Elements of Art

Elements of Art

Line 

 Lines are marks made by a pointed tool: brush, pencil, pen, etc. Lines can vary in width, direction, curvature, length, or color.
The logs and pillars point like lines toward the sky.
The railroad tracks lead perfect into the setting sun horizon. 

Shape

Shapes are formed wherever the ends of a continuous line meet. Geometric shapes such as circles, triangles or squares have perfect, uniform measurements and don't often appear in nature. Organic shapes are associated with things from the natural world, like plants and animals.
The wave creates a natural shape of, well, a wave.

The Ying and Yang use the simple shapes to form a entricate symbol of balance.

Color

Color wheels show the primary colors, secondary colors, and the tertiary (intermediate) colors. They also show the relationships between complementary colors across from each other, such as blue and orange; and analogous (similar or related) colors next to each other such as yellow, green, and blue. Black and white may be thought of as colors but, in fact, they are not. White light is the presence of all color; black is the absence of reflected light and therefore the absence of color.
The city street next to the night sky creates a beautiful colorful screen.
The pencils of all colors in a circle, how is it not extremely colorful?

Value (Tone)
Value, or tone, refers to dark and light; the value scale refers to black and white with all gradations of gray in between.  Value contrasts help us to see and understand a two-dimensional work of art.
The black and white shows all spectrums of the scale from black to grey to white. 

Form

Form describes objects that are three-dimensional, having length, width, and height.
The weird tree, neck, thing looks 3D and glossy
The square dice creates a cube and two of them create a balanced picture of two cubes. Also Snake eyes. GG

Texture
Texture can be rough, bumpy, slick, scratchy, smooth, silky, soft, prickly--the list is endless.  Texture refers to the surface quality, both simulated and actual, of artwork.
The painting looks extremely textured, like the faces of the couple are very wrinkled. 
The tree bark creates a nature-y texture and looks really cool as a background.

Space
Space refers to distances or areas around, between, or within components of a piece. Space can be positive (white or light) or  negative (black or dark), open or closed,shallow or deep, and two-dimensional or three-dimensional.
The black area around it is like the endless void of space surrounding the bright sun
The Earth is the focus of the picture even though there is the moon and the empty space around it.

Principles of Design 
Balance
Balance is the comfortable or pleasing arrangement of things in art.  There are three different types of balance: symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radial. The human figure is symmetrically balanced; the same on the left and right side. The tree is asymmetrically balanced; its branches are not distributed equally on each side, but their total weight is balanced left and right. The sun is an example of radial balance; all its rays are equal in length from the center.
The bigger man is on the left, the kid is on the right balanced out by his little stick thing

The rocks are balanced literally and creates a half circle framing the inner portion of the picture.

Contrast
Contrast is created by using elements that conflict with one another. Often, contrast is created using complementary colors or extremely light and dark values. Contrast creates interest in a piece and often draws the eye to certain areas. It is used to make a painting look interesting.
The red petals contrast to the inner petals similarly to the black an white stripes of the zebra.

Emphasis
Emphasis in the focal area of an artwork gives it importance.  An artist may stress some elements of the design over others. The eye of the viewer will focus on the area of emphasis or center of interest first, then take in the rest of the composition. 
The dark city street emphasizes the bright dinner hall. your eyes are brought to the pretty lil lady in red.
The completely dark intersection with the one yellow taxi cab brings your eyes straight to the car.

Movement
 Movement in an artwork means the artist is taking viewers on a trip through the work by means of lines, edges, shapes, and colors often leading to the focal area.  Movement is a visual flow through the composition. It can be the suggestion of motion in a design as you move from object to object by way of placement and position.  Directional movement can be created with a value pattern. It is with the placement of dark and light areas that you can move your attention through the format.

As the man is about to throw the flowers or the car speeds by, it is still looking like its moving even though it's in a picture.

Pattern
Patterns are made in art when the same shapes or elements are repeated again and again.  Pattern uses the elements of art in planned or random repetitions to enhance surfaces of paintings or sculptures.
The repeating cans and bottles create pattern and stuff.

Rhythm
Rhythm is the repetition of shapes, lines, and forms.  Rhythm is a movement in which some elements recurs regularly.  Like a dance, it will have a flow of objects that will seem to be like the beat of music.
Its a different thing every time but it's still repetitive. Even with the trees nearly being exact. No tree is the same. 

Unity
Unity means that all elements in an artwork are in harmony.  Unity brings together a composition with similar units.  For example, if your composition was using wavy lines and organic shapes you would stay with those types of lines and not put in even one geometric shape.

The tree and the people create a scene of nature and tranquility.
The Reflection crates a sense of peace and unity.