Element of Design – JSS2 Cultural & Creative Arts Lesson Note (First Term)

The elements of art, also called the elements of design, are the basic parts that make up an artwork, such as line, form, colour, space and texture.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. explain what the elements of art are;
2. list the five main elements of art: line, form, colour, space and texture;
3. describe line and state its width, direction and length;
4. explain the difference between three-dimensional form and the illusion of form in two-dimensional work;
5. name the three properties of colour and explain shade and tint;
6. distinguish between positive space and negative space.

What are the elements of art and design?

The elements of art are the things or items that make up an artwork.

• Building blocks: they are used to create a painting, drawing, design or sculpture.
• Found in every work: good or bad, all paintings contain most, if not all, of the elements.
• Used for analysis: a work of art can be studied by looking at each element on its own.
• Main list used here: line, form, colour, space and texture.
• Other lists: some books also name shape and value as separate elements.

What is line?

A line is a mark that spans a distance between two points, or the path of a moving point.

• In visual art: line is the use of marks, outlines and implied lines in artwork and design.
• Strokes: lines are sometimes called strokes, especially in digital artwork.

What are the features of a line?

A line has three features: width, direction and length.

• Width: how thick or thin the line is. It is sometimes called thickness.
• Direction: the way the line runs, such as horizontal, vertical or diagonal.
• Length: how long or short the line is.

What are the kinds of line?

Lines are named by the way they look or run.

• Horizontal: runs flat from left to right, like the horizon.
• Vertical: runs straight up and down, like a pole.
• Diagonal: slants across the page.
• Curved: bends smoothly, like the edge of a pot.
• Zigzag: turns sharply from side to side.

What is form?

Form is the shape of a work, including its volume or perceived volume.

• Three-dimensional form: a work with depth as well as width and height. It is the basis of sculpture.
• Illusion of form: a two-dimensional work (flat, like paper) can look solid by using perspective, shading or modelling.
• Formalism: the study of works by their form or shapes, in art history or archaeology.

What is colour?

Colour is the element of art produced when light striking an object is reflected to the eye.

What are the properties of colour?

Colour has three properties: hue, intensity and value.

• Hue: the name we give to a colour, such as red, yellow, blue or green.
• Intensity: how vivid the colour is. It is also called colourfulness, saturation, purity or strength.
• Value: how light or dark a colour is.

What are shade and tint?

Shade and tint are changes in the value of a colour.

• Shade: a colour made darker by adding black.
• Tint: a colour made lighter by adding white.

What is space?

Space is the area an artist provides for a particular purpose.

• Parts of space: it includes the background, middle ground and foreground.
• Foreground: the part that seems nearest to the viewer.
• Middle ground: the part between the foreground and the background.
• Background: the part that seems farthest away.
• Meaning: space refers to the distances or areas around, between and within things.

What are the kinds of space?

There are two kinds of space: positive space and negative space.

• Positive space: the area occupied by an object or form.
• Negative space: the area in between, around, through or within an object.

What is texture?

Texture describes the way a work feels when touched, or the way a work shows that feeling.

• Actual texture: the real feel of a surface, such as rough bark, smooth polished wood or soft cloth.
• Visual texture: texture shown in a picture, as in a painter’s rendering of colour, so the surface only looks rough or smooth.

Evaluation

1. What is meant by the elements of art?
2. List the five main elements of art named in this lesson.
3. State three features of a line.
4. Name the three properties of colour.
5. How is a shade made, and how is a tint made?

Assignment

Explain the difference between positive space and negative space, and describe two ways in which texture can be shown in an artwork.