Elements of Art and Principles of Design in Photography

Elements of Art

Lines are marks made by a pointed tool: brush, pencil, pen, etc. Lines can vary in width, direction, curvature, length, or color.

             

                    

The painting represents lines because                I chose this photo because there is a 

a dark black line is what they used to                curvy line used as a fence.

draw the body of the animal.

Shapes are formed wherever the ends of a continuous line meet. Geometric shapes such as circles, triangles or squares have perfect, uniform measurements and don't often appear in nature. Organic shapes are associated with things from the natural world, like plants and animals.

            

I chose this painting for shapes because           The photo is of a quilt and it is only

it has many square, rectangles, and small         made up of squares and triangles.

circles in it.

Color wheels show the primary colors, secondary colors, and the tertiary (intermediate) colors. They also show the relationships between complementary colors across from each other, such as blue and orange; and analogous (similar or related) colors next to each other such as yellow, green, and blue. Black and white may be thought of as colors but, in fact, they are not. White light is the presence of all color; black is the absence of reflected light and therefore the absence of color.

                 

I chose this painting for color                        I chose this picture because they have

because it shoes the 3 primary colors           the basic colors and the colors across from

and there is complementary colors across     each other are are analogous, are related.

from each other.

Value, or tone, refers to dark and light; the value scale refers to black and white with all gradations of gray in between.  Value contrasts help us to see and understand a two-dimensional work of art.

         

I chose this painting for value because         I chose this picture because its tone refers

the tone is black and white. The scale is      to black and white and is even.

even.

Form describes objects that are three-dimensional, having length, width, and height.

          

This describes form because the objects in     The picture of the flower looks like it is

the painting look three-dimensional.               popping out at you, and looks very three-
                                                                       dimensional. 

Texture can be rough, bumpy, slick, scratchy, smooth, silky, soft, prickly--the list is endless.  Texture refers to the surface quality, both simulated and actual, of artwork.

               

I picked this for texture because the surface         The ice cream looks smooth and cool.

quality looks smooth and slick.                            you can see where it is starting to melt.

Space refers to distances or areas around, between, or within components of a piece. Space can be positive (white or light) or  negative (black or dark), open or closed,shallow or deep, and two-dimensional or three-dimensional. 

                          

I chose this because the space around              The space around the subject is

the piece is black and dark.                               black and it makes the photo look deep.

Principles of Design 

Balance is the comfortable or pleasing arrangement of things in art.  There are three different types of balance: symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radial. 
        

I chose this because there is symmetrical      I chose this picture because it shows 

balance withe the cans.                                 that the building are asymmetrically balanced.

Contrast is created by using elements that conflict with one another. Often, contrast is created using complementary colors or extremely light and dark values. Contrast creates interest in a piece and often draws the eye to certain areas. It is used to make a painting look interesting.

              

I chose this painting because there        I chose this picture because the picture

are complementary dark and light         looks interesting with it being black and white

colors, black and white.                        and draws the eye to the house.

Emphasis in the focal area of an artwork gives it importance.  An artist may stress some elements of the design over others. The eye of the viewer will focus on the area of emphasis or center of interest first, then take in the rest of the composition. 

           

I chose this because the flowers are                I chose this photo because the color

colored bright so you focus on them and       of the rainbow stands out in the black 

then look at the man.                                      and white photo.

Movement in an artwork means the artist is taking viewers on a trip through the work by means of lines, edges, shapes, and colors often leading to the focal area.  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.

          

I chose this painting for movement                 The movement of the water and the waves

because you can see the ripples in the            leads your eyes to the boat in the water.

water that suggests motion.

Patterns are made in art when the same shapes or elements are repeated again and again.  Pattern uses the elements of art in planned or random repetitions to enhance surfaces of paintings or sculptures.

                     

Pattern is shown in the picture because the          The pattern on the wall is the same

person gossiping is shown twice and it goes       design over and over so if it continued

from one person to the other.                               you would know what goes on next.

Rhythm is the repetition of shapes, lines, and forms.  Rhythm is a movement in which some elements recurs regularly.  

                

The same line strokes are used in                In this picture the same strokes are shown

the painting.                                                in the sand. They recur regularly. 

Unity means that all elements in an artwork are in harmony.  Unity brings together a composition with similar units.  

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I chose the painting because only swirly         I chose the picture because there are

lines are used and not a single geometric        only the same strokes over and over.

shape.