7 Elements



Shape.

Shape

Any object with height and width has a shape. A positive shape automatically creates a negative shape.



Size.

Size

Size is simply the relationship of the area occupied by one shape to that area occupied by another shape.



Line.

Line

There are two ways to describe line: the marks made with a pen, pencil, or brush, or the edge created when two lines meet.



Texture.

Texture

Texture is the surface condition of a shape: rough or smooth with a hard or soft edge. Texture can be physical and tactile, or it can be merely a visual illusion.



Value.

Value

The value of a hue is determined by its intensity. A value range from 0 to 10 has 10 as void of color and 0 as the full color. (Some values scales may be in reverse.)



Color.

Color

Watercolors are basically pigments ground in water and bound with gum. Color is what that pigment is: red, yellow, blue, orange, green, violet, etc.



Form.

Form

Form, the surface characteristics of an object, describes an object's 3D qualities such as its roundness or volume. The object's shape suggests form, but its true nature is revealed through the variations of light and shadow. Sometimes direction replaces form as a design element.