set design.
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• Hybrid arts emerged on the frontiers of science and technology.
They are driven by such expansion of the imagination and what
is possible through the “blistering pace of scientific and
technological development”.

• Referencing into the fields of robotics, artificial intelligence,

biotechnology, natural and computer sciences,
telecommunications, information, digital and interface
technologies , artists whose works tread under this movement is
disrupt the norms in terms of what is considered as an art.

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