Elements of Art

VISUAL and AUDITORY

Visual Elements
 LINE
• A line refers to a point moving at an
identifiable path
• It is one dimension however, it has the
capacity to either define the parameters
of the artwork (edges) and/or become a
substantial component of the
composition
HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL LINES
Horizontal lines are normally associated with rest or
calm
Vertical lines connote elevation of height usually
taken to mean exaltation or aspiration for action
Together, these lines communicate stability and
firmness
DIAGONAL OR
CROOKED LINES
Crooked or jagged
lines are reminiscent of
violence, conflict, or
struggle

CURVED LINES
 Lines that are bend or
coil allude to softness,
grace, flexibility or
even sensuality
 SHAPE AND FORM
• Shape refers to two dimensions: height
and width
• Form refers to three dimensions: height,
width, and depth
• Shapes can either be:
Geometric
Organic
 SPACE
• It is usually inferred from a sense of
depth, whether it is real or
simulated
• Positive and Negative Space
• Three-dimensional Space
 COLOR
• Hue
Primary Colors, Secondary Colors, Tertiary
Colors
• Value
Light Color- taken as the source of light
Dark Color- lack or absence of light
• Intensity
Bright or warm colors- positive energy
Dull or cool colors- sedate/soothing,
seriousness or calm
 TEXTURE
• This elements in an artwork
allows it to be experience
through sense of touch (and
sight)
Auditory Elements
 RHYTHM
• Element of music that situates in time
• It is the pulse of the music
• Often associated with:
Beat- the basic unit of music
Tempo- the speed of music (beat/second)
Meter- the organize pattern of beats
 DYNAMICS
• The element of music that
refers to the loudness or
quietness of music
**
 MELODY
• Refers to the ‘linear
presentation’ of pitch
• “Pitch” refers to the highness or
lowness of musical sound
 HARMONY
• It arises when pitches are combines to
form chords (notes simultaneously
played)
• Harmony can be describes in terms of
its ‘harshness’:
– DISSONANCE: harsh-sounding
combination
– CONSONANCE: smooth-sounding
combination
 TIMBRE
• Likened to the ‘color’ of music
• The quality that distinguishes a
voice or an instrument from one
another
**
 TEXTURE
• The number of melodies, the type
of layers, and their relatedness in a
composition is the texture of music
**