Formal Elements

There are 7 formal elements; colour, line, form, space, texture, shape and light. These are what artists use to create and design their works. just by using and considering these elements, artists can create a whole range of visual experiences and by arranging these elements they create a composition for the human eye to see.

Line

Line can be and has been described as ' a record of a path of motion'. it is not as simple as a line on a page, line is what we use to pass on what we see to the paper or canvas etc. Aswell as being the journey made by a moving point, it can also be formed when areas of light and shadow come together; their contrast makes a definite line. it is one of an artists most expressive tool as it can display motion, form, shape, image and can express feeling.



in Henry Moores 'shelter drawing' line is used to express the shape and form of the bodies. it has also been used to create contrast in areas of light and dark thus creating volume and depth in the piece.

Colour

Colour is the most expressive and emotional formal element in art. it is seen by the human eye and effects us directly bringing out moods and emotions. It causes us to think and act differently. it brings the same effect to art, the mood of a painting can be judged by its colour. colours like yellow and red would be seen as warm. where as blue is seen as a cold colour and with it sad and harsh emotions; hence the sayinf ' feeling blue. each colour has many different hues some colours will be bolder , other slightly faded. the intensity of the colour changes according to the amount of black and white whic is called the value.



another of henry moores drawings uses colour so simply but to express one thing and one emotion. the colour is used to highlight the main feature and eaning of the drawing; the blanket. it adds warmth to what would be a less lifeful pencil drawing and also could represent the comfort the figures recieve out of the blanket in the shelter.

Form

the word form has many different meanings.

• something can be formed



• the form or organisation of the piece



• the illusion of 3 dimentional form on a 2d surface



• a mould for plaster or other materials



• A solid 3d object or contained space

in the context of rebacca warren's sculptures the form is the use of three dimensional solid and contained space. the sculptures have bothe mass and volume.


shape

shape is like line in that it is important in getting across the art to the audience. It represents the physical form of the art, it is used in the composition when trying to produce variety and creates and expresses quality of mood and feeling. shape refers to the existence of a real or illusional object and is made and defined by other elements such as line and colour. shape is similar to form but it has no volume just mass and can create a 3D illusion on a page.

in this image shape has been created through the use of light and colour. this adds depths to the page and thus creates a 3D illusion for the audience. the composition of the shape has fomed a human like figure on the page.

Light

light is almost forgotten as it is something we see everyday and take for granted. light can symbolise knowledge and truth; it hides nothing. in art light is a key element in creating an illusion on the page. the contrast in light and dark is what allows the artist to create 3 dimensions on a 2 dimentional object. just by closely looking at where light falls and hits an object a near replicar of an object or scene can be captured on a page even if it is an illusion.

here light has been used slightly differently. a 3d object has still been reflected on a 2d surface but the light has not been used to make that reflection appear 3d. it has been used to create the reflection; light has been used to create shadow. the light is blocked by the sculpture creating a shadow. ' dark is merely the absence of light'

Space

Space is seens as whats around an object or scene. underneath, ontop, behind, infront, between, near and far. space is everywhere and HAS to exist. in art space can be 2 dimentional or 3 dementional.

in 2 dimentional art space is used to create the illusion of depth, as a piece of paper cant physically have depth. space is thought about when placing objects on a page. for example, objects that appear further away will be smaller and usually higher on the page and close shapes the exact opposite.

differently, to create an illusion of a 3 dimentional space a linear perspective can be used. it is similar in the way that things far away are smaller and vice versa. however, everything is angled towards one point or horizon on the page. vanishing points are also depended on, they add depth and a tunnel like appearence.

Another technique used by an artist when creating space is throught the use of detail. by making whats in the background less detailed and slightly blurres, the image in the foreground becomes more promanant and appear closer.

Space in a 3d form is seen as the existence of depth height and mass. here space is made uop of positive and negative spaces where object is revealed and hidden. a person can physically experience a 3D space as it exists all around us 24/7. nothing can exist without it.