Building blocks of creating and interpreting Art

 A line is the track made by a point moving in space. It can be where drawing starts, or line can tie everything together in a work of art and can vary in length, color, and direction  Line Types ▪ Straight ▪ Curved ▪ Thin ▪ Thick ▪ Dashed

 A two dimensional area or plane that may be open or closed, organic or geometric, found in nature or made by humans  Types of Shapes ▪ Organic ▪ Geometric  How shapes are created ▪ Positive space ▪ Negative space

 The particular characteristics of an artwork’s visual elements as distinguish from its subject matter or content, a three dimensional object with the same qualities as shape.  Attributes of form ▪ Mass: bulk, weight & density ▪ Volume: 3D quality that is bound or enclosed

 The visual sensation dependant on the reflection or absorption of light from a given surface. From this we kind find primary, secondary and tertiary colors.  Attributes of color ▪ Intensity: brightness or dullness ▪ Saturation: purity of the color ▪ Neutralization of color: dulling a color’s intensity by mixing it’s compliment ▪ Value: darkness or lightness (gradients) ▪ Mood: cool (blue, green, violet) or warm (red, yellow, orange)

 Artists overlap things to create the illusion of space. As in the real world things can partially overlap objects that are farther away.  Linear Perspective: lines that are parallel in nature seem to converge in the distance  Two Point Perspective: lines converge on the horizon at a vanishing point.  Atmospheric Perspective: colors are grayed and details are less distinct in the distance

 Texture is the look or surface feel of a work of art. This can be rough, bumpy, smooth, prickly and etc …  Visual texture: painters and sculptures imitate actual textures found from life. There may be dissimilarities between actual and visual textures.  Illusion of space: an artist who is trying to create the illusion of space defines texture sharply in the foreground and paints less defined softened textures as it goes towards the background.

 Value pertains to the lightness or darkness of objects being drawn. Value can be expressed or measured in gradient steps which goes from white to gray to black. Manipulation of value creates the illusion of high realism.  White = direct light  Gray = tonal areas  Black = absence of light (shadow)