THE ELEMENTS OF ART:
Line - is a mark on a surface that describes a shape or outline. It can create texture and can be thick and thin. Types of line can include actual, implied, vertical, horizontal, diagonal and contour lines. (note: Ken does not list "psychic line" - that was "new term" to me)
Color - refers to specific hues and has 3 properties, Chroma, Intensity and Value. The color wheel is a way of showing the chromatic scale in a circle using all the colors made with the primary triad. Complimentary pairs can produce dull and neutral color. Black and white can be added to produce tints (add white), shades (add black) and tones (add gray).
Texture - is about surface quality either tactile or visual. Texture can be real or implied by different uses of media. It is the degree of roughness or smoothness in objects.
Shape - is a 2-dimensional line with no form or thickness. Shapes are flat and can be grouped into two categories, geometric and organic.
Form - is a 3-dimensional object having volume and thickness. It is the illusion of a 3-D effect that can be implied with the use of light and shading techniques. Form can be viewed from many angles.
Value - is the degree of light and dark in a design. It is the contrast between black and white and all the tones in between. Value can be used with color as well as black and white. Contrast is the extreme changes between values.
Space - refers to variations in the perspective, and proportions of objects, lines or shapes. There is a variation of sizes in space of objects either real or imagined.
THE PRINCIPLES OF ART:
Harmony - Harmony in art and design is the visually satisfying effect of combining similar, related elements. For instance: adjacent colors on the color wheel, similar shapes etc.
Balance - A feeling of equality in weight, attention, or attraction of the various visual elements within the pictorial field as a means of accomplishing organic unity.
Proportion - Proportion is the comparison of dimensions or distribution of forms. It is the relationship in scale between one element and another, or between a whole object and one of its parts. Differing proportions within a composition can relate to different kinds of balance or symmetry, and can help establish visual weight and depth.
Dominance/Emphasis - The principle of visual organization that suggests that certain elements should assume more importance than others in the same composition. It contributes to organic unity by emphasizing the fact that there is one main feature and that other elements are subordinate to it.
Variety - Variety is the complement to unity and harmony, and is needed to create visual interest. Without unity and harmony, an image is chaotic and “unreadable;” without variety it is dull and uninteresting. Good design is achieved through the balance of unity and variety; the elements need to be alike enough so we perceive them as belonging together and different enough to be interesting.
Movement - Movement is the path our eyes follow when we look at a work of art, and it is generally very important to keep a viewer’s eyes engaged in the work. Without movement, artwork becomes stagnant. A few good strategies to evoke a sense of movement (among many others) are using diagonal lines, placing shapes so that the extend beyond the boundaries of the picture plane, and using changing values.
Rhythm - A continuance, a flow, or a feeling of movement achieved by the repetition of regulated visual information.
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 - A shape is a self contained defined area of geometric or organic form. A positive shape in a painting automatically creates a negative shape.
Direction - All lines have direction - Horizontal, Vertical or Oblique. Horizontal suggests calmness, stability and tranquillity. Vertical gives a feeling of balance, formality and alertness. Oblique suggests movement and action.
Size - Size is simply the relationship of the area occupied by one shape to that of another.
Texture - Texture is the surface quality of a shape - rough, smooth, soft hard glossy etc. Texture can be physical (tactile) or visual.
Color - Also called Hue.
Value - Value is the lightness or darkness of a colour. Value is also called Tone
THE PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN:
Center of interest - is an area that first attracts attention in a composition. This area is more important when compared to the other objects or elements in a composition. This can be by contrast of values, more colors, and placement in the format.
Balance - is a feeling of visual equality in shape, form, value, color, etc. Balance can be symmetrical or evenly balanced or asymmetrical and un-evenly balanced. Objects, values, colors, textures, shapes, forms, etc., can be used in creating a balance in a composition.
Harmony - brings together a composition with similar units. If your composition was using wavy lines and organic shapes you would stay with those types of lines and not put in just one geometric shape. (Notice how similar Harmony is to Unity - some sources list both terms)
Contrast - offers some change in value creating a visual discord in a composition. Contrast shows the difference between shapes and can be used as a background to bring objects out and forward in a design. It can also be used to create an area of emphasis.
Directional Movement - is a visual flow through the composition. It can be the suggestion of motion in a design as you move from object to object by way of placement and position. Directional movement can be created with a value pattern. It is with the placement of dark and light areas that you can move your attention through the format.
Rhythm - is a movement in which some elements recurs regularly. Like a dance it will have a flow of objects that will seem to be like the beat of music.
GOAL/S FOR THIS CLASS:
1. I want to work on my time management and organization skills to relieve stress from too much work.
2. I want to focus on choosing and finding pictures of a more interesting perspective for photo references.
PERSONAL GOAL/S:
1. Sleep earlier and eat healthier.
2. Do my work ahead of time.
MY DEFINITION OF ART:
Art is something I can do to relieve myself from the stress that I get from other subjects at school.
My first takeaway from this piece is that you have to know where certain highlights are in a portrait. This piece really got my attention because I did a self portrait in acrylic myself, and looking at this made me finally see how I could improve from the areas I was struggling with. Although the artist only seemed to have used white for her highlights, she put in just the right amount and in just the right areas that led her painting to look more realistic. For example, she really perfected the highlights on her cheek, under the eyebrows and the nose, to make the shape that is unique to the face itself. This piece really got to me because I know what it was like to draw a face with acrylic paint and how much I struggled with it, and to see how the artist made the paint so smooth but not too blendy was amazing.
