The following pages provide definitions and examples of the elements and principles that are used by photographers and other artists in creating images.  

The elements of art are components of a work of art that can be isolated and defined.  They are the building blocks used to create a work of art.  The principles of art are combinations of two or more of the elements of art.  

The elements and principles of art help artists to plan their compositions to have an impact on the expressive content, meaning, and viewer’s reaction to the image.  Understanding the elements and principles of art will help students to better understand the purpose of an artist’s choices.        

Formal Analysis: Elements of Art
Student Handout

 Line is a mark with greater length than width. Lines can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, straight or curved, thick or thin.

Shape is a closed line. Shapes can be geometric, like squares and circles; or organic, like free-form or natural shapes. Shapes are flat and can express length and width. 

Forms are three-dimensional shapes, expressing length, width, and depth. Balls, cylinders, boxes, and pyramids are forms. 

Space is the area between and around objects. The space around objects is often called negative space; negative space has shape. Space can also refer to the feeling of depth. Real space is three-dimensional; in visual art, when we can create the feeling or illusion of depth, we call it space. 

Color is light reflected off objects. Color has three main characteristics: hue or its name (red, green, blue, etc.); value (how light or dark it is); and intensity (how bright or dull it is).  
White is pure light and black is absence of light.  Primary colors are the only true colors (red, blue, and yellow).  All other colors are mixes of primary colors.  

Texture is the surface quality that can be seen and felt. Textures can be rough or smooth, soft or hard. Textures do not always feel the way they look; for example, a drawing of a porcupine may look prickly, but if you touch the drawing, the paper is still smooth. 

Formal Analysis: Principles of Art
Student Handout

Balance is the distribution of the visual weight of objects, colors, texture, and space. If the design was a scale, these elements should be balanced to make a design feel stable. 

Emphasis is the part of the design that catches the viewer’s attention. Usually the artist will make one area stand out by contrasting it with other areas. The area will be different in size, color, texture, shape, etc.  

Movement is the path the viewer’s eye takes through the artwork, often to focal areas. Such movement can be directed along lines, edges, shape, and color within the artwork. 

Pattern is the repeating of an object, symbol, or shape all over the artwork. 

Repetition works with pattern to make the artwork seem active. The repetition of elements of design creates unity within the artwork.

Proportion is the feeling of unity created when all parts (sizes, amounts, or number) relate harmoniously to each other. When drawing the human figure, proportion can refer to the size of the head compared to the rest of the body.  

Rhythm is created when one or more elements of design are used repeatedly to create a feeling of organized movement. Variety is essential to keep rhythm exciting and active and to move the viewer around the artwork.  Rhythm creates a mood like music or dancing. 

Variety is the use of several elements of design to hold the viewer’s attention and to guide the viewer’s eye through the artwork. 

Unity is the feeling of harmony between all parts of the artwork, creating a sense of completeness.

 
Dominance is the importance of the emphasis of one aspect in relation to all other aspects of a design.

Subordination is making an element appear to hold secondary or lesser importance within a design or work of art.