THE ELEMENTS AND PRINCIPLES OF ART. DESCRIPTION (continued) THE PRINCIPLES OF ART BALANCE BALANCE BALANCE

Transcription

1 THE ELEMENTS AND PRINCIPLES OF ART DESCRIPTION (continued) Michelangelo Buonarotti, Captive Slave and Rebellious Slave, Marble, Musée du Louvre, Paris THE PRINCIPLES OF ART the different ways artists can use each of the elements of art the principles of art are: balance, emphasis, harmony, variety, movement, rhythm, and proportion. BALANCE Balance refers to a way of combining elements to add a feeling of equilibrium or stability to a work of art. Balance can be of three kinds: Symmetrical: two halves of a work are identical Asymmetrical: two halves are different Radial: objects are positioned around a central point BALANCE Symmetrical: two halves of a work are identical BALANCE Asymmetrical: two halves are different Frida Kahlo, Self-Portrait, 1940, Oil on canvas African, Chibinda Ilunga, mid-19th century, Northeastern Angola, Chokwe people, Wood, hair, and hide Precolumbian, Presentation of Captives to a Maya Ruler, c. A.D. 785, Limestone with traces of paint, Kimbell Art Museum (Fort Worth) James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Arrangement in Grey and Black: Portrait of the Painter's Mother known as "Whistler's Mother," 1871, Oil on canvas 1

2 BALANCE Radial: objects are positioned around a central point PRACTICE: BALANCE Describe the balance in this work of art. How does the artist use the elements of art to show balance? England, 17th century, Charger of Charles II in the Boscobel Oak, c. 1685, lead-glazed earthenware with slip decoration, Rose Window of the Cathedral of Notre Dame of Paris, interior view, Edgar Degas, Race Horses, , pastel on panel PRACTICE: BALANCE Describe the balance in this work of art. How does the artist use the elements of art to show balance? CONTRAST Contrast is a way of juxtaposing elements of art to stress the differences between them. Created when two unlike qualities are placed together. Creates excitement and interest. Georges Seurat, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, , Oil on canvas An artwork can have high contrast or low contrast (strong or subtle). High contrast tends towards a more dramatic effect, while low contrast tends towards soothing and settling. PRACTICE: CONTRAST Describe the contrast in this work of art. How does the artist use the elements of art to show contrast? PRACTICE: CONTRAST Describe the contrast in this work of art. How does the artist use the elements of art to show contrast? Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, The Crucifixion of Saint Peter, , Oil on canvas 2

3 PRACTICE: CONTRAST Describe the contrast in this work of art. How does the artist use the elements of art to show contrast? Jean-Michel Basquiat, Untitled, 1981, oil on canvas EMPHASIS Emphasis is a way of combining the elements of art to give importance or dominance to some feature (or features) of an artwork Contrasting elements often are used to direct and focus the viewer s attention on the most important parts of a design. Could also be called to focal point Emphasis can be achieved by: increased size, strong colour, greater detail, sharp contrast, distorted shape, placement in the composition, movement of the image leading the eye to a focal point. Francesco Goya, The Shootings of May Third 1808, 1814, Oil on canvas Grant Wood, Parson Weems Fable, 1939, Oil on canvas, Amon Carter Museum (Fort Worth) Jonathan Borofsky, Walking to the Sky, 2004, Stainless steel and painted fiberglass, Nasher Sculpture Center (Dallas) 3

4 HARMONY also Unity PRACTICE: HARMONY How is this artwork harmonious? Harmony refers to a way of combining similar elements in an artwork to accent their similarities. Unity is the feeling that t everything in the work of art works together and looks like it fits. Fernando Botero, The Musicians, 1991, Oil on canvas It is accomplished through the use of repetitions and subtle, gradual changes. Complex, intricate relationships are avoided in favor of a more uncomplicated, uniform appearance. PRACTICE: HARMONY How is this artwork harmonious? PRACTICE: HARMONY How is this artwork harmonious? David Smith, House in a Landscape, 1945, Steel VARIETY PRACTICE: VARIETY How did this artist use variety? Variety is a way of combining elements in involved ways to create intricate and complicated relationships. It is achieved through diversity and change. Variety occurs when an artist creates something that looks different from the rest of the artwork. Artists turn to this principle when they want to increase the visual interest of their works. Wassily Kandinsky, Composition VII, 1913, Oil on canvas 4

5 PRACTICE: VARIETY PRACTICE: VARIETY How did this artist use variety? How did this artist use variety? Robert Rauschenberg, Tracer, 1963, Oil and silkscreen ink on canvas MOVEMENT Movement is the principle of art used to create the look and feeling of action and to guide the viewer s eye throughout the work of art. PRACTICE: MOVEMENT Describe the movement in this work of art. How does the artist use the elements of art to show movement? Implied Movement is achieved through placement of elements so that the eye follows a certain path, such as the curve of a line, the contours of shape, or the repetition of certain colors, textures, or shapes. It creates a look of action and liveliness in the work of art. Francisco Goya, The Forge, c. 1817, Oil on canvas PRACTICE: MOVEMENT Describe the movement in this work of art. How does the artist use the elements of art to show movement? PRACTICE: MOVEMENT Describe the movement in this work of art. How does the artist use the elements of art to show movement? Vincent Van Gogh, The Starry Night, 1889, Oil on canvas Umberto Boccioni, Unique Form of Continuity in Space, 1913, Bronze 5

6 PRACTICE: MOVEMENT Describe the movement in this work of art. How does the artist use the elements of art to show movement? RHYTHM Closely related to movement, rhythm is created by the careful placement of repeated elements in a work of art to cause a visual tempo or beat. These repeated elements invite the viewer s eye to jump rapidly or glide smoothly from one to the next. Henri Matisse, La Danse (I), 1909, Oil on canvas PRACTICE: RHYTHM Describe the rhythm in this work of art. How does the artist use the elements of art to show rhythm? PRACTICE: RHYTHM Describe the rhythm in this work of art. How does the artist use the elements of art to show rhythm? Piet Mondrian, Broadway Boogie Woogie, , Oil on canvas Marsden Hartley ( ) American Indian Symbols, 1914 Oil on canvas Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas 6

7 PROPORTION PROPORTION Proportion is the principle of art concerned with the relationship of certain elements to the whole and to each other. The use of proportion may tell about the relative importance of a particular object or symbol in a work of art. Scale is an element of proportion. It is a comparison of one entire object in relation to other like objects Leonardo da Vinci, Study of proportions from Vitruvius's De Architectura, Pen and ink PRACTICE: PROPORTION Describe the proportion in this work of art. How does the artist use the elements of art to show proportion? PRACTICE: PROPORTION Describe the proportion in this work of art. Andrew Wyeth, Christina's World, 1948, Tempera on gessoed panel PRACTICE: PROPORTION Describe the proportion in this work of art. Ben Shahn (American) , Poster 7