Southwestern College of Maritime, Business and Technology, Inc.

Quezon Drive, Calero, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro

www.scmbt.edu.ph / slmifnav.official@gmail.com / slmifnav@yahoo.com.ph

Subject: ARTS AND HUMANITIES Module 4

Course/Year/Section Instructor: Mr. ERNEST P. MACALALAD

I.TOPIC- The Elements of Art

II.TARGET OUTCOMES:
After completing this module the students should be able to:
a. Understand the different elements of art
b. Recognize the different characteristics of colors
c. Judge an artwork by using the elements of art
III. GEAR UP YOUR MIND
Art is a powerful language. Through it, artists communicate thoughts, ideas and feelings.
Like most languages, the language of art has its own vocabulary. Unlike other vocabularies,
however, the vocabulary of art is not made up of words. Rather, it is made up of visual elements.
The visual elements are color, line, shape, form, space and texture.
Medium and elements together are the materials the artist is creating a work of art. The
medium is the physical means through which we can come in contact with a work of art; the
elements are its qualities or properties. Mediums are concrete, elements are abstract.
ELEMENT OF ARTS
The elements of art are the individual parts that make up the whole of an artwork. The
elements are the visual properties or qualities of the artwork. Not all elements of art need be
used in a work of art, but most all works have at least some small aspects of each element.
The elements of art are the tools that artist use to makes art. There are 7 elements of art.
LINES
An element of art that can be used to send different messages to the viewers is line. A line is
a path that a point takes through space. Line is the simplest, the most primitive and the most
universal means for creating visual arts. Lines can be thick, thin, dotted or solid. They can make
straight movements, zig-zags, waves or curls.
KINDS OF LINES
a. Horizontal Line
These are lines which run parallel to the ground, appear to be at rest and quiet relation and
contemplation. A long horizontal line gives a sense of infinity that is not easily obtained in any
other way. Are generally restful, like the horizon, where the sky meets land. Lines express
calmness, repose, stability, and tranquility. Landscape often imparts a feeling of rest and serenity
because of the dominance of horizontal line.
b. Vertical Line
It is associated with the body in upright standing position and generally expresses poise,
alertness, equilibrium, firmness, strength, at the same time that it connotes a static position
though not without tension. On the moral plane, it is translated it is translated into the qualities of
uprightness, integrity, dignity and formality as well as the impersonality of law, intellectual order
and discipline. Seem to be reaching, so they may seem inspirational like tall majestic trees or
church steeples.
 The vertical line is the line of the tree or of a man standing, or the line of chimneys and
towers. The vertical is a line of rest, but not in the rest of relaxation we find in horizontal. The
vertical line is poised, balanced, forceful and dynamic.
c. Diagonal Lines
A diagonal line is associated with the body forward and charging purposefully towards and
objective. It signifies energy, dynamism, impulse, will power, aspiration, and passion as well as
emotion. This line tends to be disturbing. Weak diagonals, as those which form angles less than 45
degrees with the base, convey uncertainty, instability and a sense of impending collapse. They
suggest decay or chaos like lightening or falling trees. Diagonal line signifies energy, dynamism,
impulse, will power aspirations, as well as emotion.
d. Curve Lines
A curve line shows action, life and energy. It suggests grace and beauty and is associated
with the body in movements that create a rhythm of curve lines in space. Curve lines are eloquent
in the expression of feelings because they correspond to the rising and falling intonations of
speech and songs. Curve lines often express romantic yearning sentimental pleading and
emotional, spontaneous, sensuality and impulsive signification. Shows life and energy and
suggest grace and beauty and is associated with the body in movements that create rhythm of
lines and space.
e. Zigzag Line
Lines, which are made from combined diagonal lines, can create a feeling of confusion or
suggest action.
f. Expressive Line
Tend to be found in nature and very organic
g. Constructive Lines
Other lines that is very measured, geometric, directional and angular. They tend to appear to
be man-made because of their precision.
HORIZONTAL VERTICAL DIAGONAL

CURVE LINE ZIGZAG LINE EXPRESSIVE

CONSTRUCTIVE LINES
 SHAPE
Shape is an element of art that refers to an area clearly set off by one or more of the other
elements of art. Shapes are limited to two dimensions-length and width. Shape is created when a
line becomes connected and encloses space. It is the outline or outward appearance of something.
• Shapes are 2 Dimensional (2-D) which means there are 2 ways they can be measured.
• You can measure its HEIGHT and its WIDTH.
2 TYPES OF SHAPE
1. Geometric Shape
Look as a though they were made with a ruler or drawing tool. The square, the circle, the
triangle, the rectangle and the oval are the five geometric shapes.
2. Organic Shape
It is also called free form. Organic shapes are not regular or even. Their outlines may be
curved or angular, or they may be a combination of both, to make free from shapes. IT have more
complicated edges and are usually found in nature. Leaves, flowers, ameba, etc.

GEOMETRIC ORGANIC

FORM
Like shapes, forms have length and width. Forms also have a third dimension, depth. Form is
an element of art that refers to an object with three dimensions. With the forms found in works of
art, such as sculpture, you can actually experience the three dimensions by walking around or into
the works. Forms are not flat like shapes.
VALUE
Value is the lightness or darkness of a color. Value makes objects appear more real because
it imitates natural light. When showing value in a work of art, you will need a LIGHT SOURCE.
A light source is the place where the light is coming from the darkest areas are always on the
opposite side of the light.
Ways of adding Value
1. Cross-Hatching
It is when you use irregular lengths of parallel lines that cross over each other diagonally.
The closer together the lines are placed, the darker the value.
2. Stippling
 It is the use of dots to create shade. This is accomplished by placing dots very close together
to create dark values and farther apart to create lighter values.

Cross-Hatching Stippling

TEXTURE
Texture is an element of art that refers to the way the surface of an object actually feels.
2 Types of Texture
• Tactile Texture- is the way the surface of an object actually feels. Examples would be
sandpaper, cotton balls, tree bark, puppy fur, etc.
• Implied Texture- is the way the surface of an object looks like it feels. This is the type of
texture that artists use when they draw and paint. Textures may look rough, fuzzy, gritty, or
scruffy, but can’t actually be felt.

TACTILE IMPLIED

SPACE
Space is an element of art that refers to the distance between, around, above, below and
within things. In both two and three dimensional artworks the shapes or forms are called the
positive area. The empty spaces between the shapes are called negative spaces. The relationship
between the negative and positive space will affect how the artwork is interpreted.
Space has three parts

Generally, the background area is considered

to be the upper 1/3 of the picture plane. The
middle ground area is considered to be the
middle 1/3 of the picture plane. The foreground
area is considered to be the lower 1/3 of the
picture plane
Space can be shallow or deep depending on what the artist wants to use. Shallow space is used
when the artist has objects very close to the viewer. Deep Space may show objects up close but
objects are shown far away too. Positive space Is the actual object(s) within the artwork Negative
Space is the area in and around the objects. It is the “background” and it contributes to the work of
art---you can’t have positive space without negative space. Perspective is also a way of showing
space in a work of art. Perspective is when the artist uses a vanishing point on the horizon and then
creates a sense of deep space by showing objects getting progressively smaller as they get closer to
the vanishing point. Objects may overlap as well. When objects are overlapped it is obvious that
enough space had to be in the picture to contain all the objects that have been included.

SHALLOW DEEP NEGATIVE/POSITIVE

OVERLAP

PERSPECTIVE

COLOR
Have you ever noticed that it is harder to see colors when the light is dim? Color relies on
light. In fact, color is what the eyes see when the light is reflected off an object. Color refers not
only to the hue but also to the value; which means the amount of white or black in the hue,
intensity or brightness. Color can add interest and reality to artwork. The use of a 12-step color
wheel will help us understand color more effectively. When light is reflected through a prism,
colors can be seen.

Hue is the name of a color, such as red, blue or yellow. Hue is the dimension of color, which
is referred to a scale ranging through red, yellow, green, and blue.
Colors psychological and emotional connotations
• Black- death
• White- innocence, purity
• Blue- heaven, truth, virgin
• Red- blood, love, hate
• yellow- divinity, sacredness, degradation, deceit
• Brown- spiritual death, renunciation of the world
A
COLOR WHEEL

A long time ago, artists decided that

these colors would be more useful to them if
they were placed in a wheel fashion. This
became known as the color wheel
Primary Colors- Red, Blue and Yellow
Secondary Colors- Violet, Green and Orange
Complementary Colors- those that are opposite in the scale (e.g., red and green)
Intermediate Colors- Those adjacent in the wheel (e.g,. red and violet)
When you mix 2 primary colors together, you get a secondary color
When you mix a primary and a secondary color together you get an intermediate (or tertiary)
COLOR SCHEME
Colors can be combined to produce many interesting and striking results
1. Analogous Color Scheme
3-4 colors “next-door-neighbors” to each other and share the hue.
2. Complimentary Color Scheme
2 colors that are directly opposite each other
3. Split Complimentary Color Scheme
Is a complimentary color and the two colors on either side of its compliment.
4. Triadic Color Scheme
Uses 3 colors that are equally spaced apart on the color wheel

ANALOGOUS COLOR SCHEME COMPLIMENTARY COLOR SCHEME

TRIADIC COLOR SCHEME SPLIT COMPLIMENTARY COLOR

SCHEME
 Southwestern College of Maritime, Business and Technology, Inc.
Quezon Drive, Calero, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro
www.scmbt.edu.ph / slmifnav.official@gmail.com / slmifnav@yahoo.com.ph

Name: Module 4
Course/Year/Section: Instructor: Mr. ERNEST P. MACALALAD

A1. Directions: Make an artwork that shows the seven ELEMENTS OF ART (activity title), the line,
shape, color, space, value, texture and form. Your artwork must be your own idea.
REMINDER! In submitting this activity, you can submit it thru PICTURE format for you to easily
attach your work.
Materials
Short Bond paper
Ruler
Coloring Materials
Pen/Pencil

A2. Directions: Give a brief explanation of the artwork about the elements of art that you want to
communicate with the audience.