Composition
Composition is the arrangement of elements within a work of art.
Look at how the elements in a work of art or design are arranged — the underlying STRUCTURE (shapes, value) and observe their relationship to each other within the space. How does your eye move around the composition?
| Angled Arrangement Asymmetrical Background Balanced Centered Chaotic Circular Cluttered |
Confined Diagonal Empty Flowing Foreground Formal Fragmented Free Horizontal |
Landscape Format Layout Lopsided Middle Ground Negative Space Overlapping Portrait Format Position Positive Space |
Rigid Separate Spacious Square Format Symmetrical Triangular Unbalanced Upright Vertical |
Link to COMPOSITION page here.
Line
Line is a one dimensional path that can vary in width, length and direction.
A line often defines the edge of a form.
In art and design a line can be described in five basic ways: vertical, horizontal, diagonal, zigzag, and curved.
The words used to describe line in the form of art are everyday type of words
| Bold Contour Concentric Continuous Crenelated Crosshatched Curved |
Dashed Decorative Delicate Diagonal Dotted Flowing Graduated |
Implied Horizontal Parallel Radial Random Scalloped Slanted |
Simple Spiral Thick Thin Vertical Wavey ZigZag |
Link to LINE page here.
Shape
Shapes are defined by length and width.
A shape is defined by other elements of art.
Art and design incorporate various shapes whether in a painting, a sculpture, a building, a product, an illustration or a graphic design.
Look for shapes in the structure of the design and the way objects are depicted. Is there a sense of depth and volume or is the image flat?
| 2-Dimensional 3-Dimensional Abstract Angular Asymmetrical Blurred Circle Curvy Detailed |
Distorted Elongated Enclosed Exaggerated Flat Geometric Hard-Edged Indistinct Linear |
Narrow Natural Obscured Organic Overlapping Realistic Rectangular Round Sharp |
Simplified Soft-Edged Star Stylized Square Symmetrical Triangular |
Link to SHAPE here.
Viewpoint
Viewpoint is the position from which the artist is looking at the scene in the composition.
Consider the angle or position looking at the subject in the artwork or design.
How has the artist decided to present it?
| Arial Bending Bird’s Eye View Close Up Downwards Extreme Close Up |
Far Away Front Facing Long Shot Low Angle Lying Down Medium Shot |
Moving Over the Shoulder Profile Rear (from Behind) Resting SideStanding |
Static Three-Quarters Upwards |
Link to VIEWPOINT page here.
Texture
Texture is the perceived surface quality of a work of art.
Texture is a very common element in art and design with and is often used when referring to clothing, furniture and hair. Paint is sold in a variety of finishes such as flat, satin, and glossy. Sometimes it is difficult to see the texture in a painting from a photograph unless the picture was taken with light catches the texture of the surface. If you don’t see any texture in artwork or a design, don’t try to talk about it in that particular work.
| Brush Coarse Cut Fine Flat Frosted Glossy |
Hairy Hard Incised Marks Matte Pitted Polished |
Raised Reflective Rough Satin Scratched Semi-Gloss |
Shiny Silky Smooth Soft Sticky Uneven |
This site has a list of 400 words that describe texture!!! CLICK HERE
Mood
Mood is the atmosphere in a painting, or the feeling expressed.
What is the attitude or atmosphere of the subject matter and the way it’s executed? What emotion(s) do you experience looking at it?
| Agressive Angry Boring Calm Cheerful Chilling Content Dark |
Depressed Distressing Dull Energetic Exciting Frightening Gloomy Happy |
Joyful Insipid Lifeless Miserable Patriotic Peaceful Relaxed Romantic |
Sad Somber Stimulating Tearful Thought-Provoking Tranquil Unhappy Violent |
Link to MOOD page here.
Subject Matter
Subject refers to the main idea that is represented in the artwork — basically the essence of the piece.
The subject matter of artwork or design is stating the obvious. But if you think of how you’d describe an artwork to someone who’s not seen of it, or who isn’t looking at a photo of it, you’d probably tell them the subject matter of the painting quite early on.
| Abstract Allegorical Animals Architectural Buildings Cityscape Commercial Devotional |
Domestic Fantasy Folklore Figurative (Figures) Genre Iconographic Illuminated Imaginary |
Industrial Interiors Invented Landscape Lifestyle Literary Man-Made Mythological |
Narrative People Portrait Product Seascape Still Life Symbolic Urban |
Link to SUBJECT page here.
Color
Color consists of three properties: hue, chroma and value.
Color is perceived when light strikes an object and it is reflected back into the eye.
In art color is very important. This is what helps each piece of art stand out. The color, no matter what type of artwork helps define the work and the artist. A lot of artwork can be determined on who did the work just by looking at the colors, because certain artists use specific colors in every piece of their work. Think about your overall impression of the colors used in the painting, How they look and feel, how the colors work together (or not), How they fit with the subject of the painting, how the artist has mixed these (or not). Are there any specific colors you can identify?
| Artificial Blended Bold Bright Brilliant Clashing Clear Cool Compatible Complementary Contrasting Dark Deep Depressing Discordant Distinctive Dull |
Earthy Festive Flat Flamboyant Garish Gaudy Gradient Harmonious Harsh Hot Hue Intense Jarring LIght Lively Mellow Mixed Monochromatic |
Monotone Muddied Muted Natural Neutral Pale Pastel Primary Pure Quiet Retrained Rich Saturated Secondary Sepia Somber Stimulating |
Strong Subdued Subtle Sympathetic Tertiary Tinted Translucent Transparent Two-Toned Unfriendly Vibrant Violent Vivid Warm Weak Washed Out |
Link to COLOR page here.