SCULPTURE ART TERMS |
ELEMENTS OF ART
THE VISUAL BUILDING BLOCKS OF THE ARTWORK
|
|
THE ELEMENTS OF ART
The elements of art are the visual things that make up the artwork. They are distinct from the principles of design, which are the ways in which the elements of art are organized.
|
|
|
LINE
Line is one of the elements of art.
Lines can vary in • WIDTH • LENGTH • CURVATURE • COLOR • DIRECTION |
|
|
SHAPE
Shape is one of the elements of art.
Shapes are two-dimensional flat areas. They have a length and width, but not a depth (that side is flat) SHAPES are distinct from FORMS because shapes have two-dimensions, while forms are three-dimensional. Sculptures are three-dimensional, but sometimes shapes are used to build a sculpture. Shapes can also be an important element within a three-dimensional form, such as when color or texture is applied. |
|
|
FORM
Form is one of the elements of art.
Forms are three-dimensional volumes. They have a length, a width, and a depth. Forms are distinct from shapes because they are 3D, whereas shapes are 2D. Geometric forms are sharp and angular - they have points and straight edges. Organic forms are soft and curvaceous - they have rounded edges. Sculptures are almost always forms. Forms are often, but not always, IN THE ROUND. In the round refers to the idea that the sculpture is viewable from all sides rather than having a front you are supposed to look at and a back that isn't viewed, like a drawing or a painting would. |
|
|
COLOR
Color is one of the elements of art.
Color describes the hues of the artwork. Color scheme describes the full range of colors used in one artwork. The color wheel is used to organize and discuss different color combinations. Some limited color palettes have special names. MONOCHROMATIC - a color scheme using one color plus it's values (white, black, grey, and tints, and shades of that color) ANALOGOUS - a color scheme using 2-3 colors next to each other on the color wheel COMPLEMENTARY - a color scheme using one pair of colors opposite each other on the color wheel SPLIT COMPLEMENT - a color scheme where one pair of complementary colors has one end split to the two adjacent colors. |
|
|
TEXTURE
Texture is one of the elements of art.
Texture describe the surface quality of the artwork. It describes how it would feel to touch the artwork, if you were allowed to do so. Sculpture has a lot to do with surface quality, so texture plays an important role in how a sculpture is received. Examples of textures include smooth, rough, spiky, furry, wet, glossy, soft, etc. |
|
|
VALUE
Value is one of the elements of art.
Value describes the relationship between light and form, specifically the highlights and shadows of an object. Generally, value helps indicate how a form moves in space. The shadows and highlights help the viewer understand how the form is structured. Most artwork is not allowed to be touched, so value plays a pivotal role in describing volume. Some artists use value to heighten the illusion of volume that is not sculpturally present. |
|
|
SPACE
Space is one of the elements of art.
Space describes the area the object takes up and the area around the object. Positive space describes the object or the filled space. Negative space describes the area around the object or the empty space that is still a part of the artwork. Often negative space is used to make an artwork more dynamic or visually interesting. Without interesting negative space, an object can have a static or box-like appearance. |
PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN
THE ORGANIZATION OF THE VISUAL ELEMENTS
|
|
PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN
The principles of design describe how the elements of art are arranged within a composition.
The eight principles help describe the visual design choices an artist makes.
Whereas the elements of art describe the visual things used to make the art, the principles of design describe how those things are arranged. |
|
|
BALANCE
Balance is one of the principles of design.
Balance describes how much visual stuff is one one side of the artwork compared to the other. Much like a scale, balance is asking whether the two sides are equally weighted or if there is a lot more visual stuff off to one side. There are three special types of balance: SYMMETRY - the artwork is visually balanced between the left and right sides - there is a similar amount of visual stuff on both sides (it doesn't need to be the same stuff) ASYMMETRY - the artwork has more visual weight on one side - the imaginary scales are tipped and more visual stuff is on one side rather than evenly distributed across both sides. RADIAL - the artwork emanates out of a central point and is symmetric all the way around, like a tire wheel or an explosion. |
|
|
CONTRAST
Contrast is one of the principles of design.
Contrast describes the amount of difference between two important elements in a composition. HIGH CONTRAST describes a lot of difference between two elements, such as value (black / white) or color (orange /blue). LOW CONTRAST describes very little difference between two elements, such as value (cream / light orange) or color (evergreen / navy). |
|
|
DOMINANCE
Dominance is one of the principles of design.
Dominance describes emphasizing one visual element over others. DOMINANT SCALE - using the size relationships between objects to signify which is the important subject of the work DOMINANT DETAIL - using detail or focal range to bring the viewer's attention to one aspect of the composition over others DOMINANT COLOR - using color to emphasize an area of the composition over others Dominance requires SUBORDINATION - Subordinate elements play a supporting role and are less important than the dominant elements. If you don't have subordination, then you don't have dominance. |
|
|
PATTERN
Pattern is one of the principles of design.
Pattern uses repetition to create visual interest. Patterns have a MOTIF that repeats. REGULAR PATTERNS repeat in a predictable way. Anyone could continue the pattern and it would turn out the same. The motifs repeat the same way every time. RANDOM PATTERNS repeat in an unpredictable way. The motifs repeat, but they might change direction, size, color, location, etc. as they repeat. In sculpture, pattern can be used as a part of the form of the structure of the piece, or it can be used in the surface treatment. |
|
|
MOVEMENT
Movement is one of the principles of design.
Movement describes the illusion or feeling of motion within a work of art. Some sculptures are static (they don't move) but they feel like movement is a part of the subject of the work. Some sculptures move, and therefore movement is an integral part of the artwork. |
|
|
RHYTHM
Rhythm is a principle of design.
Rhythm combines repetition with movement to create a visual rhythm, akin to the way music has a beat. |
|
|
VARIETY
Variety is a principle of design.
Variety introduces more visual ideas to create visual interest. When an artist is worried their work is too boring, they can increase variety to make it more interesting to look at. Adding more different elements can make things more exciting, but too much can make the artwork feel overwhelming full (horror vacui) or seem disjointed (lacking cohesion or a unifying style). The companion principle to variety is unity, wherein sameness is encouraged to make things look more cohesive. Achieving the right balance between variety and unity can make for a compelling work of art. |
|
|
UNITY
Unity is one of the principles of design.
Unity describes creating visual cohesion in an artwork through consistency. By repeating visual elements, areas of the composition can be linked together and make the work feel unified. Making fewer visual choices can help focus the viewer on the aspects the artist is trying to highlight. Too much unity can make for a boring, static composition. Balancing unity with variety can help increase the dynamic nature of the composition, while maintaining a sense of completion and cohesion. |
|
|
STYLE
Style describes a collection of visual characteristics repeated in a collection of works, often specific to a time and place.
Style often refers to how an object would be rendered in a stylized manner. REPRESENTATION or REALISM describes artwork in which the artist tried to faithfully recreate something as it is in the world. ABSTRACTION describes artwork in which the artist distorted or changed something in the world, creating it in their own style or in a style of others. NON-REPRESENTATION or NON-OBJECTIVE describes artwork that is not trying to represent anything at all. There are many styles specific to time and place, such as NEOCLASSICAL, IMPRESSIONISM, CUBISM, ART DECO, BAUHAUS, CONSTRUCTIVISM, MINIMALISM, POP ART, etc. These styles abstract forms in similar ways and can have similar subject matters. |
|
|
COMPOSITION
Composition is another word for artwork.
It refers to the whole artwork and how it is composed. LANDSCAPE FORMAT refers to artwork formatted horizontally. PORTRAIT FORMAT refers to artwork formatted vertically. |
|
|
FRAMING
Framing is a photography convention that helps organize the space within the frame.
When documenting sculptures, it is important to consider photography conventions, such as framing, lighting, and color. Framing considers how much negative space should be around the sculpture, the angle of the camera to the object, and the focal length. |
|
|
VANTAGE POINT
Vantage point is the location of the viewer when looking at the object.
Sculptures are often straight on or at a slight high angle, positioned on a pedestal so they can be viewed comfortably from a standing position. |
|
|
PERSPECTIVE
Perspective describes how the illusion of depth is rendered in a 2D composition.
|
