ARTAPP103 Module 3 - Artistic Elements: Composition
ARTAPP103 Module 3 - Artistic Elements: Composition
The point
Definitions and qualities of line
Shapes: positive, negative and planar issues
Figure / Ground Relationships
Mass
Space
Color: its qualities and combinations
Texture
OBJECTIVES
Upon successful completion of this module, you should be able to:
MASS
Mass, or form, refers to a shape or
three-dimensional volume that has or Eugene Delaplanche, Eve after the Fall, 1869. Marble,
gives the illusion of having weight, Musee d’Orsay, Paris
density or bulk. Notice the distinction
between two and three- dimensional Although actual mass and form are
objects: a shape is by definition flat, but physical attributes to any three-
takes on the illusion of mass through dimensional work of art, they are
shading with the elements of value or manifested differently depending on the
color. In three dimensions a mass is an culture they are produced in. For
actual object that takes up space. example, traditional western European
Eugene Delaplanche’s sculpture ‘Eve culture is known for its realistic styles,
After the Fall’ from 1869 (below) represented by Delaplanche’s ‘Eve after
epitomizes the characteristics of three- the Fall’. In contrast, look at the
dimensional mass. Carved from stone figurative sculpture from the Cameroon
with exaggerated physicality to appear culture in Africa below to see how
bigger than life, the work stands heavily stylistic changes make a difference in
against the space around it. the form. The sculpture is carved from
Delaplanche balances the massive wood, generally more available to the
sculpture by his treatment of the subject artist in sub-Saharan Africa than is
matter. Eve sits, her body turned on two marble. Moreover, the Cameroon figure
diagonal planes, one rising, the other stands upright and frontal to the viewer,
descending, her right hip being the and is carved without the amount of
meeting point of the two. She rests her descriptive detail seen in Delaplanche’s
work, yet the unknown African artist still 15th century Europe, affords us the
gives the figure an astonishing amount accurate illusion of three-dimensional
of dramatic character that energizes the space on a flat surface, and appears to
space around it. recede into the distance through the use
of a horizon line and vanishing
Form and space, whether actual or points. See how perspective is set up in
implied, are markers for how we the schematic examples below:
perceive reality. How objects relate to
each other and the space around them
provide the evidence for the visual order
in our world. The artist’s creative
manipulation of these elements
determines the stylistic qualities in a
work of art that, in the end, always
contains the subjective fingerprint of the
artist’s idea of the real.
SPACE
Space is the empty area surrounding One Point Perspective, 11 July 2012, Creator: Oliver
real or implied objects. Humans Harrison
categorize space: there is outer space,
that limitless void we enter beyond our
sky; inner space, which resides in
people’s minds and imaginations, and One-point perspective occurs when
personal space, the important but the receding lines appear to converge at
intangible area that surrounds each a single point on the horizon and used
individual and which is violated if when the flat front of an object is facing
someone else gets too close. Pictorial the viewer. Note: Perspective can be
space is flat, and the digital realm used to show the relative size and
resides in cyberspace. Art responds to recession into space of any object, but
all of these kinds of space. is most effective with hard-edged three-
dimensional objects such as buildings.
Clearly artists are as concerned with
space in their works as they are with, A classic Renaissance artwork using
say, color or form. There are many ways one point perspective is Leonardo da
for the artist to present ideas of space. Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper’ from 1498. Da
Remember that many cultures Vinci composes the work by locating the
traditionally use pictorial space as a vanishing point directly behind the head
window to view realistic subject matter of Christ, thus drawing the viewer’s
through, and through the subject matter attention to the center. His arms mirror
they present ideas, narratives and the receding wall lines, and, if we follow
symbolic content. The innovation them as lines, would converge at the
of linear perspective, an implied same vanishing point.
geometric pictorial construct dating from
the front right of the picture to the
building’s front edge on the left, which,
like a ship’s bow, acts as a cleaver to
plunge both sides toward the horizon. In
the midst of this visual recession a lamp
post stands firmly in the middle to arrest
our gaze from going right out the back of
the painting. Caillebotte includes the
little metal arm at the top right of the
post to direct us again along a horizontal
path, now keeping us from traveling off
the top of the canvas. As relatively
spare as the left side of the work is, the
Leonardo da Vinci, The Last Supper, 1498. Fresco
artist crams the right side with hard-
edged and organic shapes and forms in
Two-point perspective occurs when a complex play of positive and negative
the vertical edge of a cube is facing the space.
viewer, exposing two sides that recede
into the distance, one to each vanishing Three-point perspective is used when
point. an artist wants to project a “bird’s eye
view”, that is, when the projection lines
recede to two points on the horizon and
a third either far above or below the
horizon line. In this case the parallel
lines that make up the sides of an object
are not parallel to the edge of the
ground the artist is working on (paper,
canvas, etc).
This same technique brings to life what Caravaggio, Guiditta Decapitates Oloferne, 1598, oil on
begins as a simple line drawing of a canvas
National Gallery of Italian Art, Rome
young man’s head in
Michelangelo’s .) from 1508. Shading is
created with line (refer to our discussion COLOR
of line earlier in this module) or tones Color is the most complex artistic
created with a pencil. Artists vary the element because of the combinations
tones by the amount of resistance they and variations inherent in its
use between the pencil and the paper use. Humans respond to color
they’re drawing on. A drawing pencil’s combinations differently, and artists
leads vary in hardness, each one giving study and use color in part to give
a different tone than another. Washes of desired direction to their work.
ink or color create values determined by
the amount of water the medium is Color is fundamental to many forms of
dissolved into. art. Its relevance, use and function in a
given work depend on the medium of
The use of high contrast, placing that work. While some concepts dealing
lighter areas of value against much with color are broadly applicable across
darker ones, creates a dramatic effect, media, others are not.
while low contrast gives more subtle
results. These differences in effect are The full spectrum of colors is contained
evident in ‘Guiditta and Oloferne’ by the in white light. Humans perceive colors
Italian painter Caravaggio, and Robert from the light reflected off objects. A red
Adams’ photograph Untitled, object, for example, looks red because it
Denver from 1970-74. Caravaggio uses reflects the red part of the spectrum. It
a high contrast palette to an already would be a different color under a
dramatic scene to increase the visual different light. Color theory first
tension for the viewer, while Adams appeared in the 17th century when
deliberately makes use of low contrast English mathematician and scientist Sir
to underscore the drabness of the Isaac Newton discovered that white light
landscape surrounding the figure on the could be divided into a spectrum by
bicycle. passing it through a prism.
The study of color in art and design each other on the color wheel. These
often starts with color theory. Color are the "elemental" colors; not produced
theory splits up colors into three by mixing any other colors, and all other
categories: primary, secondary, and colors are derived from some
tertiary. combination of these three.
The secondary colors are orange (mix
The basic tool used is a color wheel, of red and yellow), green (mix of blue
developed by Isaac Newton in 1666. A and yellow), and violet (mix of blue and
more complex model known as the color red).
The tertiary colors are obtained by
tree .), created by Albert Munsell, shows
mixing one primary color and one
the spectrum made up of sets of tints secondary color. Depending on amount
and shades on connected planes. of color used, different hues can be
obtained such as red-orange or yellow-
There are a number of approaches to
green. Neutral colors (browns and
organizing colors into meaningful grays) can be mixed using the three
relationships. Most systems differ in primary colors together.
structure only. White and black lie outside of these
categories. They are used to lighten or
Traditional Model darken a color. A lighter color (made by
Traditional color theory is a qualitative adding white to it) is called a tint, while
a darker color (made by adding black) is
attempt to organize colors and their
called a shade.
relationships. It is based on Newton's
color wheel, and continues to be the
Color Mixing
most common system used by artists.
A more quantifiable approach to color
theory is to think about color as the
result of light reflecting off a surface.
Understood in this way, color can be
represented as a ratio of amounts of
primary color mixed together.
Additive color theory is used when
different colored lights are
being projected on top of each other.
Projected media produce color by
projecting light onto a reflective surface.
Where subtractive mixing creates the
impression of color by selectively
Blue Yellow Red Color Wheel absorbing part of the spectrum, additive
mixing produces color by selective
Traditional color theory uses the same projection of part of the spectrum.
principles as subtractive color mixing Common applications of additive color
(see below) but prefers different primary theory are theater lighting and television
colors. screens. RGB color is based on additive
color theory.
The primary colors are red, blue, and
yellow. You find them equidistant from
The primary colors are red, blue, and light source's spectrum are absorbed by
green. the material and not reflected back to
The secondary colors are yellow (mix of the viewer's eye. For example, a painter
red and green), cyan (mix of blue and brushes blue paint onto a canvas. The
green), and magenta (mix of blue and chemical composition of the paint allows
red).
all of the colors in the spectrum to be
The tertiary colors are obtained by
mixing the above colors at different absorbed except blue, which is reflected
intensities. from the paint’s surface. Subtractive
color works as the reverse of additive
White is created by the confluence of color theory. Common applications of
the three primary colors, while black subtractive color theory are used in the
represents the absence of all color. The visual arts, color printing and processing
lightness or darkness of a color is photographic positives and negatives.
determined by the intensity/density of its The primary colors are red, yellow, and
various parts. For instance: a middle- blue.
toned gray could be produced by
projecting a red, a blue and a green light The secondary colors are orange, green
at the same point with 50% intensity. and violet.
The tertiary colors are created by mixing
a primary with a secondary color.
Split Complementary
Simultaneous Contrast
TEXTURE
Joan Stuart Ross’s mixed media
Texture is the tactilesense we get from work On the Spokes (below)
the surface of a shape or volume. incorporates both actual and visual
Smooth, rough, velvety and prickly are textures. A strong radial composition is
examples of texture. Texture comes in enhanced with over one hundred raised
two forms: paper blocks containing bits of images
and text. The surface in relief provides
Actual: the real surface qualities we actual texture while our eyes are treated
perceive by running a hand over an to a complex array of visual textures
object
Visual: an implied sense of texture
created by staccato rhythms of colors
created by the artist through the and patterns.
manipulation of their materials.