Elements & Principles Basics Adrian Wegner 2002

1. The
Elements & Principles
of Art
and Design
by
Adrian Wegner
2002c copyright

2. Elements and Principles of Art INDEX:
Introduction to
ELEMENTS
LINE
SHAPE
DIRECTION
VALUE
PROPORTION
COLOR
TEXTURE
ELEMENTS
Summary
Introduction to PRINCIPLES
REPETITION
CONTRAST
HARMONY
GRADATION
BALANCE
UNITY
PRINCIPLES Summary

3. Concepts of Art and Design are
traditionally broken down into
ELEMENTS and PRINCIPLES.
ELEMENTS are “what” an artist uses to create a
work of art. (ELEMENTS = what)
PRINCIPLES describe “how” the artist uses
the elements. (PRINCIPLES = how)

4. While different books and artists may use
different words or labels to define the elements
and principles, the basic concepts are the same.
For this tutorial, we will utilize the following
names for the seven (7) ELEMENTS.
1. Line
2. Direction
3. Shape
4. Value
5. Proportion
6. Color
7. Texture
Back to INDEX

5. 1. The ELEMENT of LINE:
A line is simply a point set in motion, the action of the
motion giving the line its quality or characteristic.
A line may be
thick or thin, dark
or light, curved or
straight, crisp or
fuzzy, and jagged
or looping.

6. A HORIZONTAL LINE is peaceful or at rest.
A VERTICAL LINE is alert, or has the potential to fall.
A DIAGONAL LINE is
dynamic and projects a
feeling of movement or
energy.
Back to INDEX

7. 2. The ELEMENT of SHAPE:
LINES may be used to enclose areas creating SHAPES.
SHAPES may be GEOMETRICAL (having symmetry),
or may be AMORPHOUS (being asymmetrical).
Symmetrical shapes can be divided into two equal halves.
Asymmetrical
shapes cannot be
divided equally.
Back to INDEX

8. 3. The ELEMENT of DIRECTION:
A line or row of shapes may align in a
particular or general direction.
A
B
C
D
A. HORIZONTAL
B. LEFT OBLIQUE
C. VERTICAL
D. RIGHT OBLIQUE
Back to INDEX

9. 4. The ELEMENT of VALUE:
VALUE describes how dark or how light an element
is. A LINE, SHAPE, or COLOR may have a VALUE
ranging from very dark (BLACK or almost black) to
very light (WHITE or almost white).
Back to INDEX

10. 5. The ELEMENT of PROPORTION:
How large or how small objects are in relation to one
another is called PROPORTION. LINES, SHAPES,
and general areas all have SIZE or WEIGHT.
Back to INDEX

11. 6. The ELEMENT of COLOR:
A LINE, SHAPE, or AREA may possess color.
There are three (3) DIMENSIONS of COLOR:
A. HUE
B. CHROMA
C. VALUE

12. HUE, or color, is important to the artist because of its
psychological impact on the viewer.
RED
YELLOW
BLUE
RV
BV
RO
YO
YG
BG
G
O
V
Warm colors and
cool colors help
create mood or
attitude in a work.

13. CHROMA, or INTENSITY of HUE, is important
because it allows the artist to create depth and
emphasize contrasts through variations in intensity.
Lower intensities of a color are achieved by adding a
small amount of the color’s complement or black.
Back to INDEX

14. VALUE, the lightness or darkness of a color, is also
important for the artist in modeling and shaping form
through the use of highlights and shadows.
Back to INDEX

15. 7. The ELEMENT of TEXTURE:
TEXTURE describes the characteristic of a surface.
A LINE, SHAPE, or object may have the
characteristic of being smooth or rough. The artist
may try to suggest the illusion of a TEXTURE in
two-dimensional work such as drawings and
paintings, and may actually create textures in three-
dimensional sculptures.

16. TEXTURE EXAMPLESBack to INDEX

17. ELEMENTS SUMMARY:
The ELEMENTS of ART and DESIGN are
LINE, DIRECTION, SHAPE, VALUE,
PROPORTION, COLOR and TEXTURE.
The ELEMENTS are WHAT an artist may use
to create art.
Next we will investigate the PRINCIPLES of
ART and DESIGN. The PRINCIPLES describe
HOW an artist USES the ELEMENTS.
Back to INDEX

18. The PRINCIPLES are the various ways the
seven ELEMENTS can be organized. These
PRINCIPLES describe “how” an artist uses
“elements” to create works of art.
For this tutorial, we will utilize the following
names for the six (6) PRINCIPLES.
1. Repetition
2. Contrast
3. Harmony
4. Gradation
5. Balance
6. Unity
Back to INDEX

19. 1. The PRINCIPLE of REPETITION:
The multiple use of the same element or group of
elements is called REPETITION. Repeating the
same ELEMENT creates a pattern or “REPETITIVE
MOTIF.”
Back to INDEX

20. 2. The PRINCIPLE of CONTRAST:
Oftentimes designs that rely solely on REPETITION
can be too monotonous or boring. For designs to be
more interesting, add a CONTRASTING ELEMENT
creating a point of interest or emphasis.
The introduction of a UNIQUE ELEMENT becomes
the PRINCIPLE of CONTRAST.

21. Designs in CONTRAST of SHAPE using a
COMPLEMENTARY color scheme.

22. Designs in CONTRAST of PROPORTION using a
TRIADIC color scheme.

23. Designs in
CONTRAST of
SHAPE using a
TRIADIC color
scheme.
Back to INDEX

24. 3. The PRINCIPLE of HARMONY:
HARMONY involves the use of elements that are
“similar but not exactly the same.”
HARMONIOUS ELEMENTS project a feeling of
“family” or “belonging together.”

25. DESIGNS in HARMONY
of LINE and SHAPE
using an ANALOGOUS
color scheme.

26. More designs in HARMONY of SHAPE and LINE
using ANALOGOUS color schemes.
Back to INDEX

27. 4. The PRINCIPLE of GRADATION:
GRADATION involves change from one extreme
to another in small sequential steps, i.e., BIG to
small, DARK to light, STRAIGHT to bent, etc.

28. GRADATION DESIGNS based on
GRADATION of DIRECTION and
VALUE, using a MONOCHROMATIC
COLOR SCHEME.

29. GRADATION DESIGNS based on
GRADATION of COLOR INTENSITY using
a COMPLEMENTARY-MIX color scheme.

30. GRADATION DESIGNS utilizing GRADATION of
SHAPE and GRADATION of VALUE using SPLIT-
COMPLEMENTARY color schemes.

31. DESIGN in
GRADATION of
SHAPE, DIRECTION
and VALUE.
DESIGN in GRADATION
of SHAPE.
Both of these designs utilize a
SPLIT-COMPLEMENTARY color
scheme.
Back to INDEX

32. 5. The PRINCIPLE of BALANCE:
BALANCE involves the sense of stability between
weights and tensions within a design or composition.
There are two types of BALANCE:
A. SYMMETRICAL balance.
B. ASYMMETRICAL balance.

33. Designs that are SYMMETRICAL are in a state
of perfect balance, and project a feeling of being
“static” or “unmoving.”
SYMMETRICAL BALANCE:

34. ASYMMETRICAL BALANCE:
Designs that are ASYMMETRICAL are slightly
“unbalanced” and project a feeling of
“dominance” by certain elements or areas.
Usually ASYMMETRICAL designs are more
dynamic and more interesting than
SYMMETRICAL DESIGNS.
Back to INDEX

35. 5. The PRINCIPLE of UNITY:
UNITY is the result of using design
ELEMENTS and PRINCIPLES in a manner
that creates a pleasing and interesting design.
In short, a “good design” has UNITY while a
“poor design” appears disjointed and chaotic.
Back to INDEX

36. PRINCIPLES SUMMARY:
The PRINCIPLES of ART and DESIGN are
REPETITION, CONTRAST, HARMONY,
GRADATION, BALANCE and UNITY.
The PRINCIPLES describe HOW an artist uses
ELEMENTS to create art.
Back to INDEX

37. While the terminology applying to art elements
and principles varies somewhat from artist to
artist and book to book, the basic concepts are
the same. For example, “form” is a 3-
dimensional variation of “shape”, “discord” is a
form of “contrast”, and “rhythm” is achieved by
repeating a pattern of elements.