The Elements of Design

The Design Elements are the 7 basic building blocks of visual art. You can’t make art without using at least one.

Line ShapeColor

TextureValue

Space

The Elements of Design

Form

1. LineDef: A symbolic mark made to represent the

separation of two areas in space.

A. Contour Line

• A contour line is used to draw the outside edge of objects.

Pablo Picasso. Portrait of Igor Stravinsky. 1920.

B. Actual Line

Barnett Newman, Dionysius, 1944, 67x49in.

Caravaggio

The Calling of

St. Matthew,

1599-1600

C. Implied LineNot really there but guide the eye or organize the image

Diego Rivera, The Flower Carrier, 1935, 48x48 in.

Note lines implied by directional

gazes

Pierre-Auguste RenoirLe déjeuner des canotiers, 1880–1881Oil on canvas, 129.5 × 172.7 cm

A VENETIAN WOMANJohn Singer Sargent (American, b.1856, d.1925)1882oil on canvas93 3/4 x 52 1/2 in. (238.1 x 133.4 cm)

A VENETIAN WOMANJohn Singer Sargent (American, b.1856, d.1925)1882oil on canvas93 3/4 x 52 1/2 in. (238.1 x 133.4 cm)

Lines used to create emphasis

2. ColorDef: When light strikes a surface, the part of the

spectrum that is reflected is seen as color.

The Color Wheel

Warm Colors

Mark RothkoOrange and Yellow

Cool Colors

Vincent Van-GoghStarry Night

3. ShapeDef: A two-dimensional area defined by a closed

line.

A. Geometric Shapes

• Mechanically made shapes like squares, circles, etc.

B. Organic Shapes

• Uneven, based on the shapes found in nature.

Pablo PicassoThe Guitar Player

Georgia O’KeefeFrom the Lake

4. TextureDef: Surface quality, actual or implied.

A. Actual Texture

• Texture that you can feel.

B. Implied Texture

• When something looks like it has a texture even though it doesn’t.

5. Value

Def: The lightness or darkness of something, whether in color or black and white.

Leonardo Da VinciMona Lisa

6. Space

Positive Space

Def: The area occupied by an image or object.

Negative Space

• The area around images or objects.

7. Form

Def: Sometimes called volume, form is three-dimensional shape.

A. Real Form

Claes OldenburgSpoonbridge and Cherry

B. Implied Form

Ex: Shading a drawing to create the appearance of something solid.

LINE SHAPE COLOR TEXTURE VALUE SPACE FORMN

PERSONALADJECTIVE

PERSONALADJECTIVE

PERSONALADJECTIVE

LINE SHAPE COLOR TEXTURE VALUE SPACE FORMN

JAZZ

ROCK

CLASSICAL