SHAPE: degree of organization in the thing

organic : bounded by free curves

geometric: constructed mathematically, rhombus, isoceles triangle

irregular: bounded by straight and curved lines (not derived mathematically)

rectilinear: bounded by straight lines (not derived mathematically)

accidental: determined by process (dripping, spattering)

handdrawn: created by the unaided hand, calligraphic

positive shapes / negative areas or figure / field or figure / ground

ambiguous space: figure-ground is reversible

Contrast of Visual and Relational Elements: The placement and relationships

of elements in an informal compositional structure are governed by the

contrast of visual and relational elements:

shape: organic / geometric

size: big/small, long/ short

color: see color contrasts...dark/light, etc

texture: rough / smooth

direction: relationship to other shapes--perpendicular; parallel but rotated 180

degrees; 45 degrees

position: relationship to frame, nearby structure lines--high vs low

space: illusory space-- forms advance or recede, are near or far, are flat or suggest

volume or two-dimensional physical space of picture plane--full/empty;

positive/negative

gravity: psychological and physical sense of depicting relative weight or stability—

heavy/ light

LINE--path of a moving point; mark made by a tool

calligraphic line: rhythmic, similar to signature

contour line: usually described by an outline or changes in color, value, texture, etc.

cross-contour line: describes changes within a form

hatch line: build up of texture to define form

implied , psychic line--suggested through arrows, dotted lines, a figure's line of sight

line type: curved, angular, straight

line and direction: vertical (responds to gravitational force--standing figure)

horizontal (stable; resting figure; horizon line)

diagonal (impending movement; rotation of axes of picture

plane)

line quality: broken, nervous, scratchy (suggests movement)

line measure: length and width, thickness

sources:

Donis A. Dondis, A Primer of Visual Literacy

Jack Fredrick Myers, The Language of Visual Art

Oevirk, Bone, Stinson, Wigg, Art Fundamentals

Duane and Sarah Preble, Artforms

Wucius Wong, Principles of Two-Dimensional Design