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What makes a piece of art a piece of art? Whether we know it or not, there are artistic fundamentals we employ that when combined, create what we humans call “art”. In this article, we go back to the basics and explain the 7 fundamentals of art.
The 7 fundamentals of art are line, shape, texture, form, space, color, and value. These fundamentals are used individually or combined, to create any artwork. The majority of artworks use more than 5 of these fundamentals. The types of marks and the materials used are also important elements.
Line
A line consists of any two connected points. Lines can be drawn in numerous ways (straight, vertical, horizontal, curved).
Contour lines can be used to explain three-dimensional forms to the viewer.
Implied lines are when there is a break in part of the line, giving the full effect of a solid line without having to draw the entire stroke.
Line weight is the variation in the thickness of the line. This varies greatly depending on the style and the artists. Line weight has the extraordinary ability to imply speed, stress, volume, and much more. Gaining control over your line weight can take a lot of time and practice, but is extremely useful for making your artwork so much more interesting and convincing.
Common curved lines used in art and gesture drawing are S-curves and C-curves. Being able to draw these fluidly, by using your elbow and shoulder more than your wrist takes practice, but is critical for achieving the correct gesture.
Shape
Shape is simply the design of two-dimensional objects.
Human beings have a tendency to view rectangular shapes as safe and reliable (due to their symmetrical, balanced nature).
On the flip side, we tend to view curved shapes as unreliable and more chaotic.
Shapes with sharp points or shallow angles are generally perceived as dangerous (I think you can guess why)!
Being able to simplify forms into planes of simplified shapes is a very useful skill to know.
Texture
Texture describes to the viewer how to surface might feel.
Different techniques convey different textures. The medium used, the paper/surface used, and the way the medium is laid upon the paper/surface all contribute to conveying the texture to the viewer.
Many beginners overlook the importance of texture, which results in skin having a plastic look. Creating accurate textures can take a lot of time and patience (drawing in each pore of the skin for example).
Form
Form is the three-dimensionality of an object.
Breaking down complex objects into simplified forms, such as boxes, cylinders, and spheres is a skill often overlooked by beginners, but crucial for developing a better understanding of proportions and light & shadow.
Simplifying forms also makes it much easier to place the details and features correctly, as it allows you to properly visualize the object as a 3D object, rather than drawing the details as you see them and disregarding the primary form.
Space
Space is really another way of saying perspective. It is how the proportions of an object in each of the 3 planes of the physical world relate to each other, and to other objects, and the environment.
That’s really a fancy way of saying that space is the representation of three dimensions on a two-dimensional surface.
Knowledge of the basics of perspective goes a long way in improving an understanding of form.
Positive space is the space that the object you’re focusing on takes up. Negative space is the space around the object.
Observing the negative space around an object is extremely useful for drawing accurate shapes and proportions. It allows you to see the shape of the outline in a new way and acts as an extra way of confirming you have drawn the correct shape.
Color
Color has three categories: the type of color, the intensity, and the opacity.
The type of color, or “hue“, is simply the color you are able to see and identify (red, blue, green, etc.).
The intensity is how light or saturated the color is (e.g. red vs. light pink).
The opacity is how strong the color is (e.g. a full color vs. a transparent one).
Learning about color theory is a really enjoyable process, and immeasurably helps to improve your ability to identify, and create powerful art.
The go-to book on color theory is Color and Light by James Gurney. A fantastic, beautifully illustrated book with so much useful information on the subject.
Value
Value is simply how light or dark something is.
It is used interchangeably with the word “tone”. So no need to get confused when you hear the two being used!
The difference between the lightest value and the darkest value is the contrast of the piece.
Beginners usually make the mistake of going too light with their marks, resulting in a low-contrast artwork.
Making darker darks and lighter lights (i.e. increasing the contrast) results in a much more realistic and aesthetically pleasing drawing/painting.
It’s a very simple technique to use that has an incredibly powerful effect.
And that’s it!
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