1. Art Element: The building blocks of art
Art Element: The building blocks of art. Design Principle: The rules for how to put together the elements of art to create a good composition (layout/artwork).

2. Art Element: Shape Design Principle: Balance

3. Shape is a 2-dimensional line with no form or thickness
Shape is a 2-dimensional line with no form or thickness. Shapes are flat and can be grouped into two categories, geometric and organic.

4. Balance
Balance in general is seen as equal visual weight.
In design visual balance comes from arranging the elements on the page so that no one section is heavier than another.

5. Symmetrical balance: where the art elements in a composition are balanced in a mirror-like fashion (it does not have to be exact but close).

6. Asymmetrical Balance: Asymmetry means without symmetry
Asymmetrical Balance: Asymmetry means without symmetry. It means that there are no mirror images in a composition but the composition is balanced visually on the page.

7. Radial Balance: All elements radiate out from a center point in a circular fashion. It is very easy to maintain a focal point in radial balance, since all the elements lead your eye toward the center.

8. Henri-Emile-Benoit Matisse
Henri-Emile-Benoit Matisse

9. Henri Matisse was a French artist known for his use of color and his fluid drawing and paintings. Early in life Matisse painted on canvas, but later in life Matisse began “painting with scissors”. The artist would paint large pieces of paper with gauche paint, then when dry cut out shapes. He would then play with the composition of the shapes moving them around until he achieved a composition that he liked.

16. Now show your understanding of Shape and Balance by creating your own Matisse Cut Paper Artwork