The 7 elements of art that shape creativity 1

In any discipline, it is important to have a solid foundation from which to grow. In the case of visual arts, it is essential to know the elements of art. These creative elements are essential, and understanding their functions is important for artists and art lovers alike. When you have a good knowledge about the elements of art, it is easier to analyze, decipher and create any type of artwork, from paintings and photographs to sculptures and architectural pieces.

In fact, many of these elements are taught in childhood as part of basic art education. But although the concepts may seem simple, once mastered they can extend and grow in all directions, regardless of the style of art being created or appreciated. The elements of art are concrete visual components that work in conjunction with the artistic principles that organize and harmonize them.

Line, color, shape, form, value, space and texture are the seven basic elements of art and often overlap and influence each other. Whether it is drawing, painting, sculpting or designing, all of these components of art must be taken into consideration. Once you know these seven visual elements, you'll find it even easier to create your own works of art.
That being said, the elements of art are not only useful for artists. Any art lover will be able to appreciate and find greater meaning in a work by learning more about these basic visual components.

What are the seven elements of art?

Line
These marks span a distance between two points and can be straight or curved. In the visual arts, lines go beyond marks and contours: they can also be implicit or abstract. Whether two-dimensional or three-dimensional, it cannot be denied that lines have a great impact on the rest of the elements of art. They can be used to create shapes and figures, as well as to give a sense of depth and structure. Lines are the basis of drawing and are a powerful tool in their own right. Using different types of lines—continuous, broken, vertical, jagged, horizontal—dramatically changes the psychology of a work of art and has a great impact on the viewer.

Color
By working with hue, value, and saturation—three basic components of color—artists can express a wide range of emotions. There is nothing that changes the emotional impact of a work of art more than color. Masters such as Van Gogh, Monet and Toulouse-Lautrec manipulated color in their paintings to provoke different feelings. Color can be used symbolically or to create a pattern. It can be selected to create contrasts or to convey a specific mood.

Having a good foundation in color theory can help an artist better use the tones they have at their disposal. In this sense, the modern color wheel is a wonderful tool. It is designed to explain how color is organized and how colors interact with each other. Generally, in the center of the color wheel are the three primary colors and in the outer circle are the secondary colors; that is, the mixture of two primary colors. On the outside of the circle are tertiary colors, the mixture of primary colors with an adjacent secondary color.