The Ingredients for a great
Composition
A artwork is made up of different
elements, often used together to make
a final piece of art.
Colour
A colour can add interest and
reality to artwork
• Colour is the hue that is produced
when light reflects off of an object.
There are 3 primary colours:
red yellow blue
Colour Tertiary colours are created by
mixing a primary colour and a
secondary colour together.
There are 3 primary colours:
red yellow blue
Mixing 2 primary colours together
creates a secondary colour:
+ =
red yellow orange
+ =
yellow blue green
+ =
blue red purple
Colour
Warm colours are red,
and include oranges,
yellows,
and browns.
Cold colours are blue,
and include greens,
violets,
and greys.
Colour wheel Black, white and grey are neutral
colours.
Line
A line is the path of a point moving through space.
It is one dimensional and can vary in width,
direction, and length.
A line could be created using materials such as a
pencil, pen, or a brush dipped in ink.
Line types
A line can be straight or curved. It can be
horizontal, vertical or diagonal, and can
change direction.
Line types
Horizontal Lines are generally restful, like the
horizon, where the sky meets land
Line types
Vertical lines seem
to be reaching, so
they may seem
inspirational like
tall majestic trees.
Line types
Other lines that are very measured, geometric,
directional and angular are called
Constructive lines. They tend to appear to be
man-made because of their precision.
Shape
A shape is flat, and
created by a closed line.
The shape is two
dimensional.
Shapes can be geometric,
like squares or triangles.
They can also be
irregular, or natural
shapes, such as puddles or
leaves.
Shape
Geometric shapes have
smooth even edges and
are measurable. The
include the square, the
circle, the triangle and the
rectangle.
Organic shapes have
more complicated edges
and are usually found in
nature. Leaves, flowers,
etc.
Form
Form is a three dimensional shape. It may be a
regular shape, such as a cube or pyramid, or an
irregular, organic shape.
Form can be expressed in 3D, such as in
a sculpture.
Artists can also use tone and perspective to create an
illusion of form in a 2D artwork.
Shape Vs Form
In order to
turn a circle
into a
sphere, you
must shade
it. You can’t
add another
side to it!
Space
Space in a work of art refers to a feeling of depth or three dimensions.
It can also refer to the artist's use of the area within the picture plane.
Space includes the area background, foreground, and middle ground. A
space can be negative or positive.
Space is used to create the illusion of depth.
The area around the primary objects in a work of art is known as
negative space, while the space occupied by the primary objects is
known as positive space.
Texture
Texture refers to the surface quality of something, and the way it feels.
Actual texture really exists, and you are able to touch it e.g. the
texture of different fabrics.
Visual texture is an illusion
of texture, created using
lines, shapes, colours or
tones. A texture can look
different to how it really feels
e.g. a drawing of a sheep might
look fluffy, but the paper feels
smooth to touch.
Value
Value is the lightness or darkness of a colour. High value is light, with
white being the highest.
Low value is dark, and black is the lowest.
Using different values creates contrast,
which helps the viewer to see and
understand the image, such as
in a black and white photograph.
Pattern
A pattern uses a repeated design or a motif, created using line, shape,
or tone. The design can be simple or complex.
Some patterns are man-made, such as the designs on our clothes.
Some patterns are natural,
such as the markings on a
tiger’s fur.
