The Elements

69	The Elements of Visual Language

The Elements
of Visual Language

(Seeing The Trees In The Forest)

The Divine Is In The Details

The Elements of Visual Language:

LINE

SHAPE

COLOR

VALUE

FORM

SPACE

TEXTURE

ARTiculation :

The Elements of Art

The ARTIST'S TOOLKIT

The Alphabet of Art

The Elements of
Visual Language

are to pictures

what vowels, consonants,
and silences

are to spoken words.

The Visual Elements

of an image comprise it's

PARTS.

When examining

these parts,

we can be

OBJECTIVE.

We examine the

Visual Elements

to understand

how

an image is

assembled.

THE ELEMENTS

LINE

LINE is "a point which takes a walk," making a mark on a surface or in a space. Lines can also be implied by edges and/or by a grouping of points. They are also suggested by the scanning pattern, or direction of eye movement through a composition. An "action line" may be suggested by the gaze or movement of a picture's subject.

Line

Dot
(Visual Literacy)

Point
(Visual Thinking)

Line
(Visual Literacy)

Line
(Visual Thinking)

Line types| Watch

Line types | Create

Edge and Outline | Watch

Line

Line Direction

SHAPE

SHAPE is a two-dimensional area that has length, width, and a boundary which makes an implied line or edge between the "inside and the outside" of the shape. "Hard-edge" shapes have distinct boundaries, while "soft" shapes heave feathered, or blended edges.

Shapes which appear to be distinct from surrounding backgrounds are called figures. Implied shapes are called closures.

Shape

2-Dimensional Form
(Visual Thinking)

Shape
(Visual Literacy)

2-Dimensional Illusion
(Visual Thinking)

Geometric and Organic Shapes | Watch

Geometric and Organic Shapes | Create

Shape

COLOR

COLOR is a property of light which reveals forms and surfaces. Color has and energetic and emotional impact which is often very subjective. Colors change appearance in relation to other colors. Color is also called hue.

Color

Hue (Visual Literacy)	Saturation (Visual Literacy)
Color (Visual Thinking)	Color Psychology (Visual Thinking)

Color

ARTiculation's
on line "Name the Color Family"
exercise

Color Links

VALUE

VALUE refers to the distribution or juxtaposition of light and dark. Values can be divided into three categories of brightness: Highlights, Mid tones, and Shadows. The play of light across surfaces and through space reveals form and texture.

Value

Value
(Visual Literacy)

Grayscale and Planar Value
Studio Art Chalkboard

Chiaroscuro

Studio Art Chalkboard

Values: Tints & Shades | Create

Value

A Simplified Zone System

Norman Koren Photography

FORM

FORM is a three-dimensional volume which has length, width, and height. Positive forms have mass and take up space. Just as a line is a point which moves in two dimensions, forms are shapes which move in three. Negative forms are called cavities, or voids.

Form

Dimension
(Visual Literacy)

3-Dimensional Form
(Visual Thinking)

modernsculpture.com

SPACE

SPACE is the positive and/or negative areas of a composition of real and/or implied forms and voids. Actual space is 3-dimensional. Pictorial space is the illusionary space within a picture.

Negative space represents void, emptiness, or the ground against which a figure is placed. Positive space represents the figure, subject, or forms that are depicted.

Space

Dimension
(Visual Literacy)

Depth
(Visual Literacy)

Scale
(Visual Literacy)

Proportion
(Visual Thinking)

The 3rd Dimension
(D. Chandler)

TEXTURE

TEXTURE is the surface quality, both simulated and actual, presented by an artwork. Visual textures are rendered, and they refer to textured surfaces. Actual textures are caused by the method and media used to make the artwork.

Texture

Texture
(Visual Thinking)

Texture
(Visual Literacy)

Texture

Photodisc Essentials | Textures

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Updated: August 8, 2004