The elements of art: composition

Art and design

The elements of art: line

The elements of art: tone

The elements of art: Colour

The elements of art: shape and form

The elements of art: texture

The elements of art: pattern

Pupils will develop an understanding of the basic elements of art and learn how artists use these elements in different ways in their work. In the unit, pupils will answer questions as they look at the elements through a variety of processes to identify  how they are used in different art forms.

The elements of art

the line outlining a shape or form, like an outline

the different lines, dots, marks, patterns, and textures we create in an artwork

the area of darkness where the object or figure rests on a surface

a bright or reflective area in a painting, picture, or design

a technique used to depict different levels of light and dark in an image

a technique for shading and adding tone with intersecting sets of parallel lines

what we see when light reflects off an object. Colour helps us describe how things look and can also make us feel different emotions.

the idea of how colours work together. It includes the colour wheel, primary and secondary colours, and how colours can mix or contrast.

a two-dimensional, flat form defined by a line around the outer edge, limited to height and width.

a three-dimensional element that has height, width and depth (either real or perceived)

there are two types of texture: actual texture and implied texture

suggested or shown indirectly, not actually there but made to look like it is

in art, to press a tool, object, or texture into a soft material (like clay) to leave a mark or pattern

a design in which lines, shapes, forms or colours are repeated

making a copy of a design by pressing it onto a surface like fabric or paper

characterised by regular lines and shapes like squares, triangles, or circles

when a shape or design is copied again and again to make a pattern

The elements of art

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