Elements of Art: Lines

• The elements of art include line, shape, form, space, value, texture, and color

Lines

• Lines serve as the foundation for creating shapes, forms, and textures
• Lines are a path traced by a moving point
• Lines vary in length, width, direction, and degree of curvature.
• Lines describe a shape or outline on a surface
• Lines create textures and can be thick or thin
• Types of lines: actual, implied, vertical, horizontal, diagonal, and contour lines
• Lines communicate ideas or feelings
• Lines differ in length, width, texture, direction, and curve

Common Types of Line

• Vertical
• Horizontal
• Zigzag
• Diagonal
• Curved

Lines in Artwork

• Straight lines suggest directness or clarity
• Curving lines imply gentleness or movement
• Vertical lines create strength
• Horizontal lines convey calmness and tranquility
• Diagonal lines convey action and energy
• Vertical thick lines appear strong, while thin lines appear weak
• Fuzzy lines imply softness, and smooth lines imply harder surfaces
• Repeated lines create patterns, textures, and rhythms

Actual, Implied & Contour Lines

• An actual line can be physically seen
• An implied line suggests a line, often created by a series of objects
• Contour lines presents exterior edges of objects
• A plain contour has a clean, connected line, with no shading, emphasizes an open "shell"
• More complex contours imply shading values through interior outlines, have line textures, or be contrasted with mixed media

Line Definition and Types

• A line is a continuous mark made with a pointed tool or implied by edges of shapes and forms
• Types of lines include straight, curved, diagonal, horizontal, vertical, thick, thin, broken, and implied

Expression, Shapes, Impact & Design

• Lines convey movement, direction, and energy
• Diagonal lines suggest action or tension
• Horizontal lines evoke a sense of calm or stability
• By manipulating lines, artists create shapes and forms
• Lines enclosing a space create shapes; three-dimensional shapes create forms
• Curved lines create the illusion of a round object
• Sharp, jagged lines convey aggression or chaos
• Smooth flowing lines evoke tranquility or elegance
• The direction of lines influences perception and emotional response
• Lines guide the viewer’s eyes, create visual interest, and establish balance or imbalance

Texture, Symbolism & Innovation

• Lines convey texture and surface quality
• Cross-hatching is a drawing technique using closely spaced parallel lines to create the illusion of texture or shading
• Lines can hold symbolic meanings in various cultures and contexts
• In Japanese art, the concept of "ma" refers to the space between objects or lines
• Artists experiment with lines, pushing boundaries of expression and usage, from Renaissance drawings to Abstract Expressionism

Shape and Form

• Shape is a 2-dimensional object
• It has height and width but no depth
• Shapes can be geometric or organic
• Geometric shapes, like circles and squares, are regular, precise, and can be measured
• Geometric shapes correspond to named regular shapes such as squares, rectangles, circles, cubes, spheres, cones, and other regular forms.
• Architecture is often composed of geometric shapes
• Organic shapes are irregular, like seashells and leaves, with a natural, flowing appearance

Positive and Negative Shapes

• Artwork contains positive and negative shapes
• Positive shapes are solid objects the artists depict
• Negative shapes are formed by areas around or between objects such as sky, grass, and mountains

3-Dimensional Form

• Form has height, width, and depth
• Forms are regular/precise or irregular/organic
• 3D art (sculptures, architecture, crafts) is composed of forms
• In 2D art, artists create the illusion of form with tone, texture, and color
• You can hold a form
• Value can imply form in drawing or painting
• Shading a circle in a certain manner can turn it into a sphere
• Organic forms (snow-covered boulders) are irregular in outline and often asymmetrical and are most often thought of as naturally occurring
• Geometric forms correspond to named regular shapes: squares, rectangles, circles, cubes, spheres, cones and regular forms

Color

• Dark and dreary colors depict sadness, while cheerful yellows and oranges depict happiness
• Art uses color to attract attention through a range of bright to dull intensities and a range of values
• Colors are symbolic with meanings that vary between cultures
• A color can symbolize an object/thing or an emotion/idea
• Artists combine colors to create a desired impression or mood
• Colors are properties of light
• An object's surface absorbs and reflects wavelengths of light
• Absorbing all wavelengths results in black, and reflecting all wavelengths results in white

Characteristics of Color

• Hue: the color we see (e.g., red)
• Value: refers to the lightness and darkness of a hue (maroon is a dark value/shade of red, pink is a light value/tint of red)
• Intensity: the brightness or purity of a hue; determines how vivid or dull the color is

Primary, Secondary & Tertiary Colors

• Red, yellow, and blue are primary colors used to create others on the color wheel
• Mixing two primary colors results in a secondary color: orange (yellow and red), green (blue and yellow), and violet (red and blue)
• Mixing a primary and a secondary color results in a tertiary color: yellow-green, yellow-orange, red-orange, red-violet, blue-violet, and blue-green

Color Schemes

• Monochromatic: Uses a single color with three to five tints and shades
• Analogous: Uses three or four consecutive colors on a color wheel for a soft, subtle, warm, or cool effect
• Caution should be taken with these so as not to end up with an over stimulating nor depressing atmosphere
• Triadic: Uses every fourth color on the wheel, totaling three colors, for muted, traditional or vibrant, modern looks
• Complementary: Uses two colors opposite each other on the wheel, such as green/red or yellow/purple, combining warm and cool colors
• Split Complementary: Uses three colors forming a Y on the wheel with a base color and one on each side of the base´s complement, creating interest and richness
• Double Complementary: Uses four colors, two sets of complementary colors
• This should be done with caution os as not to create a display that is too busy

Color Temperatures

• Reds, oranges, and yellows are warm colors
• These remind of the sun and suggest excitement, boldness, happiness, make objects larger, and appear to advance in an artwork
• Greens, blues, and violets are cool colors
• These remind of lakes, distant mountains, sky, and foliage
• Cool colors tend to be calm and restful and make objects seem smaller