–

The visual arts primarily involve using visual representations and symbols to communicate meaning- to express a story or personal vision, emotion or concept.

Dinham (2014, p.309) describes “authentic visual art practices” as exploratory and discovery based, whereby original thinking and imagination are stimulated and expressed. Craftsmanship or technical skill is important in that it assists in the conveyance of the artists message but technical skill as an end in itself is not the aim of genuine Arts education.

Artists often experiment and combinematerials and techniques into new art forms. Therefore visual art formscannot always be strictly categorised(Dinham 2014, p. 308). Here are some possible forms of visual art:

Photo by Deb Nakone

Painting Drawing Printmaking

Collage Sculpture Ceramics Installation Art Computer Art

Performance Art Photography

Film Jewellery Textile Art

line, colour, shape, texture, value

Still LifeAmelia Nakone

* Reference used Gelineau (2004, pp. 35-39)

Delineates contour.

Creates moods e.g. compare feeling of dark angular line or soft wavy line.

Directs eye to focal point of composition.

Simulates texture.

Creates sense of depth, distance & perspective.

Shows direction of movement through art work.

This WayAlex Nakone

A Tall Order Deb Nakone

Mt. Gambier Alex Nakone

Contour drawingDeb Nakone

Shoes Deb Nakone

line, colour, shape, texture, value

Affects psychological & even physiological response in viewer (Gelineau 2004, p. 38).

Colour used as symbol e.g. red = ‘stop’, green + ‘go’.

Still Life 1 (pastel) by Amelia Nakone

Still Life 3 (pastel) by Amelia Nakone

Still Life 2 (pastel) by Amelia Nakone

Colour Wheel (gouache) by Amelia Nakone

Colour relationships represented on colour wheel-

• Complementary colours• Monochromatic

• Analogous

Classified as-primary, secondary,tertiary

Warm: colours containing red & yellow advance.Cool: colours containing blue &green recede.

Value is changed by adding black or white-

Black = shadeWhite = tint

Colour used as symbol e.g.red traffic light = stop, green = go.

line, colour, shape, texture, value

Photograph by Alex Nakone

Silhouetteby Deb Nakone

Main theme of composition (flowers) stands forward due to contrast with dark receding background.

Our eye is drawn first to the area of strongest contrast. Yet the more complex tonal range in this background draws attention to this as well as the flowers (main subject).

Negative & positive shapes

Reversal of centre photo: foreground shapes dark, background shape light.

neg

ativ

e

Sculpture by Owen Broughton, Adelaide, 1977.Photograph by Deb Nakone

A shape is formed when lines connect to enclose a space.

Shapes can be geometric or organic. Forms are shapes with mass or volume or drawn

to give the illusion of 3D (Dinham 2014, p.313). In an artwork empty areas are named negative

space. The area of the composition occupied is named positive space.

Relationship between positive and negative spaces (shapes) must be carefully considered to achieve a sense of wholeness and point of focus.

Figure-ground is term referring to “a visual relationship between foreground & background”

http://605.wikispaces.com/Figure+Ground.

Negative & positive shapes demonstrated by my captions

*

*

* Photo alterations by Deb Nakone.

VISUAL ARTS DESIGN ELEMENTS: line, colour, shape, texture, value

The surface quality:a. The way it feels to physical touch.b. Simulated texture e.g. using artistic techniques

to convey a smooth surface in a picture.

Subtle tonal graduations & strong light/ dark contrast to simulate shiny smooth surface.

Pencil drawing

By Deb Nakone

Rough water colour paper creates a grainy

appearance as the paper tooth holds

subtle shades.

Lumpy surface –dobs of clay emphasises the construction process.By Amelia Nakone

Southern Elder’s Weaving Group member displaying work. Photograph by Deb Nakone, 2015.

Natural reed texture of woven mat expressing warmth & natural beauty.

Impasto technique used on clothed area which makes it appear to jump out from the painting. Striking contrast with porcelain smoothness of skin.

A portion of a carpet square with tightly woven firm surface. Colour & pattern brings to mind the Australian desert landscape.Photograph by Deb Nakone, 2015

Watercolour landscape by Deb Nakone

Self-portrait by Amelia Nakone

VISUAL ARTS DESIGN ELEMENTS: line, colour, shape, texture, value

Differences in degrees of lightness and darkness are named values.

Light tones are named “high” in value, dark tones named “low” in value.

A full value scale ranges from pure white to darkest black with a multitude of tonal graduations between these.

This charcoal drawing has the lowest and highest values creating a strong sense of drama. It also has a range of mid value tones to add interest, complexity and mood & strengthen form.

Charcoal drawing by Amelia Nakone

(a) These tonal studies lack depth and interest as only three values are used.

(b) This study has more depth & complexity than (a) due to the greater number of tonal values.

Pen

cil d

raw

ings

by

Deb

Nak

on

eScales showing 9 graduations in value

By

Deb

Nak

on

e

balance rhythm & repetition proportion & scale contrast & emphasis pattern

Ph

oto

s by D

eb N

ako

ne