FORMAL PROPERTIES: ELEMENTS OF ART

COLOR

HUE is the property of the color which gives it its name:

red; red-orange; orange; yellow-orange; yellow; yellow-green; green; blue-green;

blue; blue-violet; violet (purple); red-violet; brown; etc.

The PRIMARY colors are red, yellow, and blue. When two primaries are mixed, they make
SECONDARY colors. Red and yellow = orange; yellow and blue = green; blue and red =
violet.

TERTIARY colors are made by mixing a primary color with a secondary color. Red-
orange; yellow green; yellow-orange; blue-green; blue-violet; red-violet.

There are many colors between primaries and secondaries that can be made by mixing
pigments.

Mixing a hue (color) with white lightens its value to a TINT.

Mixing a hue (color) with black darkens its value to a SHADE.

COMPLEMENTARY colors are any two colors of the spectrum that combine to produce
white (in the case of light) or gray (in the case of pigment). If a disk colored half yellow
and half violet is rotated rapidly, it looks white or gray. Complementary colors are
generally opposite each other on the color wheel. Violet (or blue) and yellow; red and
green; blue and orange.

A color can be DULLED in intensity by mixing some of its complement into it. Mixed
complements NEUTRALIZE one another.

Complementary colors placed next to one another stimulate the eye and create color
illusions.

Color has a psychological effect: some colors are associated with WARMTH (red, yellow,
orange) and others appear COOL (blue, green, violet). Additionally, warm colors seem
to come forward while cool colors seem to recede.

When a work of art is made up of tints and shades of one color, it is called
MONOCHROMATIC.

Strokes of color placed close together appear, from a distance, to blend into the mixed
color.

Contrast in hue can be used for emphasis, when it is different in color, INTENSITY
(vividness or level of saturation), or VALUE (lightness/darkness).
Intensity= the density or purity of a color
bright (full intensity or brilliance)
medium
dull (grayed)
Value= the extent to which a color is dark or light
light
medium
dark
Color can be used by an artist to express and communicate ideas and emotions.

Shadows are areas of color lower in value and intensity than colors around them. Cool
light casts warm shadows and warm light casts cool shadows.

SHAPE

Shape refers to spatial form. Shape may be two or three dimensional, i.e. a flat confined
area or a form that has depth, length, width. Various types and characteristics of shape
include:

Organic- natural, living form

Inorganic- human-made, non-living forms

FORM

Open forms- broken, can be looked into or through

Closed forms- solid, self-contained

Geometric form

circle pentagon sphere

square octagon cube
rectangle polygon pyramid
triangle cylinder cone

Free form- any non-geometric form, open

Size
length height
long tall
short short

width area/volume
wide large
narrow small

depth/breadth density
thick dense
thin sparse

Mass
light heavy

SPACE

Positive space- “figure(s)” which are seen as a positive element appearing to lie in front
of a background.

Negative space- “ground” or background which surrounds shapes.

Movement- implied by a directional character because shapes have been extended in

one direction more than another, i.e. repetition of shapes all pointing in the same
direction.
LINE

Line is defined as an identifiable path of a point moving in space. People, objects and
things are perceived by noting certain qualities of line. Characteristics of line include:

width length direction focus boundary

thick long horizontal sharp edge
thin short vertical fuzzy
tapering continuous diagonal blurred
uneven broken curving
perpendicular
oblique
parallel
radial

VALUE

Dark and light refers to the amount of light absorbed or reflected on a surface. Dark and
light is perceived in terms of contrast.

light
medium
dark

Shadow is another term closely connected with dark and light. An object may absorb a
considerable amount of light that strikes it while the area within or next to it absorbs a
lesser quantity of light and appears as shadow. Shadow may also be described in terms
of:

light
medium
dark

TEXTURE

Texture is surface quality.

visual (implied) texture- textures that can be seen but not felt through physical contact.

tactile (actual) texture- textures that can be seen and felt through physical contact.

Some typical textures include:

Rough; smooth; wet; dry; hard; soft; shiny; dull (matte); slick (slippery); sticky
(abrasive);
Coarse; porous; etc.
FORMAL PROPERTIES: PRINCIPLES OF ART
Responding to ways in which objects or events are organized to achieve expressive
powers by identifying their formal properties.

Unity- The distinguishable units or elements that seem to belong to each other so that
each contributes something to the functioning of the whole.

Repetition- The reoccurrence of elements at regular intervals.

Emphasis- or contrast, is a way of combining elements to stress the differences between

those elements.

Harmony- A way of combining similar elements in an artwork to accent their similarities.

Variety- A way of combining elements in involved ways to create intricate and

complicated relationships. It is achieved through diversity and change.

Balance- An equilibrium of opposing or contrasting elements that need each other and
together they form a unity.

Symmetry- The balancing elements are alike and will appear to demand one
another as a line that falls in one direction demands a line that falls in another
direction.

Asymmetry- A balance achieved through the use of unequal parts or elements.

Movement and Rhythm- The principle of art used to create the look and feeling of action
and to guide the viewer’s eye throughout the work of art.

Gradation- A way of combining elements by using a series of gradual changes in those

elements.

Proportion- The principle of art concerned with the relationship of certain elements to the
whole and each other.
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Responding to how an art form such as a painting or piece of sculpture was made—the
artist’s skill and special use of an art medium or media and tools—by observing and
speculating on the technical properties.

Talking with an artist about the work and technical skills used is an excellent way to learn
about the relationship of the technical properties to the work of art. However, in most
situations, this direct contact is not possible. Some insight into this dimension of the work
can be gained through careful observation and some speculation. Reading about the
artist will also help to bridge this gap and provide information to verify speculations.

Identifying art media used by artists is a beginning step in becoming more

knowledgeable about this property. Some of the various media include:

chalk ink clay marble

Conté crayon metal dye paint
enamel pastels fabric pencil
gesso stone wood glass

Techniques for processing art media are varied and depend upon the special properties
of the media along with qualities and effects the artist wishes to achieve. For example, a
range of possible techniques used in working with paint include:

• applying oil paint in thin glazes to build the form

• using strokes of thick paint in rhythmic pattern
• organizing shapes with fine brush strokes
• using a dry brush to soften edges
• drawing with paint
• combining another art medium with paint
 WORD DESCRIPTORS FOR VISUAL OPPOSITES

Point Size

small large long short

solid outlined, empty thick thin
precise diffuse, vague wide narrow
virtual actual large small
wide narrow vast minute
minute vast expanding contracting
angular circular changing unchanging
connected separate similar different
moving still regular irregular
concave convex even uneven
raised recessed reduced enlarged
light heavy normal exaggerated
simple complex uniform gradated
mechanical natural enormous microscopic
2-dimensional 3-dimensional

Line Shape

straight curved straight curved

regular jerky angular circular
precise, sharp diffused, blurred simple complex
continuous broken regular irregular
imaginary real even uneven
narrow wide normal distorted
long short full partial
ruled freehand defined vague
mechanical natural precise suggested
raised recessed, incised symmetrical asymmetrical
thick thin geometric tetra
connected disconnected crystalline cellular
paralleling oblique closed open
even tapering positive negative
smooth rough single combined
positive negative complete fragmented
direct random actual imaginary
controlled meandering
attached separate

Density Number

closed spread out single double, triple

thick thin part whole
compact loose few many
massed separated one group
concentrated diluted simple compound
cluttered spacious added subtracted
localized scattered multiplied divided
bundled separated equal unequal
compressed expanded odd even
uniform gradated primary secondary
Plane Volume

rectilinear curvilinear solid open

straight curved angular curved
wide narrow opaque transparent
convex concave deep shallow
flat warped wide narrow
solid empty still moving
edge surface dense sparse
surface front, back, between mass void
opaque transparent positive negative
large small enclosed open
textured smooth
paralleling oblique
adjacent interpenetrating
flat raised
moving still
clear cloudy
sharp diffused

Rate of Movement Material

slow fast textured smooth

ponderous swift rough sleek
speeding crawling flexible rigid
smooth leaping delicate thick, heavy
flowing jerking transparent opaque
regular irregular absorbent repellent
even uneven commercial found
rhythmic random gaseous liquid
active inactive natural synthetic
starting stopping cold warm
pulsing shaking wet dry
still moving
changing unchanging
ordered chaotic Type of Action
continuous discontinuous
energetic languorous flutter agitate
uniform changing shake pivot
visible too fast to see creep jump
evolving sudden dangle quiver
merge cut
bounce roll
Duration of Movement pulsate stir
static
dynamic
short time long time wax wane
continuous discontinuous
lasting immediate
perpetual fleeting
prolonged stopped short
accelerated reduced
constant changing
Frequency of Movement

often seldom
regular irregular
in a ratio random

Interval (space)

small large
short long
close distant
equal graduated
regular irregular
ordered random
connected disconnected
near far away

Sequence of Movement Change

before after modifying transforming

following preceding stable shifting
first second gradual sudden
present past unchanging altering
consecutive simultaneous permanent fluctuating
regular irregular
in order unexpected

Shape of Movement
Size of Movement
zigzagging winding
large small restricted meandering
sweeping rigid easy constrained
long short simple complicated
hovering extending straight curved