The Elements of Art All art, whether realistic or abstract, Eastern or Western, ancient or modern, involves certain basic elements.

Medium The medium is what the piece of art is made from. The work of art may be watercolor or oil paint, stone, glass, ink, or some other material. The medium affects the style and form of the piece of art.

Composition Composition refers to the arrangement of the parts within an area. Is the work symmetrical or unbalanced? How is the design organized?

Space and Distance Every work of art exists within certain spatial limits. How does the artist express distance? Is it infinite? Closely limited? Is there perspective? Is everything equally close or far away?

Rhythm and Accent Like music, fine art has a rhythmic basis—indicated by dark and light accents, line, pattern, and color—to keep the eye moving around the piece of art.

Color, Light and Shadow The artist’s use of color or gradations of black and white is central to the work of art. Color and shadow can express mood, contour, form, distance and depth.

Style The overall approach of the artist, or how he or she sees the subject is the artist’s style. Style directly reflects the culture and era of a particular artist.

Content Like a piece of literature, a work of art has content. Viewers may approach an understanding of art by “reading” the content or subject matter.

Subject or Theme Most realistic or recognizable images have a subject such as a landscape, a person, a sports event, or a battle. (Abstract art, however is pure form; unlike realistic art it has no recognizable subject.)

Significance of the subject Frequently, the subject of a work has historical or social significance. Encourage students to try to relate the work to its time, civilization, or the philosophy of the society in which it was made. Historical, political and religious ideas are significant in many works of art.

Symbols Sometimes art includes symbols—for example, the lily to represent royalty, or the eagle to suggest patriotism. Recognizing and interpreting these symbols is another way to understand the theme of the work of art.

Mood and Tone The emotional impact of a work of art is of central importance. How the artist feels about the subject is expressed in a variety of ways—from color choice to distortion of images. You should try to imagine the artist’s attitude toward his subject.

The Artist’s Purpose Not every artist has the same objective. Encourage students to see multiple aims. While one artist might intend to make a realistic picture of an object, another might be interested only in how the light strikes it, or how its shape is composed of geometric angles. Sometimes the purpose of the artist is propaganda, satire, or the expression of his or her feelings about social and political issues.

Personal Response The viewer’s personal recation is the final criterion to be considered in understanding a work of art. Having examined it for its pure, formal elements and for the significance of its content and the artist’s aims, the viewer can offer an honest personal response. Do you like it? Does it illustrate the subject the way you imagined it? Is it powerful? Boring? Fanciful? Would it be a welcome addition to one’s room? What does it make you think of?

Your Assignment! Select a famous piece of art that you’d like to analyze. Research Paper: 50 pts Eng/Art Put the following heading on your paper: Name Studio Art 1 Mr. Hall Date Use MLA format to document website used.

Your Assignment (cont.) Write the following in paragraph form. Identify the artist, and title of the work of art. Identify the medium. Devote a couple of sentences each to the analysis of the following elements: Composition Space and distance Rhythm and accent Color, light and shadow Style

Your Assignment (cont.) Devote a couple of sentences each to the analysis of the following aspects of content: subject or theme Significance Symbols Mood and tone The artist’s purpose. In a single paragraph, write a personal response to the piece of art.