40 Examples of Elements of Art

The fundamental components that make up a work of art are referred to as the elements of art. The elements of art are used in the majority of works of art. Even before we know about these design fundamentals, we often judge the quality of an artwork based on how well the artist employs them. What are some examples of elements of art? This is a question that has many answers, It is possible to define art in many different ways.

A work of art is composed of many components, including color, line, shape, form, value, texture, and space. All of these elements go into constructing the artwork. The elements of art are closely related to one another, and many overlap. Combining these elements results in a complete artwork.

Visual literacy is enhanced by familiarity with art’s basic elements. When artists and creators apply the elements of art to their work, the results are more powerful. When people are comfortable with the elements of art, they can recognize the details and the message more deeply. Let us take a look at and discuss 40 examples of elements of art in this article.

What are the 7 Elements of Art

Have you ever wondered from looking at an artwork how the creator got started? The seven elements of art can be found in any form of art, whether it is two-dimensional or three-dimensional.

7 Elements of Art:

  • Line
  • Shape
  • Color
  • Form
  • Space
  • Value
  • Texture

Making art relies on these seven components.

So, what are the exact steps an artist takes to utilize the elements? A chef cooking a meal is similar to working as an artist and creating artwork. To create a unique recipe, the chef combines ingredients in specific amounts. To create a unique piece of art, the artist uses different elements of art in different ways. Each element of art is like an ingredient in a recipe. Sometimes, there are just one or two elements in an artwork. Moreover, there are also times when a piece has all the elements of art. There is one thing for sure. Without the seven elements of art, there would be no art.

40 Examples of Elements of Art

See the following 40 examples of art elements to get an idea of what we are talking about:

Line in Art

An orientated line allows the viewer to see the stroke’s movement, direction, and intention by visualizing its movement between two points. Depending on the length and curve of the line, and outline can produce texture. Various types of lines can be used by artists, including real lines, implied lines, vertical lines, horizontal lines, diagonal lines, and contour lines. Additionally, lines serve as situational elements, and understanding their elasticity, rigidity, synthetic nature, or life requires a deep understanding of the physical world.

1. Bull – (Plate 11) by Pablo Picasso, 1946

Bull art by Pablo Picasso
Source: artyfactory.com

2. Dock Side Quilts Line Art

Dock Side Quilts Line Art
Source: icanvas.com

3. Eiffel Tower by Robert Delauney, 1910

Eiffel Tower art
Source: artyfactory.com

4. A Study for an Equestrian Monument by Leonardo Da Vinci, 1488

Study horse for an Equestrian Monument
Source: artyfactory.com

5. Weeping Woman by Pablo Picasso, 1937

Weeping Woman art
Source: artyfactory.com

6. The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai, 1823–29

Wave texture in art
Source: artyfactory.com

Shape in Art

There are two dimensions to a shape, and its height and widths are encoded by lines to indicate its structure. Different ways of using color within a shape can make the design appear three-dimensional. The animator manipulates shapes to give characters a distinct personality and feature. A shape gives a character a unique personality and feature. Moreover, A variety of shapes can draw by artists and fall into either geometrical or organic categories. A simple geometric shape, such as a circle, triangle, or square, provides a symbolic and synthetic impression, whereas acute angles and sharp points add a sense of danger. Curvilinear shapes are chaotic and adaptable, whereas rectilinear shapes are considered to be dependable and more structurally sound.

7. Around the Cake by Wayne Thiebaud, 1962

cake slice around the cake
Source: artfactory.com

8. The Blue Fan by Francis Campbell Boileau Cadel, 1922

Blue Fan artwork
Source: magnoliabox.com

9. Broadway Boogie-Woogie by Piet Mondrian, 1942-43

Broadway Boogie-Woogie texture
Source: artfactory.com

10. Still Life with a Peach and Two Green Pears by Paul Cezanne, 1883-87

Still Life with a Peach art
Source: artyfactory.com

11. Geometric Shape Art

Geometric Shape Art
Source: pikespeakartist.com

12. Colonial Cubism by Stuart Davis, 1954

Colonial Cubism art
Source: artyfactory.com

Color in Art

Usually, color refers to a chromatic element composed of hue and saturation. These hues are characterized by three properties: chroma or intensity, hue, and value. Color is a response of the optic nerve to a hue emerging in the eye when light is struck by an object and reflected back into it. In terms of properties, hue can be defined as a distinguishable color, such as red, blue, or yellow. Next, we have value, which indicates how light or dark the hue is. The last is chroma, which separates strong from weak colors. Color wheels that use primary colors show chromatic scale in a visually appealing way.

13. Color of Dawn by Dmitry Spiros

sunset of seaside artwork
Source: singulart.com

14. Colorful Oil Painting

boat in river oil painting
Source: icanvas.com

15. Street Light by Giacomo Balla, 1909

street light artwork
Source: artfactory.com

16. Autumn Landscape with Boats by Wassily Kandinsky, 1908

Autumn Landscape with Boats
Source: artyfactory.com

17. Lake Lucerne by Emil Nolde, 1930

Lake Lucerne artwork
Source: flickr.com

18. The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons by J.M.W. Turner, 1835

Burning House artwork
Source: artsy.net

Form in Art

The form is what happens when a shape becomes three-dimensional (3D) and has depth. Two-dimensional art can create an illusion of form using perspective or shading when it is created in three dimensions (like in architecture). A cone, a pyramid, a sphere, and a cube are some common shapes.

19. Tactile Wall Painting

Tactile Wall Painting

20. Still Life Drawing

Still Life Drawing artwork
Source: drhsart.com

21. 3D Pencil Drawing

3D Pencil Drawing
Source: earthporm.com

22. Dimensional Light Shadow Artwork

3D Light Shadow Artwork
Source: sites.google.com

23. 3D Form Art

rounded form of ball artwork
Source: dribbble.com

24. Form in Pencil Drawing

grow seedlings artwork
Source: arsenal.com

Space in Art

In space, shapes and objects are perceived in relation to their foreground and backgrounds, based on their perspective and proportion. Artists can create various types of spaces for different effects. Negative space is the area of the work without a subject, while positive space refers to the area with a subject. A three-dimensional art form like sculpture has open and closed spaces; the open space is empty, while the closed space contains sculptural elements.

25. Nont Sainte-victoire by Paul Cezanne, 1904-06

Nont Sainte-victoire artwork
Source: quora.com

26. Turn in the Road by Paul Cezanne, 1882

Road turning point artwork
Source: kidcourses.com

27. Tall Trees at the Jas de Bouffan by Paul Cezanne

big trees artwork
Source: liveabout.com

28. Ammerseelandschaft mit Segelbooten by Christian Landenberger, 1921

boat in river artwork
Source: kidcourses.com

29. The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dalí 1931

Persistence of Memory artwork
Source: christophertyler.org

30. Christina’s World Painting by Andrew Wyeth, 1948

examples of elements of art
Source: thoughtco.com

Value in Art

The perceived lightness of an image determines its value. It can be measured in various units of electromagnetic radiation and is compatible with the metric of value. An infinite number of grey variants lie between the lightest (white) and darkest (black) values of a work of art, referring to the contrast between them. However, it can also be exemplified in colored images, even though it is mostly centered on the greyscale.

31. Approaching Shadows by Lori McNee

village scene artwork
Source: artistsnetwork.com

32. Lake Hickory, Watercolor on Paper by David M. Kessler

Lake Hickory watercolor artwork
Source: davidmkessler.com

33. Impression, Sunrise by Claude Monet, 1872

sunshine artwork
Source: drawpaintacademy.com

34. The Red House by Claude Monet, 1908

red house oil painting
Source: en.artsdot.com

35. Value of Black and White

village natural scene sketch
Source: pototschnik.com

Texture in Art

The artist used the term texture to describe the surface quality of their work. There are two kinds of surfaces: tactile and visual. The tactile surface quality of work can be observed most clearly through three-dimensional works, such as sculptures, where the viewer can see and/or touch the different textures. In contrast, the visual surface quality is determined by the way the eye perceives the texture.

36. Aschenblume by Anselm Kiefer

Aschenblume artwork
Source: theguardian.com

37. Textural Leaves Painting

textural leaves painting

38. The Starry Night by Van Gogh

starry night sky oil painting
Source: moma.org

39. Black Square by Kazimir Malevich

black square texture art
Source: fisunguner.com

40. Rain, Steam and Speed by Turner

tornado artwork
Source: en.wikipedia.org

FAQs, Examples of Elements of Art

What is the most important element of art?

Art’s most important element is a line. It is impossible to divide a piece of paper or canvas into shapes or forms without drawing lines on it. This speaks volumes about the importance of lines in creating art.

What are the elements of art in drawing?

Line, value, color, form, shape, space, and texture are the seven elements.

How do the elements of artwork together?

Among the elements of art, you will find visual components that enhance and harmonize the principles of art. A work of art is composed of the seven core elements of color, line, value, shape, space, form, and texture, and these elements often overlap and have an impact on each other.

How are elements of arts used in traditional forms of art?

A work of art is composed of the following elements: color, shape, line, value, form, texture, and space. These elements are the tools that artists employ to create artwork. It is those building blocks that comprise the principles of design, which are: contrast, proportion, rhythm, unity, balance, movement, emphasis, and variety.

What is value in the elements of art?

A color’s value describes its lightness or darkness. Values are most easily interpreted when visualized as a gradient or scale. A highly contrasted image has few tonal values between darker hues such as black and white. The value in an image determines how it appears to have texture and light.

Why are the 7 elements of art important?

It is fun and valuable to have elements of art. Think about lines, shapes, forms, spaces, textures, values, and colors. You can analyze, appreciate, write and discuss art based on these elements, and you can also create art if you have a deep understanding of them.

Final Words

Compositional characteristics and expressive qualities of artworks represent elements of art. Artists use these in art education, criticism, evaluation, and appreciation as well as for their own creations. Hopefully, you found the 40 examples of elements of art in this article helpful.

1 thought on “40 Examples of Elements of Art”

  1. Many thanks for bringing light, and understanding to those are new to this Subject, like us . Keep up the good work.

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