PREVNEXTSUBMITMenuResourcesGlossaryTranscriptClear and return to MenuSearch ResultsFilterSlide TextNotesSearch in:Check to includeSearch...TermsDefinitionFINISHfinishdefinitionresourcessearchpauseplayreplaysubmitnextpreviousvolumeSkip Navigation. Hit enter to return to the slide.SUBMIT ALLsubmit allQuestion ListMore infoSend an emailCloseBioExit<html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Just as spoken language is based on fundamental words, sounds and grammar, the language of art consists of visual elements and principles that, when combined, create meaningful compositions. By studying the formal elements and principles of design, we can better understand and appreciate the artworks we encounter. </textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>The formal elements of art are the basic visual elements that artists utilize to create effective compositions. These elements can be studied and isolated independently. For example, in this iconic painting titled The Scream, we can examine Edvard Munch’s use of expressive line, complementary color, or organic shape. But keep in mind that artists use these elements in combination to effectively communicate their ideas.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Line is the artist’s most basic tool. Line can delineate shape and form, visually direct the eye, and convey emotional attributes.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Lines can be actual or implied. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Horizontal lines appear more peaceful and calm than vertical lines which communicate stability and strength. Diagonal lines appear most active because they seem less stable. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>How we read - from left to right - influences how we perceive lines. For example diagonal lines that are higher on the right appear more dynamic than if it was the other way around. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Lines can be drawn using a wide variety of materials, from pencils, markers, and ink to finger doodling on a window to ancient lines inscribed in the earth. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>For example: the choice of media an artist makes affects the visual impact of a line - its texture, edge qualities and width.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Compare these two images to examine the difference between analytic and expressive line. Both artists here have created non-objective paintings the same colors. But they’ve employed line very differently, affecting how the work is received.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>In Mondrian’s painting, the grid is laid bare. Many artists use the grid to help organize their work. This painting reflects regularity, order and unity. Jackson Pollock’s work on the other hand is energetic and irregular. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>This pairing also demonstrates how line can possess specific intellectual, emotional, and expressive qualities.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>The simplest way a shape can be drawn is by the use of outline. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>If an artist wants to draw an object that appears three-dimensional, they may use contour line. A contour marks the edges of three dimensional shapes and objects. Artists use contour lines to suggest volume by indicating both outer edges and internal details that capture the object’s recession or projection in space. </textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>When visually analyzing an artwork, an important type of implied line to consider is called directional line or “line of sight.” In everyday life, you can relate it to when someone points at something and you immediately follow their arm and finger to the object to which they are pointing. The same thing happens in art. It may not be an actual person pointing, but artists will direct the viewer’s eyes around a composition through a variety of means, leading us to areas of focus and creating meaning.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Let’s consider how implied line is utilized in this painting by Renoir. Keep in mind the definition of line as a “path left by a moving point through space” and you can begin to appreciate the way an artist creates a path to control your gaze and activate the composition. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Click each letter in the painting to find out more.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>A shape is a two-dimensional form. It has identifiable boundaries that are measured in height and width.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Mass is a three-dimensional form that occupies a volume of space. It can be measured by height, width, and depth.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Three-dimensionality can be simulated or implied in a two-dimensional work through shading or modeling.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Shapes and masses can be described broadly as geometric or organic. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Geometric shapes and masses approximate regular lines and curves of geometry. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Organic shapes are irregular and evoke the “biomorphic” character of living forms of the natural world.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Much like the way implied line works, in order to perceive a shape, we don’t need complete contours. Our minds will mentally fill in the gaps. Michelangelo used implied shape as an important compositional element in this sculpture, the Pieta.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>In two-dimensional art, shapes are sometimes referred to as figures and the space surrounding that figure is considered the ground. The figure is the positive shape and the ground is the negative shape. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Our central focus may be on the figure or the positive shape, but artists also carefully consider the negative shapes and its arrangement just as importantly, since the relationship between the figure and ground affects the composition.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Recent imaging techniques have revealed that the Dutch artist Vermeer removed a chair originally painted in the foreground and moved the hanging map further to the right, demonstrating the artist’s keen awareness of the dynamics of figure/ground relationships.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Artists who work with three-dimensional media create objects or environments that the viewer can interact with in real, three-dimensional space. By means of illusion, artists working in two-dimensions can create a sense of depth on a flat two-dimensional surface in many ways. Such as: size, overlapping, position, and shadows.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Linear perspective is an artistic convention widely used to represent deep space. It refers to a set of mathematical systems used to produce representations of objects in space as if seen by an observer looking through a window or a frame. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Keep in mind that linear perspective relies on the conceptual anchor of a single, fixed spectator position. In order to create the desired effect, the spectator/observer would remain absolutely still and look at the subject with one eye closed. Of course, human sight is based on binocular, not monocular vision. When we look, our eyes are in constant motion and any sight we see is actually composed of many different angles, views, and glances.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Despite how we actually see, perspective has become the dominant way of organizing two dimensional visual space since the time of the Renaissance to the digital era today. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Perspective can be one-point, two-point, or multiple point perspective. Learn more about one point linear perspective in these informative videos.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>When applied to represent unusual or dynamic points of view such as a body or body part directed toward the viewer, the effect is called foreshortening. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Another way that artists can create the illusion of deep space is through atmospheric perspective (also called aerial perspective). The basic rule is that objects in the distance are paler, bluer, and the contrast is less distinct, an optical effect of the atmosphere.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>The goal of representing the illusion of depth was not an artistic convention of many cultures. Consider spatial representation in Egyptian art. Image and text are organized sequentially, like a contemporary comic book. This does not mean that these kinds of representations are primitive or that spatial logic is undeveloped. Rather, it is just that other systems of logic or conventions are at work here.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Value refers to the lights and darks in a composition. The shift from light to dark of both colors and neutrals can be shown in a range called a value scale. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Changes in lightness and darkness can heighten an artwork’s expressive impact. Consider the value changes in this composition. What effect do these changes have on your perception of the image?</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Renaissance artists used chiaroscuro to render the effects of light. The use of chiaroscuro to show the transitions of light to dark on a curved surface is called modeling.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Artemisia Gentileschi used chiaroscuro, tenebrism, and contrast, as seen in her painting Judith and Holofernes. She heightened the impact of the scene through the modeled source of light, which seems almost as if it is from a spotlight, emphasizing the theatrical aspect characteristic of its Baroque style.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Of all the formal elements, color is the most complex because of the combinations, variations, and psychological aspects inherent in its use. We all respond to color differently. In fact, ancient Greek philosophers stated that color is a state of mind, not matter. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Color is known to have emotional and physiological effects - affecting such things as mood, temperature and appetite. Our feelings about color are often rooted in our own personal experience or culture.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Our mind constantly makes judgements about the colors we perceive, even when the lighting conditions change. This is called color constancy. Local color is the color we “know” an object to be - for example, we know that a ripe banana is yellow - that would be its local color. However, the color will change depending on the light it is under. Sometimes it might have more orange or green in it. We will still identify the banana as yellow. </textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Color is a direct function of light. We perceive colors from the light reflected off of objects. A blue object looks blue because it reflects the blue part of the spectrum. The study of color in art and design often starts with color theory, which uses the color wheel as its most basic tool. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Three key properties of color are hue, value, and intensity. Hue refers to the color itself as found on the color wheel. Value refers to the relative lightness or darkness of the color and intensity (also called saturation) refers to the purity of the color - its brightness or dullness.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Using the color wheel as a guide, artists may employ various color schemes to communicate their ideas. The use of color schemes can appear formulaic, but keep in mind that they are a useful place to begin experimentation before arriving at a final color relationship.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Monochromatic color schemes can have a unifying affect by varying the value of a single color</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Analogous colors are next to each other on the color wheel and create the sense of harmony.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Colors opposite each other on the color wheel are considered complementary. When these colors appear next to each other, they will seem more vivid than if alone - an effect called simultaneous contrast. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>There are many other color schemes and harmonies artists can experiment with.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Artists may choose to use arbitrary color to draw attention to the purity of color itself.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>An artist who was interested in the scientific properties of color was the Frenchman Georges Seurat, who developed the style pointillism.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Learn more about Seurat and his masterpiece “Sunday on La Grande Jatte” by viewing the following video.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Many artists of the modern era have intentionally decided to create paintings using abstracted space and color. One artist many of you are familiar with is Vincent Van Gogh. Learn more about how he explored the symbolic possibilities of painting.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Texture is the actual or perceived surface of an artwork. An artwork’s texture evokes tactile sensations and feelings. Artists employ texture in two ways:</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Visual textures are implied and illusionistic, created through the artist’s manipulation of their materials</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Actual textures refer to the real surface quality of a work of art - what you would feel if you ran your hand over the artwork. If you zoom into Van Gogh’s Starry Night, you will notice how he used impasto to create actual texture.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Actual texture can be incorporated in art in many ways, from the surface of a cold marble sculpture, to found and natural elements adding layers of information and visual interest. The use of actual texture can bridge the gap between the real world and the simulated world created by the artist. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>The surface qualities of artworks that employ visual texture are not always seen from a distance. Closer inspection adds to our appreciation of the artist’s creative process.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>The formal elements of time and motion are most apparent in works such as video and film, but artists who use more static media, such as painting and sculpture, also find ways to depict these dynamic and temporal elements.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Some artworks are narrative - they tell a story. They may do this through implied action - a frozen moment in time - or through sequential storytelling.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Kinetic art is art that physically moves. Artists such as the sculptor Alexander Calder create works that either are motorized or use the wind to create motion.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Some works of art invite us to experience them in a temporal way. Sculptures or paintings may require the viewer to move about the work, observing it from various angles. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Nancy Holt’s sculptures intertwine the passage of time with the motion of the sun. Her work, Solar Rotary, is found on the University of South Florida’s Tampa campus. The work is designed to express meaning from the shadows cast throughout the year.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Artists design their compositions by arranging the formal elements - making decisions that affect the meaning of the work. They do this using the principles of design: balance, emphasis, scale, proportion, pattern, repetition, rhythm, unity and variety.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Balance in art is a concept of visual equilibrium and stability. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>If you divide an artwork in half on a central axis, and the halves of the composition mirror each other, the artwork demonstrates symmetrical balance. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>If the sides are exactly the same, it is an example of absolute symmetry. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>If there are some differences, but the overall the sides still have the effect of symmetry, then it is called bilateral symmetry. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Asymmetrical balance means that the work has equal weight on both sides of the central axis, but they don’t mirror each other. This type of balance can be achieved in a number of ways. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Consider this asymmetrically balanced image on the right. If the color or size of the large red triangle is modified, the balance of the work is altered. </textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Now, consider this painting. Although Vermeer’s work is asymmetrical, the work is still balanced, with the heaviness of the right side balanced by the contrasts and lightness of the left. Notice what happens when the area of strong contrast in the upper left is removed. Does it have the same sense of balance?</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Radial balance occurs when everything radiates from a central point. Works that are radially balanced create impact and are often used for emphasis.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Artists use the principle of emphasis to draw attention to a focal points. An artwork may contain one focal point or more. An artwork can also be considered afocal if it contains no point of focus at all.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Emphasis and focal point - the area of primary visual importance - can be created through various techniques such as:</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='48' indent='-24'>· Size and Placement</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='48' indent='-24'>· Strongly Contrasting Values</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='48' indent='-24'>· Directional Lines</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='48' indent='-24'>· Color</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Consider how Gentileschi uses multiple methods to create emphasis for dramatic effect, typical of Baroque art. </textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Scale refers simply to the dimensions of an artwork and to the relationship between the artwork and the object it is meant to represent. We most often perceive scale relative to our own size. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>The size of an artwork can affect its perception. Artworks presented on a small scale can force the viewer to have a closer, more intimate look. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>In contrast, Claes Oldenburg recreates everyday objects to monumental scale. Although Oldenburg’s work may have a comical affect, monumental scale can often indicate heroism - think about war monuments for example. Consider this sculpture by contemporary artist Kara Walker. How does the scale of the artwork affect your appreciation of the sculpture?</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Proportion refers to the relationship between parts of an object and the whole. Ron Meuck’s work may be unusually scaled, but it displays natural proportion. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>In Grande Odalisque, the artist exaggerated the model’s proportions, including up to five extra vertebrae in order to emphasize the sensuality of her figure.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Many cultures have developed an ideal set of proportions for depicting the human body. This ideal proportion varies greatly depending on the culture and time period. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Artists will modify scale and proportion for meaningful affect. Although it might not be noticeable at first, look closely at the sculptural group. Michelangelo dramatically altered the proportions of the figures in this work to enable Mary to easily support the lifeless body of her son. If both figures were to stand up, she would tower over Christ, providing both subtle visual and psychological significance.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Pattern is the systematic arrangement of repeated elements within a composition. It could be repeated formal elements such as line, shape, mass, and color, or a design. A decorative design repeated as a unit in a pattern is called a motif. Pattern provides visual interest but helps express predictability and order. </textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Rhythm gives structure to our visual experience of a work of art. A rhythmic structure helps carry the viewer’s eye, and the artist’s idea, throughout the work. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Jacob Lawrence’s repetition of angular, brightly colored forms leaning in a single direction creates rhythm, like waves at the shore. The repetition of his imagery provides not only rhythm to the composition but also an emphasis to his message by repeating it.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>An artist not only orchestrates the direction that the viewer’s eye follows but also the speed, flow and cadence of the exploration. Changes in the visual flow can cause the eye to speed up or slow down or pause, depending on the use of elements and principles throughout the piece. </textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>The principle of unity in art gives a work a sense of order and cohesiveness. With unity comes a feeling of harmony.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>The principle of variety can be invigorating, creating a sense of visual interest and diversity. But too much can feel chaotic.</textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>We can see how unity and variety work together in this painting by Fiona Rae. We can see nearly every element and principle including line, organic shape, a range of values, visual texture, asymmetrical balance, and emphasis. Although she embraces the plurality of our popular culture by incorporating pop culture cartoon decals throughout the work, the unity of her compositions stays strong through a considered use of color and repetition. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'></textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Many artworks may appear complicated upon first viewing. Further examination can reveal the underlying unifying structure of the work. It is sometimes helpful to imagine and reduce complex relationships of forms into a simpler image of contours and shapes. Upon analysis, we can begin to see the way an artist organizes the elements of art to control things like emphasis, balance, and rhythm - establishing a sense of harmony and meaning through careful placement of forms in the composition.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Developing an understanding of the formal elements and principles of design is an important step in learning the “language of art.” Putting these concepts to work will help you learn to decode meaning, analyze, and describe any work of art. </textformat></html>