Unit 4

Elements and Principles of Art

Lesson 1 - Line and Kinds of Line
A line can be defined in several ways: It is a path made by a moving point; a series of dots; a prolongation of points or
according to Paul Klee is a dot that went for a walk. One definition of a line, however, that captures its essence in the
visual arts is it being an intended mark made by the artist to convey meaning beyond its physical description. Kinds of
lines
● Straight lines are geometric, impersonal and differ in the direction that they take. The straight lines may move from
left to right, start from the top going down, slant or move up and down forming angles. Whatever is the direction, each
kind indicates a specific type of emotion.
■ Horizontal lines - move from left to right or vice versa. It is a line that appears to be laying down.
■ Vertical Line - start from bottom to top or vice versa. It is a line that appears to be standing.
■ Diagonal lines - are slanting lines. In the visual art, diagonals suggest two meanings, a positive and a negative one.
On the positive diagonals indicate action and movement i.e. to move forward and act. On the negative, it conveys a
feeling of uncertainty, stress and defeat.
■ Zigzag lines - Are angular lines that resulted in abrupt change in the direction of a straight line thus forming angles.
The lines are unpleasant and harsh which portrays tension, conflict, chaos, or violence.
■ Curved lines - are technically curvilinear lines. Curve lines suggest grace, movement and flexibility indicative of
life and energy. When a curve line moves continuously in opposite directions, it forms a wavy line which shows
fluidity because of the gradual change in direction.

Lesson 2 - Properties of Color and How Colors Relate and Light and Shadow
● Color - The significance of color as an element of the visual arts cannot be over emphasized. People see and
perceive the world as a multitude of colors. Also the materials used by the artists possess characteristics of color.
Color adds beauty and meaning to all forms of art. The world would be a gloomy place if it is devoid of color. (google
images) Color is the property of light. So when light goes out, color goes with it. Color is composed of a series of
wavelengths which strike the retina of the eyes. A ray of light contains all the colors of the visible spectrum- red,
orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet (ROYGBIV). The visible spectrum was discovered by sir Isaac Newton
when light was allowed to pass through a glass prism. Passing white light through a prism breaks it into a band of the
visible colors (just like a rainbow).
Properties of Color
● Hue - It is the name given to the color, for example; red, green, violet and blue.
■ For pigments, RED, YELLOW and BLUE are called primary hues. They are considered primary because these hues
cannot be produced from combining any hues.
■ When two primary hues are mixed in equal amounts, secondary hues are produced. These are ORANGE, GREEN
and VIOLET.
■ Mixing equal amounts of the primary and secondary hues produces intermediate hues which are RED ORANGE,
BLUE GREEN and BLUE VIOLET.
■ Combining in equal mixture any two secondary hues produces the tertiary hues.
● Value - refers to the lightness or darkness of a color. The value of any hues can be changed by adding a neutral such
as black or white. This results in changing the quantity of light the hue reflects.
■ Shade - When black is combined with hue.
■ Tint - When white is added with hue.
● Intensity - denotes the brightness or dullness of a color. It gives color its strength. Colors differ in intensity or
vividness.
■ Hues become less intense (dull) when white is added because color becomes lighter in value.
■ The hues’ intensity diminishes when black is added and as the value darkens.
■ If gray is added, the result will be a variation in intensity without any change in value.

How Colors Relate

Color harmony is one method of establishing color quality in a composition. There are several ways of creating
harmony that an artist can use. The most common are the following:
● Monochromatic harmony - When a single color in the composition is varied in intensity and value by adding white
or black.
● Complementary Harmony - results when two colors that are opposite each other in the color wheel are placed side
by side. 1
● Analogous harmony - results when hues that are adjacent or beside each other in the color wheel is used in a
composition.
● Color temperature - refers to the relative warmth or coolness of a color. Warm colors are colors that have
YELLOW as its dominant component white cool colors have blue as their dominant component.

Light and Shadow (Value)

Light and shadow focuses on what is known as achromatic value. This refers to the changes in the amount of
reflected light which ranges from black to gray to white and vice versa. An artist who has mastered the manipulation
of achromatic value in a composition gives his work the illusion of depth and form.
Chiaroscuro is the technique of manipulating light and shadow in painting. Masters who have perfected the use of
this technique are Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, and Caravaggio. Rembrandt and Caravaggio went a step
further and exaggerated the use of shadows to an extreme called tenebrism or “dark manner”. In the local scene,
Fernando Amorsolo, also mastered chiaroscuro, but his focus was more on the manipulation of light rather than
shadow.

Lesson 3 - Shape and Classification of Shapes

Shapes - In visual arts, a shape is formed when two ends of a line meet to enclose an area. The area may stand out
from the surface because of a difference in color, value or texture. They may also present themselves as flat or two-
dimensional and solid or threedimensional on a picture plane.
Picture plane - any flat surface onto which the artwork is created.
Negative shapes - these are between the shapes that are not occupied by any form. In painting, these spaces can be as
important as the shapes themselves.
In sculpture and architecture, the shape of the artwork can be determined by viewing the work against its background
(Marquardt & Eskilson, 2005).

Classification of Shapes
● Natural or organic shapes - those are seen in nature like the shape of leaves, animals, mountains, flowers and
seashells.
● Abstract shapes - those that have little or no resemblance to natural objects.
● Non-objective or biomorphic shapes - seldom have reference to recognizable objects, but most often show a
similarity to some organic forms.
● Geometric shapes - these are triangles, rectangles, squares, cylinders, cubes. Sculpture and architecture are three-
dimensional forms, which are identified either by mass or volume. When mass is structured or has a definite shape, it
is said to have volume. The sculptor is concerned with volume because sculpture occupies space. Single volume is the
fundamental unit in sculpture.

Lesson 4 - Texture, Methods of creating Space and Movement

Texture - refers to the feel or tactile quality of the surface of an object. It has to do with the characteristic of the
surface, whether it is rough or smooth, fine or coarse, polished or dull, plain or irregular. They also add richness and
vitality in paintings.
Visual texture - in such cases where touching the artwork is not allowed, textured can be perceived by the eyes.
Space - An illusion in the graphic arts. It is created by techniques that add depth and distance to two-dimensional art.
In sculpture and architecture, however, space is actually present.

Methods of Creating Space

● Overlapping planes (interposition) - create space when an object covers a part of another object which is behind it.
● Relative size - objects that appear large/big indicate nearness and small-sized objects as distant. Aside from creating
the illusion of space, this can also be interpreted as power and import.
● Position on the picture plane (relative height) - In some paintings, spatial representation is based upon the position
of objects relative to the bottom of the frame. Those objects found at the bottom of the frame will appear closer to the
viewer. Farther distances are indicated by the positions of the objects higher on the picture plane.

The point of reference is the horizon line which is the line at the eye level. A picture plane can be divided into three
parts;
■ Foreground - the bottom part.
■ Middle ground - where the horizon is.
■ Background - the topmost part. Color is also used to give the illusion of distance. Warm colors advance and make
objects look closer while cool colors recede making objects look farther away.
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● Perspective - deals with the effect of distance on the appearance of objects. It enables the viewer to perceive
distance and to see the position of objects in space.
■ Linear perspective - give the perception distance by means of converging lines. It has to do with the direction of
lines and with the size of objects.
■ Aerial perspective (gradient) - the effect of haze, mist or atmosphere on the object. Near objects are seen in detail
with the full intensity of color and as objects recede, details are lost and objects appear grayer. Space in sculpture may
be viewed in two ways: it may be considered a single solid object or an assemblage of solids that exhibits space; or
space may be perceived as it enters into relations with its surroundings－extending into it, enveloping it, or relating
across it. Space in architecture is created and defined by the shape, position, and the materials employed by the
architect.

Two ways to present motion or movement in their art

● Actual movement - in art, specifically in sculptures results in kinetic art. Actual movements may be achieved
naturally using wind and water or mechanically through some energy source (batteries or electricity).
● Implied movement - results when a variety of lines are used together, repeated, change in position, or
decreased/increased in size. This gives the impression of movement in a stationary two dimensional art. Elements of
the Combined Arts

Lesson 5 - Elements of Music

● Rhythm - is a movement or pattern with uniform recurrence of accented and accented beat
● Melody - is the succession of tones arranged in such a way as to give it a musical sense. It may also refer to the
rising and falling of the tune in time.
● Harmony - is the sounding of a series of groups of tones in the same time. It may also refer to the pleasing sound
that is produced when two or more notes are played together. Concordance results when the combination of sounds are
in agreement which makes it sound good while dissonance results when the combination is not pleasant to hear.
● Timbre - is tonal quality or the character of the tone that is produced by an instrument or by the human voice.
Timbre allows the listener to distinguish the sound between a guitar and a violin for example. In the same way, people
can be identified by their voices. A man’s voice sounds different from a woman’s voice and an old person’s voice is
different from that of a child.
● Form - is the structure or the framework of a composition

Vocal Forms
■ Opera is a drama set to music complete with actions, costumes and scenery
■ Cantata is a religious story told in music without actions
■ Moro-moro is a Philippine drama set to music which depicts the conflict between the Christians and the Muslims.

Instrumental Forms
■ Sonata is a long composition for solo instruments (piano, Violin)
■ Symphony is a sonata for the orchestra

● Dynamics - is the loudness and softness of the sound in music indicated by symbols to regulate the volume of the
sound.
■ pp pianissimo - very soft
■ p piano - soft
■ mp mezo piano - half soft
■ ff fortissimo - very loud ‘
■ crescendo - gradually becoming louder
■ decrescendo - gradually becoming softer

Elements of Dance
● Music plays an important role in the dance to which it is closely related. It should be melodic and harmonious and
fits into the movements of the dance. Music motivates the dancers to move in tune with its rhythm. The background
music of the dance functions to captivate the interest and awe of the audience.
● Movement is how the dancers use their bodies to move and create organized patterns. Dancers also use gestures
which express specific emotions or ideas in sign language.
● Choreography refers to how the steps and movements are connected for it to be performed in an organized manner.
The choreography guides the dancers’ movements for them to perform the movement, convey the message and tell the
story through body language.
● Technique is the skill of the dancer in executing the movements. A good dancer has complete control over the
muscles of the body thus creating grace and fluidity of movements. 3
● Theme is the content or the main ingredient of the dance. It tells what the dance is trying to convey. It has something
to do with the message of the dance.
● Design is the planned organization or patterns of movement in time and space. Pattern in time, is provided by
rhythm to be executed in space on a stage or dance floor.
● Costume. The type of dance performed and the costumes worn relate closely to the customs, beliefs, and
environment of the people. Costumes enhance the effect of the dance.

Lesson 6 - Elements of Drama

Drama is basically one of the genres of literature that is written primarily to be performed. The performance is done by
actors on stage before a live audience.
● Plot is the overall structure of the play. It is concerned about what the story is all about. Traditional plots have a
beginning, a middle, and an ending.
The Plot progresses through the following:
Exposition is the part that familiarizes the audience with the characters and the situation they are in.
Complication happens in the middle part of the play which develops the conflict that was started in the exposition.
Resolution is also called the anticlimax or the part where conditions in the story are normalized and the situation
becomes stable.

● Setting is the locale and period in which the story takes place. It includes the scenery, props and costumes used in
staging. It is the background of the play that informs the audience where and when the story will take place.
● Characters are the persons involved in the story. They may seem real to the audience depending on how the
playwright structures the dialogues to make the characters come to life. Characters can be the protagonist or the
antagonist. Protagonist is the character from which the story revolves around while the antagonist is the person who
challenges the role of the protagonist.
● Dialogue refers to the words uttered by the characters in the story. It what the characters use when conversing with
each other or when expressing his thoughts and emotions. Dialogues let the audience know the kind of character that
the actor is portraying. There are, however, plays with no dialogues. Pantomimes rely heavily on actions, gestures,
facial expression and sound effects.
● Theme is what the story means. It is how the individual elements are put together to give the story significance and
perspective. It relates something about life that is presented in its totality. The theme may be directly or indirectly
stated.

Lesson 7 - Elements of Theater

Theater art is performed live. Its performance is immediate and once performed cannot be undone. Its magic begins
when the curtains are raised and the stage lights go on.
● The Playwright’s role is to work out the plot in terms of the actual actions to be performed and dialogue to be
spoken by actors within the limited facilities of the stage.
● The Performers are the ones who portray the characters in a play.
● The Director works with the playwright to present which is interpreted and translated into dramatic action.
● Production Design includes the scenery, props, make-up, costumes, lights, music, sound and all other special effects
used in a theater production

Lesson 8 - Elements of Cinema (Motion Picture)

● Acting and the Stars. Acting is the art of portraying or impersonating a character in the story. A performer during
filming should embody the character he is portraying. The actor’s portrayal must be perfect and complete.
● Set and Directors should know the setting of the story and build artificial sets.
● Music and Musical Director. Music is indispensable in motion pictures. The musical director is in charge of
selecting, composing new songs, writing orchestration, preparing background music, creating musical scores and
supervising all recording.
● Color in the movies is an innovation in cinematography. It costs twice as much as the black and white films. Most
films are now shown in high definition (HD) color.
● Make-up, Hair and Costume Design. These people are responsible for applying the specific type of make-up,
hairstyle and costume to the actors before they face the camera.
● Sound, Camera and Special Effects Technicians. Sound technicians are responsible for making the dialogue clear
and music of fine quality. They make sure that there is no background noise. The use of cameras and the functions of
the special effects technician is indispensable in cinematography. They decide on the use of masking, the choice of
lens, the camera angle and the control of camera movements.

Lesson 9 - Principles of Art 4

Generally, the visual arts are made-up of three key elements that are independent of each of their specific elements. In
the appreciation of the visual arts, these three elements present themselves as:
● Form refers to how specific elements in the artwork are organized to produce a unified whole. Form is further
classified into:
■ Primary Features. This is how the artwork appears to the viewers.Its physical attributes in terms of medium, color,
texture and size.
■ Secondary Features. This is how the primary features of the artwork relate to one another. Particularly, this refers to
balance, proportion, unity and harmony that are used to create the whole composition.

● Content refers to the message the artist wants to convey through his art.
The levels of content are:
■ Factual is the literal interpretation of the work, its images, attributes, actions and poses.
■ Conventional level takes into consideration the basic genres and the figurative meanings usually indicated by
familiar signs and symbols and the quality of work.
■ Subjective level takes into consideration the effect of form and content on the viewers of the art.

● Context refers to the various circumstances that influence how a work of art was produced and interpreted.
The two types of context are:
■ Primary context pertains to the characteristic of the artist, his personality, beliefs, interests and values.
■ Secondary context pertains to the setting. The historical period, time in which the work was produced. Included
here are the functions served by the art work, its religious and philosophical conviction, socio political and economical
undertones, climate and geography.

Lesson 10 - Principles of Design

The principles of design describe the ways in which an artist has used or can use the elements of art to create beautiful
compositions. (Grieder 1996)

● Balance is the distribution of the visual weight of objects, color, texture and space. The use of these elements
should be balanced to make the viewers see and feel design as stable.

Three types of balance:

■ Symmetrical balance results when the elements used on one side of the design are similar to those on the other side.
■ Asymmetrical balance is when the sides of the composition are different but still looked balanced.
■ Radial balance is achieved when the elements are arranged around a central point. Elements may exhibit similarities
as they spread around the central point.

● Emphasis is the part of the design that catches the viewer's attention. The artist will usually make one area stand out
by contrasting it with other areas.
● Movement is the path the viewer's eye takes when looking through the work of art. Such movement can be implied
along lines edges, shape, and color within the work of art.
● Pattern is the repetition of objects, shapes, lines, or symbols all over the space or picture plane.
● Proportion is the feeling of unity created when all parts relate well with each other.
● Repetition works with patterns to make the work seem active. The repetition of elements of design creates unity
within the artwork.
● Rhythm is created when one or more elements of design are used repeatedly to produce a feeling of organized,
continuous, sometimes flowing movement. To keep rhythm exciting and active, variety is important.
● Variety is the use of several elements of design that adds interest in order to hold the viewer's attention and guide
the viewer’s eye through and around the work of art.
● Unity is the feeling of harmony between and among the parts of the work of art, which creates a feeling of
completeness in the composition.

Lesson 11 - The Rule of Thirds and the Seven Da Vincian Principles

The Rule of Thirds is used by visual artists (painters, digital artists, and photographers) to create compositions that
meet the requirements for a good design. Most artists today, however, do not use this rule, they opt for free flowing
composition that is more of their individual expression rather than of works limited or bounded by basic rules. The
point of this discussion is to encourage artists to first be aware of the basic rules before they start venturing to
unorthodox techniques in expressing their art.

The Rule of Thirds

● The surface with two equally spaced vertical lines and two equally spaced horizontal lines.
● These lines divide the picture plane into nine equal parts with four intersecting points. 5
● Based on studies, placing an object in one of the intersecting points results in a pleasing composition.
● Balance is achieved by placing another object at the point opposite the first one.
The major function of the Rule of Thirds is to serve as a guide for visual artists on the proper placement of their
subjects on the picture plane to achieve a more interesting composition. Placing the subject at the center does not
provide enough interest for viewers to be able to appreciate the work.
The Seven Da Vincian Principles
Leonardo da Vinci was more than an artist. He was also an architect, scientist, inventor, anatomist, geologist,
historian and writer. Through the centuries, Da Vinci influenced various areas in many disciplines. Based on the
research conducted by Michael J. Gleb (born 1952), specifically, in his book “How to Think like Leonardo da Vinci”
(1998), da Vinci’s genius was based on 7 principles which he called the seven da Vincian Principles.
1. Curiosita is approaching life with a heightened level of wonder and continuous search to know and learn more.
2. Dimostrazione is the commitment to test knowledge and to persist in this task, which includes experiencing both
success and failures in undertaking.
3. Sensazione is experiencing life through refinement of the senses. For example, the eyes should do more than see, it
should be able to distinguish between the beauty of various colors, note minute details and savor the physicality of
everything the world has to offer.
4. Sfumato literally translates to “going up in smoke”. It is accepting life’s paradoxes and uncertainties. It is knowing
and realizing that not everything is cause and effect and that events happen that even logic can explain.
5. Arte/Scienza is finding a balance between art and science or logic and imagination. This relates to the concept of a
whole brain thinking (not just the left and right brain).
6. Corporalita is taking care of one’s body. Ensuring that healthy habits are practiced and sustained. A sound mind is
usually the product of a sound body and vice versa.
7. Connessione is realizing that all things are interconnected. It is discovering patterns in the way things work and
how things and lives work out. Interconnectedness is seeing how events in the past led to the present state of affairs. A
closer study of history would make one realize how events in the past explains the present.