DESIGN AND COLOUR

The elements and principles of design are the building blocks used to create a work of art. The elements of design can be thought of as the things that make up a painting, drawing, design etc. Good or bad - all paintings will contain most of if not all, the seven elements of design. The Principles of design can be thought of as what we do to the elements of design. How we apply the Principles of design determines how successful we are in creating a work of art.
THE ELEMENTS OF DESIGN

LINE Line can be considered in two ways. The linear marks made with a pen or brush or the edge created when two shapes meet. SHAPE shape is a self contained defined area of geometric or organic form. painting automatically creates a negative shape. positive shape in a

DIRECTION ll lines have direction - Hori!ontal, "ertical or #bli$ue. Hori!ontal suggests calmness, stability and tran$uillity. "ertical gives a feeling of balance, formality and alertness. #bli$ue suggests movement and action see notes on direction SIZE %i!e is simply the relationship of the area occupied by one shape to that of another. TEXTURE Te&ture is the surface $uality of a shape - rough, smooth, soft hard glossy etc. Te&ture can be physical 'tactile( or visual. see notes on te&ture COLOUR lso called Hue see notes on colour VALUE "alue is the lightness or darkness of a colour. "alue is also called Tone see notes on tonal contrast

THE PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

BALANCE )alance in design is similar to balance in physics

large shape close to the center can be balanced by a small shape close to the edge. large light toned shape will be balanced by a small dark toned shape 'the darker the shape the heavier it appears to be( GRADATION Gradation of si!e and direction produce linear perspective. Gradation of of colour from warm to cool and tone from dark to light produce aerial perspective. Gradation can add interest and movement to a shape. gradation from dark to light will cause the eye to move along a shape.

REPETITION *epetition with variation is interesting, without variation repetition can become monotonous.

The five s$uares above are all the same. They can be taken in and understood with a single glance.

+hen variation is introduced, the five s$uares, although similar, are much more interesting to look at. They can no longer be absorbed properly with a single glance. The individual character of each s$uare needs to be considered. ,f you wish to create interest, any repeating element should include a degree of variation. CONTRAST -ontrast is the .u&taposition of opposing elements eg. opposite colours on the colour wheel red / green, blue / orange etc. -ontrast in tone or value - light / dark. -ontrast in direction hori!ontal / vertical. The ma.or contrast in a painting should be located at the center of interest. Too much contrast scattered throughout a painting can destroy unity and make a work difficult to look at. 0nless a feeling of chaos and confusion are what you are seeking, it is a good idea to carefully consider where to place your areas of ma&imum contrast. HARMONY Harmony in painting is the visually satisfying effect of combining similar, related elements. eg.ad.acent colours on the colour wheel, similar shapes etc. DOMINANCE 1ominance gives a painting interest, counteracting confusion and monotony. 1ominance can be applied to one or more of the elements to give emphasis

UNITY *elating the design elements to the the idea being e&pressed in a painting reinforces the principal of unity.eg. a painting with an active aggressive sub.ect would work better with a dominant

obli$ue direction, course, rough te&ture, angular lines etc. whereas a $uiet passive sub.ect would benefit from hori!ontal lines, soft te&ture and less tonal contrast. 0nity in a painting also refers to the visual linking of various elements of the work.

fter studying these notes on the elements and principals of design, try this e&ercise 2 3#H4 L#"5TT 6777

Elements of des !n
1esign elements are the basic units of a visual image. These elements include8

S"#$e %pace is the area provided for a particular purpose. ,t may have two dimensions 'length and width(, such as a floor, or it may have three dimensions 'length, width, and height(. %pace includes the background, foreground and middle ground. %pace refers to the distances or areas around, between or within components of a piece. There are two type of space8 positive and negative space. Positive space refers to the space of a shape representing the sub.ect matter. 4egative space refers to the space around and between the sub.ect matter. L ne Line is the basic element that refers to the continuous movement of a point along a surface, such as by a pencil or brush. The edges of shapes and forms also create lines. ,t is the basic component of a shape drawn on paper. Lines and curves are the basic building blocks of two dimensional shapes like a house9s plan. 5very line has length, thickness, and direction. There are curve, hori!ontal, vertical, diagonal, !ig!ag, wavy, parallel, dash, and dotted lines. )alance )alance can be either symmetrical or asymmetrical. )alance also refers to a sense that dominant focal points don9t give a feeling of being pulled too much to any specific part of the artwork. )alance can be achieved by the location of ob.ects, volume or si!es of ob.ects, and by color. ,t can also be achieved by balancing lighter colors with darker colors, or bold colors with light neutral colors. Colo% -olor is seen either by the way light reflects off a surface, or in colored light sources. *ed colors seem to come forward while blue seems to recede into the distance.:citation needed; -olor and particularly contrasting color is also used to draw the attention to a particular part of the image. There are primary colors, secondary colors, and tertiary colors. -omplementary colors are colors that are opposite to each other on the color wheel. -omplementary colors are used to create contrast. nalogous colors are colors that are found side by side on the color wheel. These can be used to create color harmony. <onochromatic colors are tints and shades of one color. +arm colors are a group of colors that consist of reds, yellows, and oranges. -ool colors are group of colors that consist of purples, greens, and blues. S&#"e shape is defined as an area that stands out from the space ne&t to or around it due to a defined or implied boundary, or because of differences of value, color, or te&ture.:6; %hapes can also show perspective by overlapping. They can be geometric or organic. %hapes in house decor and interior design can be used to add interest, style, theme to a design like a door. %hape in interior design depends on the function of the ob.ect like a kitchen cabinet door. 4atural shapes forming patterns on wood or stone may help increase visual appeal in interior design. ,n a landscape, natural shapes, such as trees contrast with geometric such as houses. Te't(%e Te&ture is perceived surface $uality. ,n art, there are two types of te&ture8 tactile and implied. Tactile te&ture 'real te&ture( is the way the surface of an ob.ect actual feels. 5&amples of this include sandpaper, cotton balls, tree bark, puppy fur, etc. ,mplied te&ture is the way the surface on an ob.ect looks like it feels. The te&ture may look rough,

fi!!y, gritty, but cannot actually be felt. This type of te&ture is used by artist when drawing or painting. )o%m =orm is any three dimensional ob.ect. =orm can be measured, from top to bottom 'height(, side to side 'width(, and from back to front 'depth(. =orm is also defined by light and dark. There are two types of form, geometric 'man-made( and natural 'organic form(. =orm may be created by the combining of two or more shapes. ,t may be enhanced by tone, te&ture and color. ,t can be illustrated or constructed. V#l(e "alue is an element of art that refers to the relationship between light and dark on a surface or ob.ect and also helps with =orm. ,t gives ob.ects depth and perception. "alue is also referred to as tone. The 1esign in Theory and Practice column is dedicated to helping the reader gain a better understanding of +eb design. The first step in this process is getting a grasp on the fundamentals. To achieve this, we need to reali!e that the discipline of +eb design is inherently part of a larger whole. The fundamental concepts underlying +eb design have been inherited from the larger field of design, and indeed from other art forms in general. This means that we need to momentarily step away from the medium of the +eb and adopt a broader perspective.

Int%od($t on
The elements of design discuss the components of the composition itself, and provide the designer with a basic set of tools to begin working with. ,n The Principles of 1esign we looked at half of the basic tenets that underlie the field of design. The principles of design represent the basic assumptions of the world that guide the design practice, and deal with the arrangements of ob.ects in any given composition. ,n this column we investigate the other half of the tenets, the elements of design, in an effort to bring together a solid foundation on which we can base all future investigations.

*&#t #%e Elements of Des !n+

The elements of design are the basic components used as part of any composition. They are the ob.ects to be arranged, the constituent parts used to create the composition itself. ,n most situations the elements of design build upon one another, the former element helping to create the latter, and the elements described in this column are arranged as such. +e will be focusing on the elements of point, line, form 'shape(, te&ture and color.

Po nt
point is an element that has position, but no e&tension. ,t is a single mark in space with a precise, but limited, location. lone it can provide a powerful relation between negative and positive space, but when grouped with other points the Gestalt grouping principal of closure

tends to kick in and the brain compulsively connects the points together. Line or form is a natural result of multiple points in space.

Point

Multiple points in space

Closure

L ne
line is an element characteri!ed by length and direction. Lines create contours and form, and are often used to convey a specific kind of feeling or point to an important feature in a design. Lines are also used to create perspective, and dominant directional lines are often adopted to create a sense of continuance in a composition. ,n addition, lines that are grouped together often create a sense of value, density or te&ture.

Organic

Rigi

Di!!ering "eig#ts

)o%m ,S&#"eThe simplest definition of shape is a closed contour, an element defined by its perimeter. The three basic shapes are8 circle, rectangle 's$uare( and triangle. =orm is the shape and structure of a dimensional element within a given composition. =orm can be both two-dimensional and threedimensional and can be realistic, abstract or somewhere in between. The terms form and shape are often used synonymously, which is why they are both included here. ,n reality, form is derived from the combination of point, line and shape.

Contour

Di$ensional

Te't(%e
Te&ture is used to create surface appearance, and relates to the physical make-up of a given form. Te&ture often refers to the material that something is made of, and can be created using any of the elements previously discussed. Te&ture is both a visual and a tactile phenomenon.

Roug# te%ture

Organic te%ture

Colo%
-olor is the response of the eye to differing wavelengths of radiation within the visible spectrum. The visible spectrum is what we perceive as light. ,t is the part of the electromagnetic spectrum that we can see. The typical human eye will respond to wavelengths between >??-@?? nanometers 'nm(, with red being at one end '@?? nm(, violet at the other '>?? nm( and every other color in between these two. There are many different kinds of color systems, and many different theories on color. +e will get into that kind of detail in a later column. =or now we will focus on the basics, using a color wheel for illustration purposes. There are three main components of color8

Hue& '#ere t#e color is positione on t#e color "#eel( Ter$s suc# as re ) *lue+green) an $au,e all e!ine t#e #ue o! a gi,en color( Value& T#e general lig#tness or ar-ness o! a color( In general) #o" close to *lac- or "#ite a gi,en color is( Saturation& T#e intensit.) or le,el o! c#ro$a) o! a color( T#e $ore gra. a color #as in it) t#e less c#ro$a it #as(

Color harmonies

-olor harmonies serve to describe the relationships certain colors have to one another, and how they can be combined to create a palette of color.

Complementary& A co$ple$entar. relations#ip is a #ar$on. o! t"o colors on t#e opposite si e o! t#e color "#eel( '#en co$ple$entar. colors are place si e+*.+si e t#e. ten to en#ance t#e intensit. /c#ro$a0 o! eac# ot#er) an "#en t#e. are *len e toget#er t#e. ten to ecrease t#e intensit. o! eac# ot#er( Analogous& An analogous relations#ip is a #ar$on. o! colors "#ose #ues are a 1acent to one anot#er on t#e color "#eel( Analogous colors ten to *e !a$ilies o! colors suc# as *lues /*lue) *lue+,iolet) *lue+green0 an .ello"s /.ello") .ello"+orange) .ello"+green0( Triadic& A tria ic relations#ip is a #ar$on. o! t#ree colors e2ui istant !ro$ one anot#er on t#e color "#eel( Pri$ar. colors an secon ar. colors are e%a$ples o! color tria s(

,n these e&amples, a subtractive color space was used for illustrative purposes.

Co$ple$entar.

Analogous

Tria ic

Color spaces

-olor is typically organi!ed in a hierarchal fashion, based on how colors are mi&ed. color space helps to define how the colors are mi&ed, based on the medium in which the colors are used. There are two different kinds of color spaces8

Subtractive& A su*tracti,e color space is t#e tra itional color space t#at $ost people re!er to "#en t#e. tal- a*out color( It is pig$ent+*ase color) as in t#e $i%ing o! paint( In a su*tracti,e color space) t#e pig$ents $anipulate t#e "a,elengt#s t#at our e.es see( T#e a*sence o! an. pig$ent pro uces "#ite) an all pig$ents *len e toget#er pro uces *lac-( o Pri$ar. colors& Re ) .ello") *lue o Secon ar. colors& Orange) green) ,iolet Additive& An a iti,e color space is an electronic color space( It is lig#t+ *ase color) as in t#e $i%ing o! color on t#e co$puter( In an a iti,e color space) lig#t is a e to t#e screen in i!!ering a$ounts to pro uce color( T#e a*sence o! an. lig#t is *lac-) t#e presence o! all lig#t) or lig#t at !ull intensit.) is "#ite( o Pri$ar. colors& Re ) green) *lue o Secon ar. colors& 3ello") $agenta) c.an

Su*tracti,e color space

iti,e color space

Rel#ted Con$e"ts
There are many additional concepts that are related to the elements of design. These can include specific terms and/or techni$ues that are in some way based on one or more of the above ideas. ,n they end, they add to the collection of compositional tools available for use by the designer.
Typography

Typography is the art of arranging typefaces, selecting style, line spacing, layout and design as a means of solidifying language. There are many facets to typography, and only a brief investigation will be started here based around some common terms.

Baseline& T#e line on "#ic# all letters rest( Beardline& T#e line reac#e *. t#e escen ers o! lo"ercase letters(

Bowl& T#e roun or elliptical parts o! a letter!or$( Cap line& T#e line reac#e *. t#e top o! uppercase letters( Counter& T#e "#ite space enclose *. a letter!or$) "#et#er co$pletel. or partiall.( Extenders& E%ten ers are t#e parts o! letters t#at e%ten eit#er *elo" t#e *aseline / escen ers0 or a*o,e t#e $i line /ascen ers0( Midline& T#e top o! lo"ercase letters suc# as a) c) e an t#e top o! t#e torso o! lo"ercase letters suc# as *) ( Seri & A stro-e a e to eit#er t#e *eginning or en o! one o! t#e $ain stro-es o! a letter( Stem& T#e $ain stro-e o! a letter t#at is generall. straig#t an not part o! a *o"l( Topline& T#e line reac#e *. t#e ascen ers o! lo"ercase letters( !"height& T#e istance *et"een t#e *aseline an $i line o! an alp#a*et( T#e %+#eig#t is usuall. t#e #eig#t o! t#e une%ten e lo"ercase letters(

#attern

Pattern is the repetition of shape or form. ,t can also reflect the underlying structure of a design by organi!ing the surfaces or ob.ects in the composition. There are many different kinds of patterns8

$lowing& A !lo"ing pattern is *ase on t#e repetition o! an un ulating line) an re!lects a natural $ean ering t#roug# a co$position( Branching& A *ranc#ing pattern is t#e repetition o! !or-ing lines) or patterns o! e,iation( T#ese -in s o! patterns can *e !oun in al$ost all plants) an in $an. ot#er places in t#e natural "orl ( Spiraling& A circular pattern) or a pattern t#at "in s in an aroun itsel!(

Movement

<ovement can be defined as motion of ob.ects in space over time, and is often described in one of two ways8

%iteral& Literal $o,e$ent is p#.sical $o,e$ent( E%a$ples o! literal $o,e$ent inclu e& Pro ucts suc# as t#e auto$o*ile) $otion pictures an ance( Compositional& Co$positional $o,e$ent is t#e $o,e$ent o! t#e ,ie"er4s e.e t#roug# a gi,en co$position( Co$positional $o,e$ent can *e eit#er static or .na$ic( Static $o,e$ent 1u$ps *et"een isolate parts o! a

co$position( D.na$ic $o,e$ent !lo"s s$oot#l. !ro$ one part o! t#e co$position to anot#er(

Con$l(s on
+e have thoroughly e&plored the fundamental concepts of the field of design. The principles of design give us a way of looking at the world. The overarching a&ioms of the profession affect the designer universally, and provide guidance for any composition. The elements of design discuss the components of the composition itself, and provide the designer with a basic set of tools to begin working with. ,n order to e&plore the fundamentals of design, we needed to step back a bit away from any one medium. 4ow it is time to focus in on the +eb. ,n the ne&t column we will investigate the constraints of designing for the +eb that can effect how we make use of the principles and elements of design. +e will look at medium-specific concepts, such as screen resolution, graphics compression and color mi&ing in additive spaces.

line is a form with width and length, but no depth. rtists use lines to create edges, the outlines of ob.ects. line is created by the movement of the artist9s pen. L ne D %e$t on The direction of a line can convey mood. Hori!ontal lines are calm and $uiet,

vertical lines suggest more of a potential for movement,

Conto(% #nd !est(%e Lines used to follow the edges of forms are called contour drawings

1rawings which seem to depict more movement than actual outline are called gesture drawings.

L ne #s V#l(e Lines or crosshatching can also be used to create areas of grey inside a drawing. These areas of darker shading inside a figure, called areas of value, can give a more three-dimensional feeling to an ob.ect.

shape is an enclosed ob.ect. %hapes can be created by line, or by color and value changes which define their edges. Vol(me #nd M#ss %hape is considered to be a two-dimensional element, while three-dimensional elements have volume or mass. Therefore, a painting has shapes, while a sculpture has volume and mass. Pos t .e/Ne!#t .e s&#"es ,n a picture, the shapes that the artist has placed are considered the positive shapes. The spaces around the shapes are the negative spaces. ,t is .ust as important to consider the negative space in a picture as the positive shapes. %ometimes artists create pieces that have no distinction between positive and negative spaces. <. -. 5scher was a master at creating drawings where there was no distinction between positive and negative space. Here are two e&amples of 5scher9s work which show the interplay between positive and negative space8

Te&ture is the surface $uality of an ob.ect. +e e&perience te&ture when we touch ob.ects and feel their roughness, smoothness or patterns. Te&ture is the artist9s way of mapping these tactile impressions on to the two-dimensional picture. Te&ture is created by varying the pattern of light and dark areas on an ob.ect. 4otice how the areas of light and dark give the impression of depth to the image below.

Value

Color Space

Color P%o"e%t es of Colo%0

Colo% S$&emes0

Hue Color Value &ntensity

Monochromatic Analogous Complementary Triadic

Color (iscord

'ptical Color Mixing

Value
"alue refers to the relative lightness or darkness of a certain area. "alue can be used for emphasis. "ariations in value are used to create a focal point for the design of a picture. light figure on a dark background will be immediately recogni!ed as the center of attention, similarly for a dark figure on a mostly white background. Gradations of value are also used to create the illusion of depth. reas of light and dark can give a three-dimensional impression, such as when 1rawing by <arguerite %mith, %askatoon shading areas of a person9s face.

Color
-olor occurs when light in different wavelengths strikes our eyes. #b.ects have no color of their own, only the ability to reflect a certain wavelength of light back to our eyes. s you know, color can vary in differing circumstances. =or e&ample, grass can appear gray in the morning or evening or bright green at noon. -olors appear different depending on whether you view them under incandescent, florescent or natural sunlight. -olors also change according to their surroundings. Aou can see this by looking at the color s$uares below - the reddish outline bo& is the same color in all the e&amples.

P%o"e%t es of Colo%
Hue

Hue refers to the color itself. 5ach different hue is a different reflected wavelength of light. +hite light broken in a prism has seven hues8 red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. +hite light occurs when all the wavelengths are reflected back to your eye, and black light occurs when no light is reflected to your eye. This is the physics of light.

+hen it comes to using color in art, things get $uite messy. Looking at the color wheel above, when using color pigments, the three primary colors used are yellow, blue and red. These three colors are blended together to produce other colors, called secondary colors, such as green, orange and purple. <i& enough colors together, and you get black. Pretty strange, ehB

Computer Colors

#rinter Colors

-omputer colors are produced by Things get even dicier on computers when you go to combining the three colors of red, green and print out these colors. Printing uses the -A<C

blue together. )elieve it or not, you can get yellow by combining these colors ',9ve never been able to figure out why, but you canD(

convention which takes cyan 'light blue(, yellow, magenta 'pinky red( and black inks and tries to recreate the color that your computer created with red, green and blue light.

Color Value

-olor value refers to the lightness or darkness of the hue. dding white to a hue produces a highvalue color, often called a tint. dding black to a hue produces a low-value color, often called a shade.
&ntensity

,ntensity, also called chroma or saturation, refers to the brightness of a color. color is at full intensity when not mi&ed with black or white - a pure hue. Aou can change the intensity of a color, making it duller or more neutral by adding gray to the color. Aou can also change the intensity of a color by adding its complement 'this is the color found directly opposite on the traditional color wheel(. +hen changing colors this way, the color produced is called a tone. +hen you mi& complementary colors together, you produce a dull tone. However, when you put complementary colors side by side, you increase their intensity. This effect is called simultaneous contrast - each color simultaneously intensifies the visual brightness of the other color. )elow are some e&amples of how this works, using a program called <etacreations painter. s you can see, you choose a hue from the outer ring. ,nside the triangle, you can vary the saturation of the hue 'amount of color(, the tint or the shade.

bove8 choosing a less saturated color of blue bove8 choosing a pure color of blue 'hue( by 'tone( by moving the cursor toward the center of moving the cursor all the way to the right. the triangle.

bove8 adding white 'tint( to the color by moving the cursor to the top part of the triangle

bove8 adding black 'shade( to the color by moving the cursor toward the bottom part of the triangle

O"t $#l Colo% M ' n! +hen small dots of color are placed ad.acent to each other, your eye will combine the colors into a blended color. This is the principle used when printing color in maga!ines. 1ots of cyan, magenta, yellow and black are distributed in a pattern on the paper, and depending on the $uantity of a certain dot, you will see a specific color on the page. Paul %ignac used a techni$ue called pointillism that involved creating art using the combination of dots to form images. 5ie" Port St( Trope6. Colo% #nd S"#$e -ertain colors have an advancing or receding $uality, based on how our eye has to ad.ust to see them. +arm colors such as red, orange or yellow seem to come forward while cool colors such as blue and green seem to recede slightly. ,n the atmosphere, distant ob.ects appear bluish and the further away an ob.ect appears, the less colorful and distinct it becomes. rtists use this to give an illusion of depth, by using more neutral and grayish colors in the background. Colo% S$&emes
Monochromatic

T#is color sc#e$e in,ol,es t#e use o! onl. one #ue( T#e #ue can ,ar. in ,alue) an *lac- or "#ite $a. *e a e to create ,arious s#a es or tints(
Analogous

T#is color sc#e$e in,ol,es t#e use o! colors t#at are locate a 1acent on t#e color "#eel( T#e #ues $a. ,ar. in ,alue( T#e color sc#e$e !or t#is site is analogous) "it# t#e colors ,ar.ing onl. slig#tl. !ro$ eac# ot#er(
Complementary

T#is color sc#e$e in,ol,es t#e use o! colors t#at are locate opposite on t#e color "#eel suc# as re an green) .ello" an purple) or orange an *lue( Co$ple$entar. colors pro uce a ,er. e%citing) .na$ic pattern(
Triadic

T#is color sc#e$e in,ol,es t#e use o! colors t#at are e2uall. space on t#e color "#eel( T#e pri$ar. colors o! .ello") re an green coul *e use toget#er in a color sc#e$e to pro uce a li,el. result(

-heck out -olor Picker web software. This application will allow you to choose a color and then display its complementary or triadic match. Hint8 read the instructions first, then click on the link which says E#pen -olor Picker FE. Color Pic-er 7.

Colo% D s$o%d '#ile $onoc#ro$atic) analogous) co$ple$entar. or tria ic color sc#e$es are consi ere to *e #ar$onious) t#ere are so$e color sc#e$es consi ere issonant( Discor ant colors are ,isuall. istur*ing + "e sa. t#e. clas#( Colors t#at are "i el. separate on t#e color "#eel /*ut not co$ple$entar. or tria ic0 are consi ere to *e iscor ant( Discor ant colors can *e e.e+catc#ing an are o!ten use !or attention+getting e,ices in a ,ertising( %ome sources for information about color8

Ill(s on of S"#$e #nd De"t&

+e live in a three-dimensional world of depth. +hen we look around us, some things seem closer, some further away. The artist can also show the illusion of depth by using the following means8

Si6e 8 5ertical Location O,erlapping Detail /Aerial or At$osp#eric Perspecti,e0 Linear Perspecti,e
Si)e * Vertical %ocation

%ince ob.ects in our environment look smaller when they are farther away, the easiest way to show depth is to vary the si!e of ob.ects, with closer ob.ects being larger and more distant ob.ects being smaller. s well, we perceive ob.ects that are higher on the page and smaller as being further away than ob.ects which are in the forefront of a picture.
'verlapping

+hen ob.ects are partially obscured by other ob.ects in front of them, we perceive them as further back than the covering ob.ects. +e do not see them as incomplete forms, .ust further back.

(etail +Aerial or Atmospheric #erspective,

tmospheric perspective uses color and value contrasts to show depth. #b.ects which are further away generally have less distinct contrast - they may fade into the background or become indistinct dark areas. The foreground ob.ects will be clear with sharper contrast. Here is a lin- to Leonar o a 5inci9s use o! aerial perspecti,e& In,estigating aerial perspecti,e

%inear #erspective +Converging %ines,

Linear perspective is based on the idea that all lines will converge on a common point on the hori!on called the vanishing point. Aou have observed linear perspective when you notice that the lines on the highway appear to meet at a point in the distance. rtists use linear perspective to create a focal point for a picture. ny walls, ceilings, floors or other ob.ects with lines will appear to come together at the hori!on line. These lines converging lead our eyes towards that point. #ften, the most important ob.ect or person in the picture will be located at that point. Aou can see in the drawing above how all the lines in the drawing seem to lead your eye toward the church in the center back of the drawing. #ther types of perspective, such as two-point or multipoint perspective are also used. Two-point perspective, which occurs when you display a building from a corner view, as opposed to a front view, is often used by architects to show a more three-dimensional view of a building. To learn the mechanics of setting up a picture using linear or multipoint perspective check out this site8 Art Stu io C#al-*oar Here is a web page which investigates linear perspective in Leonardo da "inci9s work8

The Elements- %ine

line is a mark made by a moving point and having psychological impact according to its direction, weight, and the variations in its direction and weight. ,t is an enormously useful and versatile graphic device that is made to function in 1ot& visual and verbal ways. ,t can act as as a symbolic language, or it can communicate emotion through its character and direction

Line is not necessarily an artificial creation of the artist or designerG it e&ists in n#t(%e as a structural feature such as branches, or as surface design, such as striping on a tiger or a seashell.

,t can function nde"endentl2 to suggest forms that can be recogni!ed, even when the lines are limited in e&tent. This can be seen in drawings such as the %aul %teinberg illustration shown here, or in le&ander -alder9s minimal wire sculptures, which convey a great deal of information about the figure with the most limited line.

Lines can be $om1 ned with other lines to create te&tures and patterns. This is common in engravings and pen and ink drawings such as the one on the right

'click and enlarge to see linear detail(. The use of line in combination results in the development of fo%m and .#l(e, which are other elements of design.

However, line is not always e&plicit. ,t can e&ist 12 m"l $#t on, as the edge of forms. s young children we usually begin drawing landscapes by making outlines for earth, sky, and other ob.ects. Gradually we learn that ob.ects do not have such outlines and we let color changes define the edges of shapes, creating implicit lines. Thus we can speak of a hori!on Eline,E or the ElinesE of a car or a fashion silhouette, even though we know there is no literal line present. =or additional visual e&amples of

Expressive .ualities o %ine

Certain arrange$ents o! line are co$$onl. un erstoo to carr. certain -in s o! in!or$ation(

=or e&ample, $#ll !%#"&2 is recogni!able as a representation of words, even when we do not know the language. -alligraphic imagery is often used by modern artists simply because of the mysterious messages implied in the EcodeE of unknown language.

Line in the form of m#"s is readily recogni!ed as a symbolic representation of a place. The place may be a local neighborhood, or the entire world. ,t may be a carefully measured representation, or a styli!ed diagram, such as a subway map. ,n either case, we understand it to be a device by which we can understand the relationship between placesG how to get from EhereE to Ethere.E

)loo% "l#ns are a speciali!ed kind of map, a commonly understood device which describes a building. This linear language can be understood even when the building is as unusual as this one, which was to be constructed of a sprayed foam material in a decidedly unconventional form.

G%#"&s are another readily recogni!able linear device. They are widely used to communicate $uantitative information and relationships in a visual way. =rom the time we first meet them in basic algebra, to the last time we picked up a copy of USA Today, we encounter and interpret graphs.

L ne #lso $omm(n $#tes emot on #nd st#tes of m nd t&%o(!& ts $&#%#$te% #nd d %e$t on3 The variations of meaning generally relate to our bodily e&perience of line and direction.

Ho% 4ont#l line suggests a feeling of rest or repose. #b.ects parallel to the earth are at rest in relation to gravity. Therefore compositions in which hori!ontal lines dominate tend to be $uiet and restful in feeling. #ne of the hallmarks of =rank Lloyd +right9s architectural style is its use of strong hori!ontal elements which stress the relationship of the structure to the land.

Ve%t $#l lines communicate a feeling of loftiness and spirituality. 5rect lines seem to e&tend upwards beyond human reach, toward the sky. They often dominate public architecture, from cathedrals to corporate head$uarters. 5&tended perpendicular lines suggest an overpowering grandeur, beyond ordinary human measure.

D #!on#l l nes suggest a feeling of movement or direction. %ince ob.ects in a diagonal position are unstable in relation to gravity, being neither vertical nor hori!ontal, they are either about to fall, or are already in motion, as is certainly the case for this group of dancers. ,n

a two dimensional composition diagonal lines are also used to indicate depth, an illusion of perspective that pulls the viewer into the picture-creating an illusion of a space that one could move about within. Thus if a feeling of movement or speed is desired, or a feeling of activity, diagonal lines can be used.

Ho% 4ont#l #nd .e%t $#l l nes n $om1 n#t on communicate stability and solidity. *ectilinear forms stay put in relation to gravity, and are not likely to tip over. This stability suggests permanence, reliability and safety. ,n the case of the man in this family group, the lines seem to imply stability to the point of stodginess. Dee"5 #$(te $(%.es, on the other hand, suggest confusion, turbulence, even fren!y, as in the violence of waves in a storm, the chaos of a tangled thread, or the turmoil of lines suggested by the forms of a crowd. The complicated curves used to form the mother in the family group shown above suggest a fussy, frivolous personality.

C(%.ed l nes do vary in meaning, however. Soft5 s&#llo6 $(%.es suggest comfort, safety, familiarity, rela&ation. They recall the curves of the human body, and therefore have a pleasing, sensual $uality. The 7(#l t2 of t&e l ne is in itself a fundamental visual language, to an e&tent that cannot be claimed for any other single element. ,ts use is so universal that we are all profoundly sensitive to it. 5ven without an artist9s training, we can e&tract considerable meaning from the kind of line used in a drawing. ,t is possible to recogni!e the soft, irregular lines of a $uick sketch from life, as seen in this study of a lion.

#n the other hand, the crisp, carefully placed lines of the rhinocerous are typical of a more studied, scrupulously worked studio drawing. The lines suggest that this was not drawn from life, but from hearsay. This is also evident from the fact that 1urer drew this rather inaccurate image in fifteenth century 5urope when he could only have known of this frican animal from travellers9 tales.

The $uality of line in itself contributes to the mood of the work, and for the master artist, the $uality of line is a fundamental e&pression of his/her style. This drawing of a nude by <atisse demonstrates his ability to create his image through a minimal number of e&pertly placed lines-lines that by their placement and movement on the page identify this work with this artist as surely as a signature.
line A line represents a :pat#: *et"een t"o points( A line can *e straig#t) cur,e ) ,ertical) #ori6ontal) iagonal) or 6ig6ag( Lines i$pl. $otion an suggest irection or orientation( A line can also *e i$plie ) t#at is !ille in *. t#e $in "#en se,eral points are positione geo$etricall. "it#in a !ra$e( Placing !our ots on a page in t#e s#ape o! a s2uare can i$pl. t#e points are lin-e as t#e $in searc#es !or recogni6a*le patterns( T#e irection an orientation o! a line can also i$pl. certain !eelings( Hori6ontal lines i$pl. tran2uilit. an rest) "#ereas ,ertical lines i$pl. po"er an strengt#( O*li2ue lines i$pl. $o,e$ent) action an c#ange( Cur,e lines or S s#ape lines i$pl. 2uiet) cal$ an sensual !eelings( Lines t#at con,erge i$pl. ept#) scale an istance + a !ence or roa "a. con,erges into t#e istance pro,i es t#e illusion t#at a !lat t"o+ i$ensional i$age #as t#ree+ i$ensional ept#( A line is an e!!ecti,e ele$ent o! esign *ecause it can lea t#e ,ie"er9s e.e( To create $ore e!!ecti,e p#otograp#s acti,el. loo- !or lines an arrange t#e$ "it#in .our ,ie"!in er to in,o-e speci!ic !eelings(

Shape S#apes are t#e result o! close lines( Ho"e,er s#apes can *e ,isi*le "it#out lines "#en an artist esta*lis#es a color area or an arrange$ent o! o*1ects "it#in t#e ca$era9s ,ie"!in er( So$e pri$ar. s#apes inclu e circles) s2uares) triangles an #e%agons all o! "#ic# appear in nature in so$e !or$ or anot#er( Space is e!ine an eter$ine *. s#apes an !or$s( Positi,e space is "#ere s#apes an !or$s e%ist; negati,e space is t#e e$pt. space aroun s#apes an !or$s( For i$ages to #a,e a sense o! *alance positi,e an negati,e space can *e use to counter *alance eac# ot#er(

$orm " %ight * (ar/ For$ re!ers to t#e t#ree+ i$ensional 2ualit. o! an o*1ect) "#ic# is ue in part to lig#t) an ar- areas( '#en lig#t !ro$ a single irection /e(g( our sun0 #its an o*1ect) part o! t#e o*1ect is in s#a o"( Lig#t an ar- areas "it#in an i$age pro,i e contrast t#at can suggest ,olu$e( Factors t#at can a!!ect our !eelings to"ar s an

i$age inclu e t#e irection o! t#e lig#t source) !ro$ a*o,e or *elo") an t#e gentleness or a*ruptness o! t#e #al! tones( Lig#t co$ing !ro$ *e#in a su*1ect can !or$ a sil#ouette resulting in o*1ect t#at is co$pletel. *lac- against a lig#ter colore *ac-groun ( Sil#ouettes appear as t"o+ i$ensional s#apes lac-ing !or$( T#e a*sence o! color o!ten en#ances our perception o! !or$ !or instance in *lacan "#ite p#otograp#s( Lig#t e$itte !ro$ a*o,e an to t#e si e "#en applie to portraits creates "#at is o!ten re!erre to as :Re$*ran t lig#ting:( T#is !or$ o! lig#ting e$p#asi6es e ges an ept#( In lan scape p#otograp#. o*li2ue lig#ting occurs earl. an late in t#e a. "#ere it en#ances t#e natural te%ture o! t#e lan scape an is o!ten acco$panie *. "ar$ or cool color casts(

Color T#ere #as *een a tre$en ous a$ount o! researc# on #o" color a!!ects #u$an *eings an so$e o! t#is researc# suggests t#at $en an "o$en $a. respon to colors i!!erentl.( Color a!!ects us e$otionall.) "it# i!!erent colors e,o-ing i!!erent e$otions( In s#ort color #as t#e capacit. to a!!ect t#e #u$an ner,ous s.ste$(

The vocabulary o color includesHue- re!ers to t#e na$es o! t#e pri$ar. colors) re ) green an *lue( Value- lig#tness an ar-ness o! t#e color + t#e a$ount o! "#ite or *lac- a e (

&ntensity- t#e purit. or saturation o! t#e color Monochromatic color- use o! one color "#ere onl. t#e ,alue o! t#e color c#anges Analogous colors- colors t#at are a 1acent to eac# ot#er on t#e color "#eel) e(g( .ello" an green

Analogous colors ne%t to eac# ot#er on t#e color "#eel :get along: an are re!erre to as *eing #ar$onious( Analogous colors are o!ten use in ,isual esign an #a,e a soot#ing a!!ect( Complementary colors- colors opposite to eac# ot#er on t#e color "#eel) e(g( <lue+,iolet an .ello") represent colors positione across !ro$ eac# ot#er on t#e color "#eel( Co$pli$entar. colors e%#i*it $ore contrast "#en positione a 1acent to eac# ot#er +!or e%a$ple .ello" appears $ore intense "#en positione on or *esi e *lue or ,iolet /see picture *elo"0(

In t#e p#otograp# a*o,e + green an .ello" are analogous colors t#at #ar$oni6e "#ere as t#e ,iolet color o! t#e s#ooting stars appears $ore intense against a co$ple$entar. colore *ac-groun ( 0arm colors include- .ello"s) re an orange "e associate t#ese "it# *loo ) sun an !ire(

Sunrise *e#in a popular tree at 'riting+on+Stone #as a "ar$ !ire li-e !eel to it(

Cool colors include- ,iolet) *lue an green *ecause o! our association "it# sno" an ice(

<an!! Springs Hotel "it# lig#t *lue !ilter e$p#asi6es t#e col ness o! "inter /Monoc#ro$atic color0 Colors are calle "ar$ or cool *ecause o! our association "it# ,arious ele$ents in our surroun ings( Re ) .ello" an orange are consi ere "ar$ colors "#ereas *lue) green an ,iolet are consi ere cool colors( T#ese contrasts are relati,e since .ello"+green are cool ne%t to re ) orange or .ello") *ut "oul *e consi ere "ar$ ne%t to *lue+,iolet( P#otograp#ers can position i!!erent colors in an i$age to $a%i$i6e contrast *et"een t#e$ an also to pro,i e perspecti,e( Perceptuall.) cool colors ten to rece e into t#e istance "#ereas "ar$ colors appear to a ,ance /see i$age *elo"0(

Loa! Mountain + "ar$ glo" o! sunrise a ,ances "#ere t#e cool *lue s#a o"s rece e(

Texture Te%ture re!ers to t#e sur!ace 2ualit. or :!eel: o! an o*1ect + s$oot#) roug#) so!t) etc( Te%tures $a. *e actual /!elt "it# touc# + tactile0 or i$plie /suggeste *. t#e "a. an artist #as create t#e "or- o! art +,isual0( Te%ture is o!ten e$p#asi6e in o*li2ue lig#ting as it stri-es t#e o*1ects !ro$ one si e(