Elements of Art

June 18–Sept. 8, 2024

Forsyth Galleries | Memorial Student Center, MSC 2428

Though there is occasionally some variation, the elements of art are comprised of line, shape, tone, color, pattern, texture, and form. When any drawing, painting, sculpture, or design is analyzed, one can see how these component parts combine to create the overall effect of the artwork.

While not all of the elements have to appear in a work of art, when they are used, how they relate to each other delivers a distinct look to the work of art. Most images begin their life as line drawings and lines cross over one another to form shapes. Shapes can be filled with tone and color or repeated to create pattern. A shape may be rendered with a rough surface to create a texture, or it can be projected into three dimensions to create form. Each of the elements may also be used individually to stress their own character in an artwork. Using this toolset to examine works in the collection can help the viewer appreciate the artwork and better understand how the artist’s composition was put together.