It may be helpful to start by looking at the work of art and identifying the visual elements. How are they arranged? Is the work balanced? Is there a focal point? Is there a sense of movement? You might consider why the artist chose to include certain elements and how each element contributes to your response to the work. Formal elements possible in paintings/2-dimensional works: picture plane, composition, color (which includes hue, value, saturation, intensity, temperature – warm/cool, primary/secondary, complementary), line (which includes contour lines, lines of direction or movement, line quality), shape, contrast, texture, and illusionistic space. Formal elements possible in sculpture/3-dimensional works: scale, in-the-round vs. relief, directionality, line/movement, shape (organic vs. geometric, negative vs. positive space), material, texture, volume, light and shadow, color, and technique (additive vs. subtractive).
It may be helpful to start by looking at the work of art and identifying the visual elements. How are they arranged? Is the work balanced? Is there a focal point? Is there a sense of movement? You might consider why the artist chose to include certain elements and how each element contributes to your …
It may be helpful to start by looking at the work of art and identifying the visual elements. How are they arranged? Is the work balanced? Is there a focal point? Is there a sense of movement? You might consider why the artist chose to include certain elements and how each element contributes to your response to the work. Formal elements possible in paintings/2-dimensional works: picture plane, composition, color (which includes hue, value, saturation, intensity, temperature – warm/cool, primary/secondary, complementary), line (which includes contour lines, lines of direction or movement, line quality), shape, contrast, texture, and illusionistic space. Formal elements possible in sculpture/3-dimensional works: scale, in-the-round vs. relief, directionality, line/movement, shape (organic vs. geometric, negative vs. positive space), material, texture, volume, light and shadow, color, and technique (additive vs. subtractive). Read More »
