The Seven Elements of Art

Building Blocks of Any Composition

1. Line (a path of a moving point)

2. Shape (defines an area)

3. Space (the area inside and around an object)

4. Texture (the feel of a surface)

5. Color (the way we perceive light reflected from a surface)

6. Value (the amount of brightness and darkness)

7. Form (a three-dimensional shape)

The elements of art are the building blocks of any composition.
But have you ever wondered why?

When you look at any composition, you always recognize some, if not all, of the elements of art. Our eyes learn to identify them from birth; often, we do this without even realizing it.

So why are the line, shape, space, value, texture, color, and form considered the seven elements of art?

Because you always see them, even if they are not represented in an obvious way.

The truth is that some elements complement each other. Usually, the line is regarded as the first element of art, but isn’t a line made of dots?

• Dots make Lines.

• Lines make Shapes.

• Shapes define Space.

• Value creates Forms.

• Texture is composed of Lines.

The pointillism technique uses dots, color, and value to create forms and shapes.

When you play with value, you create forms that are typically referred to as three-dimensional shapes.

You can have fun with all these elements of art and create them without explicitly using them; however, you will need to incorporate other elements of art to do so. When you experiment with these elements, you will recognize their importance.

Be creative!