Elements of Art

Students in the Elementary Level Arts Education program gain a good understanding of the elements of art and their uses. In the middle years, students study to understand how the elements of art relate to composition and the overall effectiveness of the visual image. In Visual Art 10, 20, 30 students will purposefully use the elements of art in discussing and making their art works. The teacher should remember that the elements of art and principles of design become more relevant when taught within a context of interest to the students, rather than in isolation.

The following outlines what the students should experience for the elements of art in Visual Art 10, 20, 30. These concepts should be reinforced and applied throughout the year.

Line In previous years of study, students have looked at a great variety of lines in the natural and constructed environments, recognized hidden lines in the art works they have studied and used line to express their ideas. Students should continue their study of line through observations and a variety of experiences. They should become more aware of the many subtleties of line and how the quality and direction of the real or implied line may suggest many different ideas and experiences. Students in Visual Art 10, 20, 30 should: analyze the ways that they and others use line to express ideas and experiences in art works of all kinds (including film, architecture, advertising, clothing design, and others).

Colour Colour is an element of art that can be the most expressive but can also be the most difficult to describe. Students should further their study of colour in the environment, while learning about many colour relationships and the many relationships between colour and themselves. Through an exploration of different colour schemes and techniques, students should develop an understanding of some of the expressive qualities that can be achieved through colour. The teacher should continue to provide activities that require the students to explore a variety of media and tools and to use colours in a variety of ways. Students in high school should understand and purposefully use the language of colour in their art works. A colour wheel is a good resource for students to use to understand and organize colours. Students in Visual Art 10, 20, 30 should: further the study of colour in the environment use the language of colour purposefully in making art works and use the correct terminology when discussing art works analyze how visual artists have created and used colour to express different ideas and experiences.

Texture Texture in visual art deals with the real or the illusory sense of touch on a surface. In the students' study of texture they should understand that every surface has a texture, that artists often use texture to reinforce different concepts and that different surfaces can imply different ideas or meanings. Students should continue to create many different "real" textures, as well as the "illusion" of texture in their own works. Teachers should provide experiences that enable students to explore texture through a variety of methods, materials and techniques. Students in Visual Art 10, 20, 30 should: analyze how the surface or the texture of an object can influence the impact or meaning of the object examine texture as it relates to the mass media and the environment and explore a variety of textures in their own work.

Shape A shape is a two-dimensional area. Students have been using and recognizing shape since the first days of their lives and throughout their school years. The shapes and shape relationships that students use and describe will be more sophisticated and complex as the student progresses. The teacher should provide experiences that promote an awareness and appreciation of shapes and an understanding of how these shapes interrelate within a visual image. Students in Visual Art 10, 20, 30 should: understand how artists use shape, both positive/negative and organic/geometric, and apply this understanding to their own compositions investigate the messages different shapes may imply; for example, perfect shapes imply machine-made, triangles imply stability, and others.

Form Forms are objects that have three dimensions: width, length and depth. Architecture, sculpture, ceramics, weaving and jewellery are all three-dimensional art forms. Students in grades 10, 11, and 12 will experience and build various kinds of forms; for example, open and closed forms, active and stable, freestanding and relief, holograms, and others. Through numerous experiences with forms, students begin to understand the impact that different forms can have and begin to use their understanding to analyze and interpret meaning in art works. Students continue to examine and explore how artists create the illusion of form on a two-dimensional surface. Many students will value the ability to produce images that appear to be correct. Concepts relating to the creation of the illusion of depth on a two-dimensional surface should continue to be investigated. Students in Visual Art 10, 20, 30 should: understand that the form of an object often suggests different interpretations and often depends upon the material's limitations understand how the illusion of form can be created on a two-dimensional surface understand how modelling of form can be achieved through light and dark in two- and three-dimensional works apply their understanding of three-dimensional form to their own work.