Definition of Movement: is the path the viewer’s eye takes through the artwork, often to a focal area. It can be directed along lines, edges, shapes and color. Movement is closely tied to rhythm.
This picture represents movement because your eyes are directed to the focal point at the end of the path. This is effected by the illusion of the road and of the sky that creates depth and distance
Definition of Rhythm: 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.
Althogh the flashes of light in this photo aren’t aligned and are not in a consistent formation, they make your eyes “dance” and adds rhythm to the photo.
Definition of Unity: occurs when all of the elements of a piece combine to make a balanced, harmonious, complete whole. Unity is another of those hard-to-describe art terms but, when it’s present, your eye and brain are pleased to see it.
In this artwork, all the colors and designs flow together; nothing in particular stands out.
There is no exception to the slightly angular curved lines and a more vibrant version of a pastel color palette.
Even thought we cannot decipher these odd images, they have a way of being unified in this composition.
Emphasis – is an area that first attracts attention in a composition. This area is more important when compared to the other objects or elements in a composition. This can be by contrast of values, more colors, and placement in the format.
Despite the fact that the objects are all uniformed in color and in flower specie, there is a single flower that is upright and sharp in contrast to its blurry surroundings. This is created by focusing the lens on the flower and editing to further enforce the effect
Value – is the degree of light and dark in a design. It is the contrast between black and white and all the tones in between. Value can be used with color as well as black and white. Contrast is the extreme changes between values.
The value in the photo is apparent above and below the horizon line where the light source causes a gradient effect (from light to dark) in the sky and (from light to dark) on the ground.* You can see the contrast between the top/bottom of the shot and the center.
*from the point of horizon
Texture – is about surface quality either tactile or visual. Texture can be real or implied by different uses of media. It is the degree of roughness or smoothness in objects.
The texture in this picture is generally smooth because of the surface of the leaf however the wrinkles and the stems make it indented and more rough to the touch.
The surfaced is also smooth because of the glazed effect that the leaf creates (which reflects the light in this close up)
An element of art, 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. Sometimes space isn’t actually within a piece, but the illusion of it is.
Instead of making the couple the center of the shot and cropping out the rest, the photographer decides that space is required to complete and add interest to the portrait. This also adds depth and context to the picture.
Shape – is a 2-dimensional line with no form or thickness. Shapes are flat and can be grouped into two categories, geometric and organic.
This is a photo showing a two dimensional organic shape. The shape of a heart is created by the natural arch of the neck of the swans. There is negative space to emphasize this shape as well as an asymmetrical balance to create interest.
Pattern is the repetition of shape or form. It can also reflect the underlying structure of a design by organizing the surfaces or objects in the composition.
This picture is an example of pattern because it displays repeated animals and their shadows. (it all flows together in spite of its minor differences). The animals fit together like pieces in a puzzle which creates an intriguing pattern
Line – is a mark on a surface that describes a shape or outline. It can create texture and can be thick and thin. Types of line can include actual, implied, vertical, horizontal, diagonal and contour lines.
This focus of this photo is on the repeated vertical lines that create a long, distanced effect. The curvy lines stand out more than the background or the sand ruins.
Form – is a 3-dimensional object having volume and thickness. It is the illusion of a 3-D effect that can be implied with the use of light and shading techniques. Form can be viewed from many angles.
In this photograph, the sharp angles and the 3D block shapes are emphasized. This demonstrates form, especially as it frames the entire photo.
Definition: refers to the arrangement of opposite elements (light vs. dark colors, rough vs. smooth textures, large vs. small shapes, etc.) in a piece so as to create visual interest, excitement and drama.
This is a very basic and straightforward example of light and dark contrast, using a black background next to a white background with identical wine glasses in front of both to create visual excitement as the eyes are set on comparing the two.
Color – refers to specific hues and has 3 properties, Chroma, Intensity and Value. The color wheel is a way of showing the chromatic scale in a circle using all the colors made with the primary triad. Complimentary pairs can produce dull and neutral color. Black and white can be added to produce tints (add white), shades (add black) and tones (add gray).
This photograph represents colour because the most prevalent aspect is the vibrant and varied hues that immediately capture your attention
Balance – is a feeling of visual equality in shape, form, value, color, etc. Balance can be symmetrical or evenly balanced or asymmetrical and un-evenly balanced. Objects, values, colors, textures, shapes, forms, etc., can be used in creating a balance in a composition.
This is an example of a partial symmetrical and partial asymmetrical balance. Even though there is a center focus and a similar amount of objects on each side of the focal point, there are slight differences such as the clouds, the people and the buildings.
Jenny from the blog 