CCAD Packard Library: CORE Principles – Art and Design: Shape & Form (2024)

FAQs

What are the 7 principles of art and design? ›

The principles of art and design are balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, pattern, rhythm, and unity or variety. The use of these principles can help determine whether a painting is successful, and whether or not the painting is finished.

Shape and form

Shapes have two dimensions–height and width–and are usually defined by lines. Forms exist in three dimensions, with height, width, and depth. Shape has only height and width. Shape is usually, though not always, defined by line, which can provide its contour.

The 7 basic elements of visual art are SHAPE, LINE, SPACE, FORM, TEXTURE, VALUE, AND COLOUR. These elements are the building blocks of art that help the artist communicate. These elements help us in understanding the piece of art more clearly.

In the visual arts, shape is a flat, enclosed area of an artwork created through lines, textures, or colours, or an area enclosed by other shapes, such as triangles, circles, and squares. Likewise, a form can refer to a three-dimensional composition or object within a three-dimensional composition.

The fundamental principles of design are: Emphasis, Balance and Alignment, Contrast, Repetition, Proportion, Movement and White Space. Design differs from art in that it has to have a purpose. Visually, this functionality is interpreted by making sure an image has a center of attention, a point of focus.

The 9 Principles of Design are: Contrast, Emphasis, Movement, Repetition, Proportion, Rhythm, Balance, Unity, and Variety. Contrast: Contrast is showing large differences between objects or elements in an artwork and it can be created using size, value, texture, color and more. Example: Big vs Small or Light vs Dark.

There are twelve basic principles of design: contrast, balance, emphasis, proportion, hierarchy, repetition, rhythm, pattern, white space, movement, variety, and unity. These visual and graphic design principles work together to create appealing and functional designs that make sense to users.

A shape is a flat area of enclosed space. Space is the illusion of depth on a flat surface. Value is the lightness or darkness of objects in an artwork. Form means the artwork has height, width, and depth. Texture is the way the art feels, or looks like it would feel.

The visual arts are art forms such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, video, filmmaking, design, crafts, and architecture.

The three basic shapes are a square, a triangle and a circle. All other shapes are derived from these.

Why is shape and form important in art? ›

Shapes can play important roles in the creation of drawings and paintings. Shape can help to create complex drawings and paintings, affect composition, and contribute to the balance within a work. Shape can also be defined as a two-dimensional area that is defined by a change in value or some other form of contrast.

There are two main types of shapes, geometric and organic. While most works of art contain both geometric and organic shapes, looking at those that are more completely divided can serve to clarify these qualities.

The seven most common elements include line, shape, texture, form, space, color and value, with the additions of mark making, and materiality. When analyzing these intentionally utilized elements, the viewer is guided towards a deeper understanding of the work.

7 Elements of Design and Rule of Thirds

Design elements are the basic units of any visual design which form its structure and convey visual messages. The elements of design are line, shape, form, space, texture, tone (or value) and color, "These elements are the materials from which all designs are built."

The principles of design are a designer's guidelines to create a compelling and appealing composition. Emphasis, balance and alignment, contrast, repetition, proportion, movement, and white space are the cornerstones of the principle of design.