UNIT IV: Elements and

Principles of Arts
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
● Understand the different principles of the elements and
classifications of the arts.
● Learn successfully the methods of creating art and designs.
● Apply the principles effectively in creating one’s own art work.
● Value the learned principles and rules in art creation and design.
Lesson 1: Line and Kinds of Line

A line can be defined in several ways: It is a

path made by a moving point; a series of
dots; a prolongation of points or according to
Paul Klee is a dot that went for a walk.
KINDS OF LINE
● Straight lines are geometric, impersonal
and differ in the direction that they take. The
straight lines may move from left to right,
start from the top going down, slant or move
up and down forming angles.
● Horizontal lines - move from left to right
or vice versa. It is a line that appears to be
laying down.
● Vertical Line - start from bottom to top or vice versa. It is a line that
appears to be standing.
● Diagonal lines - are slanting lines. In the visual art, diagonals
suggest two meanings, a positive and a negative one. On the positive
diagonals indicate action and movement i.e. to move forward and act.
On the negative, it conveys a feeling of uncertainty, stress and defeat.
● Zigzag lines - Are angular lines that resulted in abrupt change in the
direction of a straight line thus forming angles. The lines are
unpleasant and harsh which portrays tension, conflict, chaos, or
violence.
● Curved lines - are technically curvilinear
lines. Curve lines suggest grace,
movement and flexibility indicative of life
and energy. When a curve line moves
continuously in opposite directions, it
forms a wavy line which shows fluidity.
ALPHABET OF LINES
Lesson 2 - Properties of Color and How Colors
Relate and Light and Shadow

Color is the property of light. So when light goes out,

color goes with it. Color is composed of a series of
wavelengths which strike the retina of the eyes. A
ray of light contains all the colors of the visible
spectrum- red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo
and violet (ROYGBIV).
Properties of Color
● Hue - It is the name given to the color, for example; red,
green, violet and blue.
❖ Primary Hues - They are considered primary because
these hues cannot be produced from combining any
hues.
❖ Secondary Hues are produce when two primary hues
are mixed in equal amounts.
❖ Mixing equal amounts of the primary and secondary
hues produces intermediate hues and tertiary colors
Value - refers to the lightness or darkness of a color. The
value of any hues can be changed by adding a neutral such as
black or white. This results in changing the quantityof light
the hue reflects.

❖ Shade - When black is combined with hue.

❖ Tint - When white is added with hue.
Intensity - denotes the brightness or dullness of a color. It gives color
its strength. Colors differ in intensity or vividness.
■ Hues become less intense (dull) when white is added
because color becomes lighter in value.
■ The hues’ intensity diminishes when black is added and as the
value darkens.
■ If gray is added, the result will be a variation in intensity
without any change in
value.
How Colors Relate?

Color harmony is one method of

establishing color quality in a
composition. There are several ways of
creating harmony that an artist can use.
The most common are the following:
● Monochromatic harmony -
When a single color in the
composition is varied in intensity
and value by adding white or black.
● Complementary
Harmony - results
when two colors
that are opposite
each other in the
color wheel are
placed side by side.
● Analogous harmony -
results when hues that are
adjacent or beside each
other in the color wheel is
used in a composition.
● Split-complementary is a color
scheme using one base color and
two secondary colors. Instead of
using a complementary color, two
colors placed symetrically around it
on the color wheel are used.
● Color temperature - refers to
the relative warmth or coolness
of a color.
❖ Warm colors are colors
that have YELLOW as its
dominant component white
Cool colors have blue as
their dominant component.
Light and Shadow (Value)

Light and shadow focuses on what is

known as achromatic value. This
refers to the changes in the amount of
reflected light which ranges from
black to gray to white and vice versa.
Chiaroscuro is the technique of
manipulating light and shadow in
painting.
Lesson 3 - Shape and Classification of
Shapes
● Shapes - In visual arts, a shape is
formed when two ends of a line
meet to enclose an area. The area
may stand out from the surface
because of a difference in color,
value or texture.
● Picture plane - any flat surface onto which
the artwork is created.
● Negative shapes - these are between the
shapes that are not occupied by any form. In
painting, these spaces can be as important as
the shapes themselves.
Classification of Shapes
● Natural or organic shapes - those
are seen in nature like the shape of
leaves, animals, mountains, flowers and
seashells.
● Abstract shapes - those that have little or no
resemblance to natural objects.
● Non-objective or biomorphic shapes - seldom
have reference to recognizable objects, but most
often show a similarity to some organic forms.
● Geometric shapes - these are triangles,
rectangles, squares, cylinders, cubes.
Lesson 4 - Texture, Methods of creating Space and
Movement
● Texture - refers to the feel or tactile
quality of the surface of an object. It has to
do with the characteristic of the surface,
whether it is rough or smooth, fine or
coarse, polished or dull, plain or irregular.
They also add richness and vitality in
paintings.
● Visual texture - in such cases where
touching the artwork is not allowed,
textured can be perceived by the eyes.
● Space - An illusion in the graphic arts. It is created by
techniques that add depth and distance to
two-dimensional art. In sculpture and architecture,
however, space is actually present.
Methods of Creating Space

●Overlapping planes (interposition)

- create space when an object covers a
part of another object which is behind
it.

●Relative size - objects that appear

large/big indicate nearness and
small-sized objects as distant. Aside
from creating the illusion of space,
this can also be interpreted as power
and import.
Position on the picture plane (relative height) -
In some paintings, spatial representation is based
upon the position of objects relative to the bottom
of the frame.Those objects found at the bottom of
the frame will appear closer to the viewer. Farther
distances are indicated by the positions of the
objects higher on the picture plane. The point of
reference is the horizon line which is the line at the
eye level. A picture plane can be divided into three
parts;
■Foreground - the bottom part.
■Middle ground - where the horizon is.
■ Background - the topmost part.
● Color is also used to give the
illusion of distance. Warm
colors advance and make
objects look closer while cool
colors recede making objects
look farther away.
● Perspective - deals with the
effect of distance on the
appearance of objects. It
enables the viewer to
perceive distance and to see
the position of objects in
space.
● Linear perspective - give
the perception distance by
means of converging lines. It
has to do with the direction
of lines and with the size of
objects.
● Aerial perspective (gradient) - the
effect of haze, mist or atmosphere on
the object. Near objects are seen in
detail with the full intensity of color
and as object recede, details are lost
and objects appear grayer.
● Space in sculpture may be
viewed in two ways: it may be
considered a single solid object
or an assemblage of solids that
exhibits space; or space may be
perceived as it enters into
relations with its surroundings－
extending into it, enveloping it,
or relating across it.
● Space in architecture is created and
defined by the shape, position, and the
materials employed by the architect.
Movement Over the years, artists of the visual
arts have manipulated the medium and elements
in order to portray motion in their artworks.
They have also experimented on which
techniques to employ to be able to incorporate
in their works the perception of movement.
Two ways to present motion or movement in their art

● Actual movement - in art,

specifically in sculptures results in
kinetic art. Actual movements may
be achieved naturally using wind
and water or mechanically through
some energy source (batteries or
electricity).
● Implied movement - results when a
variety of lines are used together,
repeated,change in position, or
decreased/increased in size. This gives the
impression of movement in a stationary two
dimensional art.
Elements of the Combined Arts
Lesson 5 - Elements of Music
● Rhythm - is a movement or pattern with
uniform recurrence of accented and and
descented.
● Melody- is the succession of tones
arranged in such a way as to give it a
musical sense. It may also refer to the rising
and falling of the tune in time.
● Harmony - is the sounding of a series of groups of tones in the
same time. It may also refer to the pleasing sound that is produced
when two or more notes are played together. Concordance results
when the combination of sounds are in agreement which makes it
sound good while dissonance results when the combination is not
pleasant to hear.
● Timbre - is tonal quality or the character of the tone that is
produced by an instrument or by the human voice.
● Form - is the structure or the framework of a composition
 Vocal Forms

■ Opera is a drama set to music complete with actions,

costumes and scenery

■ Cantata is a religious story told in music without actions

■ Moro-moro is a Philippine drama set to music which depicts

the conflict betweenn the Christians and the Muslims.
Instrumental Forms
■Sonata is a long composition for solo instruments (piano,
Violin) Symphony is a sonata for the orchestra
■ Dynamics - is the loudness and softness of the sound in music
indicated by symbols to regulate the volume of the sound.

■pp pianissimo - very soft p piano - soft

■ mp mezo piano - half soft
■ ff fortissimo - very loud
■ crescendo - gradually becoming louder
■ decrescendo - gradually becoming softer
Elements of Dance

●Music plays an important role in the dance to

which it is closely related. It should be melodic
and harmonious and fits into the movements of the
dance. Music motivates
the dancers to move in tune with its rhythm. The
background music of the dance functions to
captivate the interest and awe of the audience.
●Movement is how the dancers use their bodies to
move and create organized patterns. Dancers also
use gestures which express specific emotions or
ideas in sign language.
●Choreography refers to how the steps and movements are connected for it to
be performed in an organized manner. The choreography guides the dancers’
movements for them to perform the movement, convey the message and tell the
story through body language.
●Technique is the skill of the dancer in executing the movements. A good
dancer has complete control over the muscles of the body thus creating grace
and fluidity of movements.
●Theme is the content or the main ingredient of the dance. It tells what the
dance is trying to convey. It has something to do with the message of the dance.
●Design is the planned organization or patterns of movement in time and space.
Pattern in time, is provided by rhythm to be executed in space on a stage or
dance floor.
●Costume The type of dance performed and the costumes worn relate closely
to the customs, beliefs, and environment of the people. Costumes enhance the
effect of the dance.
Lesson 6 - Elements of Drama

Drama - is basically one of the

genres of literature that is written
primarily to be performed. The
performance is done by actors on
stage before a live audience.
● Plot is the overall structure of the play. It is concerned about
what the story is all about. Traditional plots have a beginning, a
middle, and an ending.The Plot progresses through the
following:
Exposition - is the part that familiarizes the audience with the characters
and the situation they are in.

Complication - happens in the middle part of the play which develops the
conflict that was started in the exposition.

Resolution - is also called the anticlimax or the part where conditions in

the story are normalized and the situation becomes stable.
● Setting is the locale and period in which the story takes place. It
includes the scenery, props and costumes used in staging. It is the
background of the play that informs the audience where and when the
story will take place.

● Characters are the persons involved in the story. They may seem real
to the audience depending on how the playwright structures the
dialogues to make the characters come to life. Characters can be the
protagonist or the antagonist. Protagonist is the character from which the
story revolves around while the antagonist is the person who challenges
the role of the protagonist.
● Dialogue refers to the words uttered by the characters in the story.
It what the characters use when conversing with each other or when
expressing his thoughts and emotions. Dialogues let the audience
know the kind of character that the actor is portraying. There are,
however, plays with no dialogues. Pantomimes rely heavily on
actions, gestures, facial expression and sound effects.

● Theme is what the story means. It is how the individual elements

are put together to give the story significance and perspective. It
relates something about life that is presented in its totality. The
theme may be directly or indirectly stated.
Lesson 7 - Elements of Theater

Theater art is performed

live. Its performance is
immediate and once performed
cannot be undone. Its magic
begins when the curtains are
raised and the stage lights go
on.
●The Playwright’s role is to work out
the plot in terms of the actual actions to
be
performed and dialogue to be spoken by
actors within the limited facilities of the
stage.
●The Performers are the ones who portray the
characters in a play.
●The Director works with the
playwright to present which is
interpreted and translated into dramatic
action.
●Production Design includes the
scenery, props, make-up, costumes,
lights, music, sound and all other special
effects used in a theater production.
Lesson 8 - Elements of Cinema (Motion Picture)

●Acting and the Stars.Acting is the art

of portraying or impersonating a character
in the story. A performer during filming
should embody the character he is
portraying.The actor’s portrayal must be
perfect and complete.

●Set and Directors should know the setting of the

story and build artificial sets.
●Music and Musical Director. Music is indispensable in motion pictures. The
musical director is in charge of selecting, composing new songs, writing
orchestration, preparing background music, creating musical scores and
supervising all recording.

●Color in the movies is an innovation in cinematography. It costs twice as much

as the black and white films. Most films are now shown in high definition (HD)
color.

●Make-up, Hair and Costume Design. These people are responsible for
applying the specific type of make-up, hairstyle and costume to the actors before
they face the
camera.
●Sound, Camera and Special Effects
Technicians. Sound technicians are responsible
for making the dialogue clear and music of fine
quality. They make sure that there is no background
noise. The use of cameras and the functions of the
special effects technician is indispensable in
cinematography. They decide on the use of
masking, the choice of lens, the camera angle and
the control of camera movements.
 Lesson 9 - Principles of Art

Generally, the visual arts are made-up of three key

elements that are independent of each of their
specific elements. In the appreciation of the visual
arts, these three elements present themselves as:
● Form refers to how specific elements in the artwork
are organized to produce a unified whole. Form is
further classified into:
❖ Primary Features. This is how the artwork
appears to the viewers.Its physical
attributes in terms of medium, color, texture and size.
❖ Secondary Features. This is how the primary
features of the artwork relate to one another.
Particularly, this refers to balance, proportion,
unity and harmony that are used to create the
whole composition.
● Content refers to the message the artist wants to
convey through his art. The levels of content are:
❖ Factual is the literal interpretation of the work, its
images, attributes, actions and poses.
❖ Conventional level takes into consideration the basic
genres and the figurative meanings usually indicated
by familiar signs and symbols and the quality of work.
❖ Subjective level takes into consideration the effect of
form and content on the viewers of the art.
Context refers to the various circumstances
that influence how a work of art wasproduced
and interpreted. The two types of context are:
■Primary context pertains to the
characteristic of the artist, his personality,
beliefs,interests and values.
■Secondary context pertains to the setting.
The historical period, time in which the work
was produced. Included here are the functions
served by the art work, its religious and
philosophical conviction, socio political and
economical undertones, climate and
geography.
 Lesson 10 - Principles of Design

The principles of design describe the ways in which

an artist has used or can use the elements of art to
create beautiful compositions. (Grieder 1996)
Balance is the distribution of the visual
weight of objects, color, texture and
space. The use of these elements should be
balanced to make the viewers see and feel
design as stable. Three types of balance:
■Symmetrical balance results when
the elements used on one side of the design
are
similar to those on the other side.
■Asymmetrical balance is when the
sides of the composition are different but
still
looked balanced.
■Radial balance is achieved when the
elements are arranged around a central
point.
●Emphasis is the part of
the design that catches the
viewer's attention. The
artist will usually make one
area stand out by
contrasting it with other
areas.
●Movement is the path the
viewer's eye takes when
looking through the work of
art. Such movement can be
implied along lines edges,
shape, and color within the
work of art.
●Pattern is the
repetition of objects,
shapes, lines, or
symbols all over the
space or picture plane.
●Proportion is the
feeling of unity created
when all parts relate
well with each other.
●Repetition works with
patterns to make the work seem
active. The repetition of
elements of design creates
unity within the artwork.
●Rhythm is created when one
or more elements of design are
used repeatedly tob produce a
feeling of organized,
continuous, sometimes flowing
movement. To keep rhythm
exciting and active, variety is
important.
●Variety is the use of several
elements of design that adds
interest in order to hold the
viewer's attention and guide the
viewer’s eye through and around
the work of art.
●Unity is the feeling of harmony
between and among the parts of
the work of art, which creates a
feeling of completeness in the
composition.
Lesson 11 - The Rule of Thirds and the Seven Da Vincian
Principles
The Rule of Thirds is used by visual artists
(painters, digital artists, and photographers) to
create compositions that meet the requirements for
a good design. Most artists today, however, do not
use this rule, they opt for free flowing composition
that is more of their individual expression rather
than of works limited or bounded by basic rules.
The point of this discussion is to encourage artists
to first be aware of the basic rules before they start
venturing to unorthodox techniques in expressing
their art.
The Rule of Thirds

●The surface with two equally spaced

vertical lines and two equally spaced
horizontal lines.
●These lines divide the picture plane into
nine equal parts with four intersecting
points.
●Based on studies, placing an object in
one of the intersecting points results in a
pleasing composition.
●Balance is achieved by placing another object at the
point opposite the first one.
The major function of the Rule
of Thirds is to serve as a guide
for visual artists on the proper
placement of their subjects on
the picture plane to achieve a
more interesting composition.
Placing the subject at the center
does not provide enough
interest for viewers to be able
to appreciate the work.
The Seven Da Vincian Principles

Leonardo da Vinci was more than an artist. He

was also an architect, scientist, inventor,
anatomist, geologist, historian and writer.
Through the centuries, Da Vinci influenced
various areas in many disciplines. Based on the
research conducted by Michael J. Gleb (born
1952), specifically, in his book “How to Think
like Leonardo da Vinci” (1998), da Vinci’s
genius was based on 7 principles which he called
the seven da Vincian Principles.
1. Curiosita is approaching life
with a heightened level of
wonder and continuous search
to know and learn more.

2.Dimostrazione is the
commitment to test knowledge
and to persist in this task,
which includes experiencing
both success and failures in
undertaking.
3. Sensazione is experiencing life through
refinement of the senses. For example, the
eyes should do more than see, it should be
able to distinguish between the beauty of
various colors, note minute details and savor
the physicality of everything the world has to
offer.
4. Sfumato literally translates to “going up
in smoke”. It is accepting life’s paradoxes
and uncertainties. It is knowing and realizing
that not everything is cause and effect and
that events happen that even logic can
explain.
5.Arte/Scienza is finding a
balance between art and
science or logic and
imagination. This relates to the
concept of a whole brain
thinking (not just the left and
right brain).
6.Corporalita is taking care of
one’s body. Ensuring that
healthy habits are practiced and
sustained. A sound mind is
usually the product of a sound
body and vice versa.
7. Connessione is realizing that all things
are interconnected. It is discovering
patterns in the way things work and how
things and lives work out.
Interconnectedness is seeing how events
in the past led to the present state of
affairs. A closer study of history would
make one realize how events in the past
explains the present