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The elements of art are sort of like atoms in that both serve as "building blocks" for creating something. You know that atoms combine and form other things. Sometimes they'll casually make a simple molecule, as when hydrogen and oxygen form water (H ₂O). If hydrogen and oxygen take a more aggressive career path and bring carbon along as a co-worker, together they might form something more complex, like a molecule of sucrose (C ₁₂H ₂₂O ₁₁).

The 7 Elements of Art

A similar activity happens when the elements of art are combined. Instead of elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, in art you have these building blocks:

Artists manipulate these seven elements, mix them in with principles of design, and compose a piece of art. Not every work of art contains every one of these elements, but at least two are always present.

For example, a sculptor, by default, has to have both form and space in a sculpture, because these elements are three-dimensional. They can also be made to appear in two-dimensional works through the use of perspective and shading.

Art would be sunk without line, sometimes known as "a moving point." While line isn't something found in nature, it is absolutely essential as a concept to depicting objects and symbols, and defining shapes.

Texture is another element, like form or space, that can be real (run your fingers over an Oriental rug, or hold an unglazed pot), created (think of van Gogh's lumpy, impasto-ed canvases) or implied (through clever use of shading).

Color is often the whole point for people who are visual learners and thinkers.

Why Are the Elements of Art Important?

The elements of art are important for several reasons. First, and most importantly, a person can't create art without utilizing at least a few of them. No elements, no art-end of story. And we wouldn't even be talking about any of this, would we?

Secondly, knowing what the elements of art are enables us to:

1. describe what an artist has done

2. analyze what is going on in a particular piece

3. communicate our thoughts and findings using a common language

Musicians can talk about the key of "A," and they all know it means "a pitch relating to 440 oscillations per second of vibration." Mathematicians may use the very basic word "algorithm" and feel confident that most people know they mean "a step-by-step procedure for carrying out computation." Botanists world-wide will employ the name "rosa rugosa," rather than the much longer "that old-fashioned shrub rose - you know, the one that leaves hips in the fall - with the five-petaled flowers that can be yellow, white, red or pink." These are all specific examples of a common language coming in handy for intelligent (and shortened) discourse.

So it is with the elements of art. Once you know what the elements are, you can trot them out, time after time, and never put a wrong foot forward in the art world.

Does your instructor want you to write a few words and/or pages on a painting of your choice? Choose wisely, and then wax euphoric on form, lines, and color.

Have you found an unidentified work in your great-aunt's attic/toolshed/outhouse? It is helpful when describing the piece to someone who may be able to supply you with further information, to throw in some of the piece's elements of art along with: "It's an etching. It's on paper."

Stumped for conversation at a gallery show? Try "The artist's use of ________ (insert element here) is interesting." This is a much safer course than attempting to psychoanalyze the artist (after all, you may be standing in a clump of people that includes his or her mother) or using words which leave you a bit uncertain of exact meanings and/or pronunciations.

The elements of art are both fun and useful. Remember ​line, shape, form, space, texture, value and color. Knowing these elements will allow you to analyze, appreciate, write and chat about art, as well as being of help should you create art yourself.

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What Should You Know About the Elements of Art?

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Knowing the 7 elements of art (line, shape, form, space, texture, value and color) allows you to analyze, appreciate, write about, and discuss art.

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Colour is everywhere around us and greatly impacts how we perceive our environment. It can influence our emotions, moods, and mental activities. Artists use colour to make the viewer feel a certain way whether it is to bring happiness or convey sadness. Colour is a powerful tool.

Colour is one of the elements of art that is produced when light strikes an object and reflects back to the eye. Colour has three properties: hue (colour), intensity, and value.

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Colour is everywhere around us and greatly impacts how we perceive our environment. It can influence our emotions, moods, and mental activities. Artists use colour to make the viewer feel a certain way whether it is to bring happiness or convey sadness. Colour is a powerful tool.

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Form in art relates to the physical volume of a shape, and the space that it occupies. Form can be representational of actual shapes, objects, people, and animals, or it can be abstract. We most commonly see form depicted in sculptures, 3D design, and architecture; however, as soon as a shape acquires depth and becomes three-dimensional on a two-dimensional surface, it takes on form.

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Line is the foundation of all drawing. It is the first and most versatile of the visual elements. Line in visual arts can be used in many different ways and often define the edges of a form. Line can be used to suggest shape, pattern, form, structure, growth, depth, distance, rhythm, movement and a range of emotions. There are many different types of lines including vertical, horizontal, curved, curly, spiral and jagged. Artists use line in very different ways. Line can express mood, control, and direction and can be thick, thin, bold, and faint.

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Everywhere we look we see shapes - they are all around us! In art, shape is defined as an enclosed space with length and width; a flat area surrounded by an outline. Artists use all kinds of different shapes. As an element of art, shapes fall into two categories: geometric and organic or free form.

Geometric shapes are easy to recognize. They are mathematical shapes with names attached to them like squares, circles, and triangles. Geometric shapes can be simple or complex and give a piece of art a sense of order.

Unlike geometric shapes, organic and free flow are shapes that seem to not follow any rules. They are often irregular, uneven, and one of a kind. These shapes may be found in nature like clouds, leaves, or fruit, or they may be made-up. Organic and free flow shapes tend to add a natural feeling and give a piece of artwork a sense of flow.

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Everywhere we look we see shapes - they are all around us! In art, shape is defined as an enclosed space with length and width; a flat area surrounded by an outline. Artists use all kinds of different shapes. As an element of art, shapes fall into two categories: geometric and organic or free form.

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The element of space relies on the manipulation of all the other elements. How the other elements are placed by the artist creates space. Artists will place elements in the foreground, middle ground, or background to create their ideal composition. This placement helps the artist achieve depth in two-dimensional art pieces. The most common way of doing this is through perspective which relies heavily on strategic use of line and colour.

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Frida Kahlo was born in Coyoacán, Mexico (just south of Mexico City) in La Casa Azul (which is now a museum, see above photo) July 6, 1907. She grew up in this house with her parents and 6 sisters, during the Mexican revolution, which started in 1910. She loved to draw when she was a child, preferring to be alone than playing with her sisters. During her life, she had many, many medical problems and injuries that caused her a lot of physical pain; this is important to note because her pain and isolation is reflected in her paintings.

At age 6, Frida caught a disease called polio, which damaged her right leg. When she was 18 she was in a terrible bus accident that broke her spinal cord, collarbone, ribs, pelvic bone, leg, foot, and shoulder. An iron rail pierced her torso and through the terrible injury she was never able to have children. She was in an enormous amount of constant pain and had to be in a body cast for 3 months. Even after the case was removed, on and off for the rest of her life Frida would spend months at a time lying in bed in La Casa Azul or in the hospital: during this time in bed she painted what she felt and saw.

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Frida Kahlo was born in Coyoacán, Mexico (just south of Mexico City) in La Casa Azul (which is now a museum, see above photo) July 6, 1907. She grew up in this house with her parents and 6 sisters, during the Mexican revolution, which started in 1910.

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Now it's your turn to be inspired!

As you can see from Sidney Nolan's 'Snake'. Sometimes it takes more than just playing with colour to incorporate value into our art. Watch the videos provided to give you some helpful tips on how to effectively use value to create light and the illusion of depth.

Individual Art Task : use one of Nelson's original designs and create one of your own. Think about where you would put it within his mural. Would your piece be part of the snake, or part of the background around the snake?

Group Challenge task: With your class (or a group of friends), plan out what shape you would like to create. It could be a snake, a tree, a circle, anything...

1. Sketch out your image on a piece of paper (it is okay for this part to be smaller than the final product.

2. Divide the image into sections making note of where your lighter values will need to be

3. Assign a section to each person in the class or group

4. Using Nolan's methods, create a simple design that each person can replicate

5. Decide if you will be using pain, crayons, pencil crayons, or pastels.

6. Begin your individual creations

7. Assemble your individual creations into a larger mural

8. Be amazed at what you were able to accomplish.

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As you can see from Sidney Nolan's 'Snake'. Sometimes it takes more than just playing with colour to incorporate value into our art. Watch the videos provided to give you some helpful tips on how to effectively use value to create light and the illusion of depth.

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Value as an Element of Art. Part 1. What is value?

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Form is one of the seven elements of art. It describes a three-dimensional geometrical figure as opposed to a shape, which is two-dimensional (flat).

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Form in Art: Definition and Famous Examples

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In this article we will explore some of the aspects of form in art including its definition, examples and types.

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The line is one of the seven elements of art, along with shape, color, texture, form, value, and space. These elements are building blocks of all art and are a great place to start when trying to interpret the created pieces. The seven elements offer insights into the artist's unique style and are fingerprints of the individual expression of the author. The power of line art to show us the inner life of the different artists is a fascination since the beginning of time and continues till today. The famous quote by the painter " A line is a dot that went for a walk" expresses the idea of the journey and the movement from one point to the other, which creates the line. In the visual arts, lines are made when an artist draws or paints on paper or canvas, or when different materials such as wood, glass, or metal are bent and shaped. The decision of various filmmakers and photographers on the positioning of their cameras also create lines and are often trademarks for a particular filmmaker or photographer.

The line art is defined as a form of creative production that exists in various disciplines. Covering both the fine art categories, such as printmaking, drawing, painting, sculpture, it is also an important part of the digital artworks, applied art decorations, and pattern making. The images created are distinctive examples of various forms a line can take. The line can be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, zigzagged, curved, freeform, thick, thin, light or dark. Line art can use different colors, but traditional understanding is that it is usually monochromatic. Originally, prior to the birth of photography, line art was used in the form of illustrations later applied in print production, using black ink on white paper.

As an element of creativity that exists everywhere around us, line art also exists and helps to produce some of the most mesmerizing examples of realistic art, abstract line art, caricature, cartoon, graphic signs or typography. Today, we are focused on bringing to you ten artworks of some of the most amazing line art examples found across a range of art categories. Please continue reading and allow your eyes to feast upon the amazing art form that is the line.

Editors' Tip: Walk the Line: The Art of Drawing

Exploring the fascinating world of drawing, and its endurance during the domination of the digital art production, the authors of the book Ana Ibarra and Marc Valli bring to us some of the amazing examples of contemporary artworks that celebrate this traditional form of art-making. Beautifully illustrated, the book includes interviews with the international selection of the artists and examples of their works that demonstrate the use of diverse materials. For anyone that is in love with contemporary art, line drawings and illustrations in traditional medium this book is a must-have.

Line Art Examples in Printmaking: The Master of Nightmares

The world of printmaking is possibly the richest arena of some of the best examples of the traditional understanding of line art. The monochromatic aspect along with the richness of lines and surfaces, which are used to build some of the most impressive images in art history, belong to none other than to the famous Spanish painter and printmaker Francisco Goya. The above image is an example of Goya's etching belonging to his famous series Los Caprichos. The print series, that started as an artistic experiment depict the universal follies and foolishness of the Spanish society in which Goya lived. The set of 80 prints in aquatint and etching printmaking techniques were published as an album in 1799 and today represent one od the most powerful phantasmagoric and disturbing images that comment not just upon the artist's society but are viewed to stand as a comment on the world at large.
Featured image: Francisco Goya - Etching from the print series Los Caprichos. Image via wikiart.org
The Beauty of the Love Between Science and Art

The famous Renaissance painter Leonardo da Vinci was above all an inventor pushed on by his inquisitive mind and a desire to learn more and understand the entire world around him. His detailed anatomical line drawings may not be so accurate concerning what we have learned about the human body but are the most beautiful examples of the traditional form of drawing. The pencil sketches showcase the mastery and the precise guidance of the hand. The dark sections that are build with the use of lines display the way in which lines of different directions can be employed to produce a contrast between light and dark areas on the paper without the help of dark colors. The scientific approach to art and da Vinci's need to investigate the world around him helped the painter to produce some of the most mesmerizing images of the human figure and pushed the limits and boundaries of science and art. His line drawings are still appreciated to this day.
Featured image: Leonardo da Vinci - Anatomical Drawings, Study. Image via leonardodrawings.com
The Drawings of A Modern Figure

Egon Schiele is one of the most celebrated artists of our time. and deeply psychological portraits, self-portraits, his numerous drawings and studies of female nudes and his portrayal of the human body, marked one of the major shifts in art history. Schiele's raw and direct production is famous and characteristic due to his graceful black line and the profound expression. Now considered as one of the most famous line artists, his paintings and drawings of the interlaced body express the idea that a single black line on a variety of surfaces can be viewed to stand as a sketch and as a finished work of art.
Featured image: Egon Schiele - Drawing. Image via davelovell.net
Examples of Line in Art : The Illustrations by Andy Warhol

Line art can emerge and evolve from so many different types of art. The famous pop artist Andy Warhol, known for his silkscreens and paintings that celebrated what was considered a quintessential representation of the American culture in the 1960's was also at one point of his career a commercial illustrator. His famous illustrations of shoes and cats showcase how important and constant drawing was for his artistic practice. The illustrations were produced with the technique known as 'blotted line', a combination of drawing and basic printmaking. This example of illustration showcases the free-flowing line that seems to hide the inner child of one of the most successful Pop artists of our time, and also reflect the easy in which he approached the piece of paper and produce some of the most beautiful images.
Featured image: Andy Warhol - Illustrations. Images via warhol.org
"The Mistress of Unsolicited Confessions"

There is a form of line art that seems unfinished as if it is done in haste but is also able to convey an enormous amount of the artist's emotions and information of the world around us, as if capturing the essence of it all. Such is the case with the croquis, monoprints, and drawings of the British artist Tracey Emin. Her production that uses elements of line art resembles the ripped pages of a diary and display events, which happened. The lines are confessions and cut so deep into a piece of paper and an ink plate resembles scars and show us the paths of Emin's life.
Featured image: Tracey Emin - Artwork. Image via google.rs
Giving a Line the Movement It Needs

The black and white paintings by the English painter play with the perception of our eye and follow the tradition of the Op art period. They represent a variety of geometrical forms that produce a sensation of movement. During 1961 to 1964 the painter worked with the contrast of black and white, occasionally introducing tonal scales of gray. What her work displays for us, and the reason why we have decided to include her paintings as one of the examples of line in art may surprise some but in fact, they are important as they showcase the variety of the definition what line is. Here, the lines are produced not with the use of pen and paper, ink or a plate, but on canvas and with paint and in a variety of its thickness and color.
Featured image: Bridget Riley - Descending, detail. Image via www.pinterest.com
The Famous Vertical Stripes : Another Example of Line Art

was an American painter famous for his vertical stripes of color. His work shows us that line can exist without its outline and can stand as an independent colorful surface. His lines and his surfaces the artist implemented in a variety of artistic disciplines. From public art and the painting of a street in a downtown Washington to experiments with light and color, and print works, Davis concentrated his practice on the research in the repetitive geometric rhythm of a particular color and how abstract line art can be redefined.
Featured image: Gene Davis - Apricot Ripple. Image via www.francisfrost.com
The Life's Net

Abstract expressionist painter is quite possibly the most famous painter of movement. His method of painting was above all an . The drips, the dots, the lines, and the different strokes, applied from all different directions, created a net, a vibrant and vibrating surface. The lines, the surfaces, the colors, all of this put together culminated in a pure expression of a single moment of creation. This example moves us quite far away from the understanding of the traditional idea of line art and everything that line artwork can be, but it showcases that any mark the artist makes is an element of his art and that a line can be a grouping of dots, strokes, or paints.
Featured image: Jackson Pollock - Convergence. Image via jackson-pollock.org
Is it A Photograph?

How much more is there when talking about line art? So far we have offered to you examples of how a line is used to create abstract works. Susan Hauptman presented before us images that showcased a great technical skill and a softness of her rendering of her self-portraits. The interplay of a variety of questions such as gender stereotypes, , and understanding of the human body were all reflected and presented in the traditional drawing technique. Her hyper-realistic images fascinate and show how all the elements of art we discussed in the introduction of this text depending on the preference and the character of the authors can range from childlike illustrations, sketches, paintings, to the hyper-reality that stares back in the face.
Featured image: Left: Susan Hauptman - Self Portrait with Branch / Right: Susan Hauptman - Self Portrait with Bow. Images via forumgallery.com
Line Art in The Virtual World

Today, the rise of the technology and the power of all the different tools an author can use to create his/ her work differs greatly from the humble beginnings of old masters. Their lines, created on pieces of paper, or on a variety of different materials, today exist as joined dots on computer screens, as marks made by a computer pen. With the help of technology, some lines are invisible to the artist himself, whose movement in space can create light lines that move around him. The precise straight line, the free-flowing curved line, the line made up of dots, drips, surfaces of color today artists can create to outstand the yellowing of old pieces of paper or canvases used in history. One can only imagine what the future brings for line artists.
Featured image: CSM Software - Digital Worm Hall. Image via csmsoftware.com

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Line Art in 10 Famous Examples | Widewalls

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The line is one of the seven elements of art, along with shape, color, texture, form, value, and space. These elements are building blocks of all art and are a great place to start when trying to interpret the created pieces.

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I'm continuing the Elements and Principles of Art series today with a post that includes example artworks that use shape.

I will add to this list when I find more, so this is a good one to pin or bookmark! The horizontal images do not contain all of the examples.

Download the Free Elements and Principles Printable Pack

This pack of printables was designed to work in a variety of ways in your classroom when teaching the elements and principles of art. You can print and hang in your classroom as posters/anchor charts or you can cut each element and principle of art in its own individual card to use as a lesson manipulative.

Shape in Art Examples

Example Artworks that Use Shape, General

Artworks with Geometric Shape

Piet Mondrian, Broadway Boogie-Woogie, 1942-43

Marsden Hartley, Night - and Some Flowers, 1940

Grant Wood, , 1939

Paul Klee, The Red Balloon, 1922

Le Corbusier, Notre-Dame-du-Haut at Ronchamp (interior), 1950-1955

Claes Oldenburg, Geometric Mouse - Scale A, 1969-1971

Wassily Kandinsky, Squares with Concentric Circles, 1913

Artworks with Organic or Free-Form Shape

Paul Gauguin, La Orana Maria (Hail Mary), 1891

Joan Miro, , 1925

Henri Matisse, The Joy of Life, 1905-06

Henri Matisse, Icarus, from Jazz series, 1947

Henri Marisse, Beasts of the Sea, 1950

Pablo Picasso, Great Still Life on Pedestal, 1931

Kara Walker, Darkytown Rebellion, 2001

Shapes Made by Negative Space

Shapes that Guide your Eye Around the Picture

Shapes Used to Organize Picture (Pyramidal Configuration, etc.)

Leonardo da Vinci, Virgin of the Rocks, c. 1483

Michelangelo Buonarroti, , 1498-99

Diego Velázquez, Las Meninas, 1656

Raphael, Madonna in the Meadow, 1506

Georges Seurat, A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, 1884

What did I miss? What are your favorite artworks to teach shape? Let me know in the comments!
Remember I will add to this, so don't forget to pin this post by clicking on the picture below.

Do you have a great example to teach shape? Share it with me in the comments, and I will add it to the list!
There you have it! The best shape in art examples for your elements and principles of art lessons. Want more elements and principles of art teacher resources? Check out the below posts.

Photo Credits:

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I'm continuing the Elements and Principles of Art series today with a post that includes example artworks that use shape. I will add to this list when I find more, so this is a good one to pin or bookmark! The horizontal images do not contain all of the examples.

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by Dan Scott

Texture in art is a visual element which refers to the surface quality of a painting (i.e. smooth, rough, matte, glossy, etc). Many artists seem to overlook the importance of texture, but I find it to be one of the most versatile tools at our disposal.

In this post I discuss what texture is and how you can successfully incorporate it in your paintings.

In art, texture could mean two things:

The physical texture of our paints which we experience visually and through touch; or

The illusion of texture which we only experience visually.

Here is an example of a rough physical texture by Vincent van Gogh which is a key feature in many of his works:

This watercolor painting by John Singer Sargent demonstrates the illusion of the rough texture of the land and mountains, but the paint itself is rather smooth. This is done through clever use of color, contrast and other visual elements. A downside of watercolor painting is that you are not able to build up a thick physical texture with the paint like you can with oils or acrylics.

In the painting below I used physical and visual texture to paint the foreground next to the river. I first painted a thin coat of grays and dull greens to give the illusion of rocks, soil, grass and so on. Then I loaded my brush and applied thick dabs of dull yellows to render the plants in the foreground. This creates an interesting contrast between smooth and thick textures.

The main purpose of painting is to create the illusion of a three dimensional subject on a flat surface. But, that does not mean you should ignore the physical properties of your paints.

Paint which has been applied smoothly across the canvas appears very different to paint which has been applied in a thick, impasto fashion. A general guideline I find useful is to try and match the physical texture of my paint to the characteristics of the subject I am painting.

Smooth texture can be useful for painting calm, out of focus, dark or distant areas. In my painting below, observe the smooth texture of the sky, clouds and the distant trees.

Thick texture can be useful for painting dramatic, emotional, active or close areas. Going back to the above painting as an example, I built up thick texture in the foreground using a palette knife to create a sense of depth in the painting. The idea was to have a progression from rough, to medium to smooth texture as you go from the foreground through to the background.

Impasto texture also creates tiny shadows on the canvas depending on the direction of the light. This can produce some interesting results.

There i s only so much value you can get out of the physical texture of your paints. Usually, you will need to call on the help of the other visual elements to create the illusion of texture. This involves the clever arrangement of colors, contrast, brushwork, shapes and so on to mimic the texture of the subject you are painting.

For example, if you were painting glassy, calm water, you could use long, consistent strokes of high-key colors with very little contrast. This is demonstrated in the harmonious painting below by Claude Monet:

On the other hand, if you were painting the turbulent seas, you could use short, choppy strokes of varied colors with a sharp contrast between the elements. Frederick Waugh was a master of this.

Below are some specific examples of how I incorporate texture in my paintings.

Clouds: I like to use thick texture for clouds, contrasted against a relatively smooth texture for the general sky. This creates a nice sense of depth. I also use thicker paint for areas which are hit by light and leave the shaded areas of the clouds a bit thinner.

Grass: I take advantage of visible brushwork and subtle changes in color to mimic the texture of grass. A useful technique is to grab a large flat or filbert brush and load it with varied colors (greens, yellows, grays). I use bold strokes to create the illusion of glass clusters.

Water: For turbulent water, I use thick paint which mimics the general flow of the water. I really try to feel how the water is moving and my brush will often follow this movement. For areas which are calmer, I use less texture and contrast. If you want to read more about this, then you should check out my post on painting realistic water.

Blue Sky: I use a smooth texture for a clear, blue sky but that does not mean I ignore brushwork altogether. I take advantage of subtle brushwork to create some kind of interest throughout the sky. Otherwise, large areas of monotonous color may appear overly bland.

Buildings: I often use a relatively thick texture for buildings to create a sense of depth in the painting (this bring the buildings forward in perspective). The palette knife can come in handy here for painting thick, clean blocks of color.

Rocks: When painting the highlights on rocks, I often use the palette knife to scrape thick paint over a dark base color. These broken colors closely mimic the way the light hits the edges of the rocks.
(If you want to learn more about landscape painting, make sure to grab my free Landscape Painting Starter Kit).

Thanks for taking the time to read this post. I appreciate it! Feel free to share with friends. If you want more painting tips, make sure you subscribe.

Happy painting!

Dan Scott

Draw Paint Academy

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Bonus Download: New to painting? Start with my free Beginner's Guide to Painting. Texture in art is a visual element which refers to the surface quality of a painting (i.e. smooth, rough, matte, glossy, etc). Many artists seem to overlook the importance of texture, but I find it to be one of the most versatile tools at our disposal.

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It's time again for an Elements and Principles of Art post! This post includes good examples of color in art, divided into categories. This list of examples of color in art contains the following elements of color: warm and cool colors in art, primary color art, complementary colors in art, analogous colors examples, neutral colors in art, and color intensity in art.

Want to check out my color wheel lesson on Color in Art? Click here to purchase the color in art and color wheel lesson.

Download the Free Elements and Principles Printable Pack

This pack of printables was designed to work in a variety of ways in your classroom when teaching the elements and principles of art. You can print and hang in your classroom as posters/anchor charts or you can cut each element and principle of art in its own individual card to use as a lesson manipulative.

Primary Color Art

The primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. The primary colors are the basis for all other colors. You cannot do anything to mix blue, yellow, or red. They just exist.

Piet Mondrian, Broadway Boogie Woogie, 1942-43

Mark Rothko, Untitled (Yellow, Red, and Blue), 1953

Jacob Lawrence, Workshop (Builders #1), 1972 and many others

Cy Twombly, Summer Madness, 1990 (Click link, then click #20)

Hans Hofmann, The Golden Wall, 1961

Pablo Picasso, Claude and Paloma Playing, 1950

Fritz Glarner, Relational Painting No. 64, 1953

Roy Lichtenstein, Stepping Out, 1978

Ancient Roman, Glass Garland Bowl, late 1st century B.C.E.

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Ambassadeurs Aristide Bruant in his cabaret, 1892

Nicolas Poussin, The Death of Germanicus, 1627

Complementary Colors in Art

Complementary colors in art are opposite each other on the color wheel. They create a lot of contrast in art. Look around in the world, and you will be surprised how often complementary colors are used. What are the sets of complementary colors? The basic complementary color pairings are red and green, purple and yellow, and orange and blue.

Complementary Colors in Art - Red and Green

Marc Chagall, I and the Village, 1911

Ando Hiroshige, Plum Estate, Kameido From "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo", 1857

Shinobo Ishihara, Test for Color Deficiency

Vincent van Gogh, The Night Café, 1888

Jan van Eyck, The Arnolfini Portrait, 1434

Henri Matisse, Portrait of Madame Matisse (Green Stripe), 1905

Pablo Picasso, Woman with Hat, 1962

Georgia O'Keeffe, , 1916 (Click link, top right image)

Vincent van Gogh, La Berceuse (Woman Rocking a Cradle; Augustin-Alix Pellicot Roulin, 1851-1930), 1889

Kay Kurt, Weingummi II, 1973

Complementary Colors in Art - Blue and Orange

Mary Cassatt, Mother and Child, 1890

Edgar Degas, Ballerina and Lady with Fan, 1885

Claude Monet, Rouen Cathedral, West Façade, Sunlight, 1892

Paul Klee, Ad Parnassum, 1932

Vincent van Gogh, Self-Portrait, 1889

Claude Monet, Impression, Sunrise, 1872

Fritz Bultman, , 1958

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Portrait of Oscar Wilde, 1895

Sandy Skoglund, Revenge of the Goldfish, 1981

Stuart Davis, Colonial Cubism, 1954

Edvard Munch, , 1893

Arnold Böcklin, Island of the Dead, 1880

Complementary Colors in Art - Purple and Yellow

Analogous Colors Examples

Analogous colors are next to each other on the color wheel. They create unity in art because they are made of the same colors. Example sets of analogous colors are blue, blue-green, and green or orange, red-orange, and red.

Warm and Cool Colors in Art

Warm colors are the colors red, orange, and yellow. They are bright and pop out. They create energy and excitement in an artwork. Blue and green are cool colors. These cool colors create a calming energy in an artwork. Violet/purple can be both warm and cool depending on how much red or how much blue is in the violet.

Warm Colors in Art

Cool Colors in Art

Neutral Colors in Art

Neutral colors are created by using white and black or are created by mixing sets of complementary colors together to make varying shades of brown. Examples of neutrals include gray, brown, tan, white, black, etc.

Color Intensity in Art

Intensity refers to how saturated a color is. It is the brightness or the dullness of a color. Colors with high intensity are bright, and colors with low intensity are dull.

Color Intensity in Art: High Intensity

Color Intensity in Art: Low Intensity
Do you have a great example to teach color in art? Share it with me in the comments, and I will add it to the list!

For more elements of art examples and principles of design examples, visit the following resources.

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The Ultimate Collection of Color in Art: Examples and Definitions

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This is the ultimate list of color in art examples divided in categories like primary, complementary, analogous, warm, cool, high intensity, and more!

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Inside: This is the ultimate list of good space in art examples! The list includes perspective, positive and negative space in art, foreshortening, and much more!

It's Elements and Principles of Art time again! I've been working my way through all of the elements and principles of art in order to give you a one-stop resource to find great example artworks for each element and principle. So far, I've completed Line, Color, Shape, Balance, and Emphasis.

Today, we tackle Space. First, check out this other post I wrote about space last year. Then, check out the below list.

I will add to this list when I find more, so this is a good one to pin or bookmark! The horizontal picture collages do not have all the pictures from the categories.
Please note, this post includes Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Download the Free Elements and Principles Printable Pack

This pack of printables was designed to work in a variety of ways in your classroom when teaching the elements and principles of art. You can print and hang in your classroom as posters/anchor charts or you can cut each element and principle of art in its own individual card to use as a lesson manipulative.

Examples of Space in Art

Space in Art Examples: Vast/Open Space

Artworks that Show Space using Overlapping

Space in Art Examples: Relative Size

Artworks that Show Space using Vertical Position on the Picture Plane

John Sloan, South Beach Bathers, 1907-08

Andrew Wyeth, Christina's World, 1948

Basawan and Chatar Muni, Akbar and the Elephant Hawai, ca. 1590

Tom Wesselmann, Still Life #12, 1962

Jacob Lawrence, The Library, 1960

Artworks with Flat/Shallow Space

Artworks with Foreshortening

Artworks with Linear Perspective

Masaccio, 1427-28

Raphael, School of Athens, 1510

Meindert Hobbema, The Avenue at Middelharnis, 1689

Gustave Caillebotte, The Floor Scrapers, 1875

Leonardo da Vinci, Last Supper, 1498

Pietro Perugino, Christ Giving the Keys to St. Peter, 1481-1482

Dorothea Lange, The Road West, 1938

Salvador Dali, The Disintegration of The Persistence of Memory, 1952-54

Camille Pissarro, Place du Théâtre Français, Paris: Rain, 1898

Charles Sheeler, City Interior, 1936

Piero della Francesca, , c. 1470

Filippo Brunelleschi, Perspective drawing for Church of Santo Spirito in Florence, c. 1428

Edith Hayllar, A Summer Shower, 1883

Vincent van Gogh, A Corridor in the Asylum, 1889

Anselm Kiefer, To the Unknown Painter, 1983

Artworks with Multipoint (2+) Perspective

Space in Art Examples: Atmospheric/Aerial Perspective

Leonardo da Vinci, , c. 1503-19

Claude Lorrain, Landscape with Ruins, Pastoral Figures, and Trees, c. 1650

Albert Bierstadt, Sunrise, Yosemite Valley, c. 1870

Sanford R. Gifford, October in the Catskills, 1880

Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Hunters in the Snow, 1565

Pierre Adolphe Valette, Albert Square, Manchester, 1910

Space in Art Examples: Isometric Projection/Perspective

Space in Art Examples: Amplified/Exaggerated Perspective

Positive and Negative Space in Art
Remember I will add to this, so don't forget to pin this post! 🙂 Do you have a great example to teach space? Share it with me in the comments, and I will add it to the list!
There you have it! The best space in art examples for your elements and principles of art lessons. Want more elements and principles of art teacher resources? Check out the below posts.
For more elements and principles of art examples, visit the following resources:

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The Ultimate List of Space in Art Examples

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Inside: This is the ultimate list of good space in art examples! The list includes perspective, positive and negative space in art, foreshortening, and much more! It's Elements and Principles of Art time again! I've been working my way through all of the elements and principles of art in order to give you a one-stop resource to find great example artworks for each element and principle.

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Value in Art - Understanding Value as an Element of Art

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Value in art, which is also an art element, is a fundamental tool for artists when they want to create a visually appealing, harmonious, or striking and contras

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The 7 elements of art are: line, shape, value, color, texture, space and form.

The seven elements of art are also sometimes known as the seven principles of art. They are often taught to art students and are the foundation of any piece of artwork.

Artists combine two or more of these elements to create works of art.

Even if you have never heard of the 7 elements of art, you have probably been using them in your painting without knowing it.

Understanding these visual elements and how they all work with each other will greatly improve your painting and allow you to produce a more cohesive work of art.
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What are the 7 Elements of Art?

Line

Line is the basic element of art. It is the foundation, and arguably the most important element of art. A line is more than just a mark drawn or painted from point A to point B. A line creates a boundary or defines a form, space or shape.

Lines can be straight or curved, thick or thin. The artist can use vertical lines, horizontal lines or diagonal lines to imply direction.

Different types of lines can be used to make shapes, imply direction and lead the viewer's eye around a painting.

Lines show size and height, convey perspective and create patterns. They can also be used to create texture and shading in a work using cross-hatching.

Shape

A shape is a two-dimensional object with length and width but no depth. The shape may be simple or complex, regular or irregular. Shapes are created by a combination of lines.

There are geometric shapes such as circles, squares or triangles and organic shapes appear in nature and are usually more abstract.

A shape or shapes can be used to create visual interest, balance, rhythm, and hierarchy in a painting composition. They also help guide the viewers eye around the artwork. Artists often use shapes to create a focal point in their artwork.

Remember, everything you see is just basically a composition of shapes. If you are struggling to get your subject onto paper, print off your reference photo and trace over any obvious shapes you see.

Take these triangles, squares, circles and organic shapes and transfer them to your canvas or paper.

Start with these basic shapes and build on them, adding color, detail and shading until you have transformed the shape into the object you are attempting to paint or draw.

It takes a bit of practice but it is a really good place to start for a beginner and gives you an understanding of what you are seeing and how all of these shapes work together to form a picture.

Color

Colors are a big part of any design ​​and one of the basic components of a painting. The colors you use should have a purpose and they should be appropriate for the audience that you are designing for.

Color theory is not just about picking colors and putting them together, it is also about understanding how colors work with each other and how they affect people's moods.

Color can set the mood and feel of a painting. A landscape painted in greys or muted tones would have a different feel than the same landscape painted with bright, vibrant colors.

All colors have certain characteristics that would be helpful to know when designing a painting.

Hue - the colors themselves, red, blue, green, etc.

Value - how light or dark a color is.

Chroma - the brightness or dullness of a color, in other words, how saturated it is.

Temperature - colors can be warm or cool.

For a deeper understanding of colors and their characteristics see my series of posts on Color Theory, Warm and Cool Colors and Complimentary Colors.

Using a color wheel can help you choose colors for your art piece. A color wheel is a tool that artists use to pick out the color scheme for their work. It helps artists understand what colors will work together well or clash with each other when used in an artwork.

A color wheel is usually divided into primary colors, secondary colors and tertiary colors to help visualize the color scheme of your artwork.

Value

Value is the degree of lightness or darkness in colors. It is the lightness or darkness of a color in relation to its own brightness, not in relation to other colors.

The higher the value, the more light reflects off an object and vice versa.

Lighter values are referred to as tints. Darker values are referred to as shades.

It is easier to visualize the values of a color if you use a value scale. A value scale is a strip of squares or blocks ranging from the darkest dark gradually progressing to the lightest light. The lightest value usually being white and the darkest value is usually black.

Value is important because it helps create a sense of depth and contrast in paintings and drawings.

A successful composition will have a range of tonal values to give the piece more life and visual interest. If there are not enough range in values, the painting can look flat.

For more information see my post on Value.

Texture

Texture is what we see when we look at an object closely; it includes things like smoothness or roughness on the surface of an object.

Texture is a visual quality that gives the impression of surface roughness, or of something tactile.

When we think of texture in art we often think of sculptures or pottery but texture or the illusion of texture can be achieved in a painting or drawing as well.

Texture is an important aspect of art. It can be achieved through a variety of materials and techniques, such as paint strokes and the use of sandpaper. Texture makes an object more three-dimensional and helps to convey a sense of realism to the viewer.

In drawing, texture is created by adding parallel lines or dots to create the impression that the surface has been roughened by some process, such as sanding or scraping.

In a painting, texture can be implied by using value and brushstrokes to give a 3D feeling to the artwork. The right amount of shading and highlighting can make a tree trunk or a dewdrop appear real enough to reach out and touch.

There are different ways of adding texture to a painting. There are many texturing compounds available on the market that can be added to your paint to produce texture.

These texture mediums can incorporate glass beads, sand, fibers or resins to add texture. You can also use texture pastes or heavy applications of gesso.

Liquitex has an excellent article on creating texture in your painting. You can read the article here.

Using a palette knife and thick paint can also achieve a lot of texture in a painting. This is especially useful for mountain tops or abstract paintings.

You can also use unusual items to create texture with thick paint or gesso. Try using a fork, an old credit card, bubble wrap or purchase specially designed paint "shapers" to create texture.

Form

Form is the way in which something has been shaped or moulded. The form can be organic or geometric.

Form is the shape, structure, or configuration of an object. A form is a three-dimensional object that has length and width as well as depth.

The two main types of form found in art are:

- Geometric forms (circle, square, triangle) One of the most common types of form is geometric form.

Geometric forms are shapes that can be divided into two or more equal parts by straight lines. These shapes can also be symmetrical, meaning they have a line of symmetry that divides the shape in half, and they are made up of straight lines and angles.

Geometric forms are most often found in architecture and sculpture but can be seen in paintings and drawings as well.

- Organic forms (animal, plant) Organic form is a natural shape that does not have a specific pattern or symmetry to it. They are free flowing and have little or no pattern to them.

These are forms are usually found in nature and occur naturally.

The shape of a plant or rock or the silhouette of an animal are all organic forms.

Many artists use form to create a sense of movement and the illusion of space.

Space

Space is the area or volume around and between things. Space can be empty or full. It can also be defined as the distance between things.

The use of space in art is important to show visual interest, depth, and distance and create contrast between elements in a painting.

Space can also be used to define perspective, imply the size of the elements in the artwork and define shapes and forms.

Negative space is the area or volume around and between objects, while positive space is the object itself.

Negative space can be used to create a focal point or bring more attention to an object by isolating it. Negative space can also be used to create a mood or a feeling of openness or isolation in a painting.

The elements of art are the basic building blocks of art required for any visual artwork. These basic elements of art can be used individually or combined to create a variety of styles and interpretations.

The elements of art are important because they help the artist create a piece that is both aesthetically pleasing and tells a story. They also allow the artist to convey their message in a way that is unique to them.

If you have questions, you can leave them in the comments below. You can also join our free Facebook group, Trembeling Art Creative Corner, where you can ask questions, post your work and get to know some fantastic artists from all genres and skill levels. 😊

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Understanding the 7 Elements of Art and Why You Need To

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The elements of art are lines, shapes, colors, values, spaces and textures. This article will give you a basic understanding of the elements of art and how you can use them. #elementsofart #artwork

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SPACE: Element of Art Explained in 7 minutes (funny!)

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The Elements of Art - SPACE | Winged Canvas Blog

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Space is a word with a lot of meaning, but we’re only focusing on it within art! Here’s a blog all about SPACE: the element of art!

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Value-The Elements of Art. Learn the fundamentals of art making.