ELEMENTS OF ART

PRINCIPLES OF ART

LINE-

1. What kinds of lines do I see? (identify specific types: curved, diagonal, horizontal, vertical, zigzag, etc.)
2. Where are examples of these kinds of lines found in the art work? (be specific!)

COLOR-

1. What are the dominant colors/color relationships that I see in the work?

           (identify specific names of colors or      color relationships: warm colors, cool colors, complimentary colors, analogous colors, triadic colors, split complimentary colors)

2. Where are examples of these colors/ color schemes found in the art work?  (be specific!)

VALUE-

1. Where do I see light and dark values in the work?
2. Where are there the strongest contrasts of light and dark values located in the work?  (be specific!)

TEXTURE-

1. What kinds of textures do I see in the work?  (identify: rough, smooth, bumpy, etc.)
2. Where are examples of these types of textures located within the art work?  (be specific!)

SPACE-

1. What type of representation of space am I seeing?  (identify: shallow two- dimensional space, flat  two-dimensional space, deep three dimensional space)
2. What objects are located in:

Foreground?

Mid-Ground?

Background?

3. Does there seem to be an equal amount of negative (empty) space and positive space or not?

SHAPE-

1. What kinds of shapes do I see?  (identify: geometric shapes/organic shapes)
2. Where are examples of these kinds of shapes located in the art work?  (be specific!)

FORM- (pertains only to three-dimensional works like sculpture and architecture)

a.       What kinds of forms do I see?  (Identify:  open forms, closed forms, geometric forms, organic forms, solid forms, transparent forms)

b.      Where are examples of these kinds of forms found in the work?  (be specific!)

BALANCE-

1. Which kind of balance is shown in the work of art?  (Identify: asymmetrical (informal) balance or symmetrical (formal) balance.
2. What element(s) of art was used to create that kind of balance?

VARIETY-

1. What elements of art are used to create a sense of diversity and change in the work?
2. Explain how those elements are used. 

PROPORTION- 

1. What elements of art are used to relate the whole work to its individual parts?
2. Is there evidence in the work to support distortion or accuracy in the shapes/forms?
3. Explain how those elements are used.

GRADATION-

1. What element(s) of art are used to create a sense of gradual change in the work?
2. Identify which parts of the work show the use of gradation.

RHYTHM-

1. What element(s) are used in the work to create a feeling of visual tempo or beat?
2. Explain where these element(s) of art are located in the work to create this principle.  (be specific!)

PATTERN-

1. What element(s) of art are used to create exactly repeated patterns in the work?

3. Explain where these element(s) of art are located in the work to create this principle.  (be specific!)

MOVEMENT- 

1. What element(s) are used in the work to create a feeling of visual movement or action that guides the viewer’s eye through the work?
2. Explain how that element is used in the work and identify specific areas in the work that demonstrate movement.

EMPHASIS-

1. Identify where the focal point(s) is in the work.  (sometimes there is more than one)
2. What element(s) are used to direct the viewer’s attention to the focal point(s)?
3. Explain how that element creates a feeling of emphasis or contrast.

HARMONY/UNITY-

a.  What element(s) are used to unify or hold the work of art together in a pleasing way?