COMPONENTS / FUNDAMENTALS OF 2D ART

These are the basic Elements and Principles which govern the production of an rrt forms

ELEMENTS OF ART
These are the ‘tools used to create a 2D artwork. The Elements of 2 D Art forms are
1. Line
2. Shape
3. Space
4. Texture
5. Value
6. Colour
7. Form

1. LINE
~ Is a group of dots joined together.
~ Is a continuous mark on a surface.
~ Is a mark joining two points.
~ Is a group of objects arranged in a queue.

A line may have varying characters. It may be thick or thin, bold or subtle, continuous
or broken, straight or carved …

TASK 1
Draw different types of lines. An example is given below
TYPES OF LINES

Zig-zag

Horizontal

Wavy

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 USES OF LINES
i) To describe or enclose a shape

TASK 2
Draw two other shapes or forms using lines

ii) To create depth volume and perspective

Lines can be used to shade an object to create an illusion of depth and volume by creating
effect of light and dark

iii) For expression

Lines may be used to express an emotion, mood, idea or suggest a feeling.

Horizontal lines suggest rest, calm, stability

Vertical lines suggest firmness

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Diagonal lines suggest instability

Wavy lines suggest movement

Zigzag lines suggest disturbance

Spiral lines suggest movement to / from the centre

TASK 3
How are lines used in other learning areas?
a) Language activities:
b) Mathematical activities:
c) Environmental Activities:
d) Movement and creative activities:
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2. SHAPE
Is the outward appearance of an object.
Is an area with defined boundaries. The boundaries may be created by an outline, colour
or texture

A shape may be organic or geometrical

a) Geometrical / inorganic shapes
Are shapes with defined outline / boundary and may have specific names e.g. Square,
triangle …

b) Organic shapes
Are irregular shapes. Most objects in nature are organic in shape e.g shape of the clouds,
stones, trees

TASK 4
Draw at least 5 geometrical shapes and 5 inorganic shapes. Some examples rae given
below.

GEOMETRICAL / INORGANIC ORGANIC SHAPES

SHAPES

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 USES OF SHAPE
i) To represent an object
All objects can be represented in the form of a shape

ii) To create depth, perspective

Shape can be used to create an illusion of distance by varying size.

iii) For expression

iv)

TASK 5
How are shapes used in other learning areas?
a) Language activities:
b) Mathematical activities:
c) Environmental Activities:
d) Movement and creative activities:
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3. SPACE
Space is the area covered by or around a shapes, forms, colors, texture and lines. Space
can be positive or negative.
a) Positive space – is the actual area occupied by an object, shape, form, colour, line or
texture in a composition
b) Negative space is the space around and within an object, shape, form, colour, line or
texture

Positive space

Negative space

USES OF SAPCE
i) To create balance
Using positive and negative spaces appropriately in a composition enable one to create
a composition that is not too crowded and balanced.

ii) To show focal point

The positive and negative spaces in a composition enable one to focus on the main
theme in a composition

iii) Create an interesting composition

Balance of negative and positive spaces in a composition draws a viewers’ attention to
an artwork.

4. TEXTURE
~Is the surface quality/ feel of an object. A surface may be rough, smooth, coarse silky …
Texture may be tactile or visual

a)Tactile Texture
~Is texture experienced by touch surface. This type of texture is used in Art and design
when producing 3 Dimensional forms such as Sculpture, Ceramics and basketry.
It may also be used in 2d Art forms such as collage, mosaic …

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 b)Visual Texture
When the surface quality is experienced by sight (seeing) it is referred to as Visual
texture. This type of texture is mainly used in 2 d Art forms such as Painting, drawing,
printing …

Texture can be i)actual ii) Simulated or iii) Invented

i) Actual texture
Is texture of the real object (media) used. Eg. The texture wood on a wooden sculpture

ii) Simulated Texture

Is texture copied from nature. It involves trying to reproduce texture in a work of Art to
resemble the actual texture as it appears in nature. E.g. texture of hair on a drawing

iii) Invented texture

This is the type of texture that is not realistic. Eg. The lines / marks created on a wooden
sculpture by a chisel.

TASK 6
Use the rubbing technique to create varied texture on a paper.

USES OF TEXTURE
iv) To define a shape
The area covered by a particular texture represents a shape

v) To create dominance/ center of interest

The areas with more texture in a composition stands out more therefore becomes the focal
point / dominant area.

vi) To create depth / perspective

Texture can be used to create an illusion of volume / 3 Dimensions and represent depth.
The area near the viewer appears to have more texture than areas further away.

vii) To make a surface / composition more lively and interesting

Use of a variety of texture in a composition breaks monotony.

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TASK 7
How can you use texture in other learning areas?
a) Language activities:
b) Mathematical activities:
c) Environmental Activities:
d) Movement and creative activities:

5. VALUE
Is the lightness or darkness of a surface / colour. Value of a colour can be created in 2 ways
i) Shading and ii) Tinting
i) Shading
Is the process of making a colour / surface darker by adding black or a darker colour
Eg. Blue + black = Dark Blue

ii) Tinting
Is the process of making a colour /surface lighter by adding white or a lighter colour.
Eg. Blue + white = Light blue

TASK 8
How can you use the element value in other learning areas?
a) Language activities:
b) Mathematical activities:
c) Environmental Activities:
d) Movement and creative activities:

TONAL RANGE
TASK 9
Create a tonal range of a colour of your choice by mixing it with white or black. An example
is given below.

USES OF VALUE
i) To create volume
Areas near a source of light appear lighter than areas further away. This creates an
illusion of 3D. This illusion of 3D on 2D surface is created by tinting and shading.

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ii) To create an illusion of depth (Atmospheric /aerial perspective)
Value is used in painting and drawing to create atmospheric perspective – The objects in
the foreground appear brighter than those in the distance.

iii) For expression

Value can be used to express emotion, feeling, mood or an idea.
Eg. Dark colours in a composition creates a feeling of gloom, mystery, menace, sorrow
A composition with light and bright colours or values creates the opposite effects –
calmness, happiness, joy, hope …

iv) To create movement

Objects with the same / closely related value tend to attract the eye to follow the same
path

v) To create harmony / unity

Closely related value creates a feeling of unity / harmony in a composition.

ASSIGNMENT 1

Select any one topic

1. Draw a still life composition and use value to create volume

2. Draw a human figure (or Portrait) and use value to show light and
dark.
3. Draw a pictorial composition and apply the elements of 2D Art and
design.

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6. COLOUR
Colour is perceived by the sense of sight. One is able to perceive colour because of light.
i) Colour can be defined as a form of light energy that has wave length.
ii) A form of mater that reflects light. Light is the primary colour which consists of the
seven colours of the spectrum.

The secondary source of colour is pigment. Pigment is the colouring mater which gives
colour to an object. In order to see colou, light has to fall on a surface which has pigment.
The pigment reflects rays of colour of a specific type and absorbs the others. E.g. A red
flower appears red because its pigments reflect the red colour and absorbs all the other
colours of the spectrum.

PROPERTIES OF COLOUR
Colour has 3 basic properties
i) Hue
ii) Value
iii) Intensity

i) Hue
Is the property of colour that makes it appear different from another. Hue is the name of a
colour. E.g. Red is a hue (Red Hue)

ii) Value
Is the lightness or darkness of a colou. The value of a colour can be changed by adding
white or a lighter colour (Tinting) or a darker colour (Shading)

iii) Intensity
Is the brightness or dullness of a colour. Colour of high intensity is pure, clean and
saturated.

TASK 10
Paint a colour wheel showing primary, secondary and tertiary colours.

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 CLASSIFICATION OF COLOURS

12 1
2
11
RED n ge
ra
O
ed
10 R 3

9 4

8 x 5
6

PRIMARY COLOURS
~ Are the basic colours and cannot be obtained by mixing any other colours. These colours
can be mixed in various proportions to get other colours. The primary colours are; Red, Blue
and Yellow.

SECONDARY COLOURS
~ Are obtained by mixing any two primary colours in equal proportions.
The secondary colours are; Orange, Purple and Green.
Red + Yellow = Orange
Red + Blue = Purple
Yellow + Blue = Green

INTERMEDIARY COLOUS
~ Are obtained by mixing a primary and a secondary colour.
- Can also be obtained by mixing two primary colours in the ratio of 2: 1
Example

Red + Orange = Red Orange

OR

Red + RedS.
Okemba + Yellow = Red–Orange
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COMPLEMENTARY COLOURS
~ Are colours diametrically (Directly opposite each other on the
colour wheel. E.g. Red and Green.
Complementary colours are also known as contrasting colours

ANALOGOUS COLOURS
~ Are colours which line in juxtaposition (Next) to each other
on the colour wheel. These colours are used in a composition
to create harmony. Examples of analogous colours are
Red and Orange; Green and Yellow

NEUTRAL COLOURS
~ Are black white and grey. These colours may be used to tone (Tint and shade) other
colours.

MONOCHROMATIC COLOURS
~ Are shades and tints of the same colour / hue. Example: Blue, Light blue, dark blue.

WARM COLOURS
~ Are colours associated with heat, fire, sun …
When used in a composition these colours tend to project or
advance towards the viewer. Examples of warm colours are
Red, Yellow and Orange

COOL COLOURS
~ Are colours associated with calmness. These colours are calm and tend
to recede away when used in a composition.

TRIAD
~ Is a group of 3 colours evenly placed on the colour wheel.
E.g. Red blue and yellow; Purple, orange and Green.

USES OF COLOUR
i) to identify an object
~Is used to describe the appearance of an object. Example the sky is blue, grass is green. This
way of using colour is referred to as objective use of colour.

ii) For expression

Colour may be used to suggest / symbolize / communicate an idea, mood, and feeling or tell a
story. Example Red may be used to suggest danger; warm colours may be used to suggest

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joy, Green to suggest growth. The use of colour in this way is known as subjective use of
colour.

iii) Aesthetics
Colour in a composition makes the work lively, interesting and pleasant to look at.

iv) To create volume

Colour may be used in a composition to create an illusion of 3 D / volume by shading and
tinting.

v) To create perspective
An illusion of depth can be created in a composition by painting the objects near the viewer
brighter while objects in the distance paler.

vi) To create dominance

Colour attracts attention and directs the viewer to the important part of a picture. The focal
point / centre of interest can therefore be painted in brighter or contrasting colours.

TASK 11
How are colours used in other learning areas?
a) Language activities:
b) Mathematical activities:
c) Environmental Activities:
d) Movement and creative activities:

7. FORM
Form is an object that is three-dimensional and has volume. A form should have or appear to
have length, width, and height. In drawing and painting, a form is created by combining
several elements of art to give a shape the feeling of being three dimensional. For example a
circle can be made to appear three dimensional to look like a sphere by shading. Forms can
be geometric or organic.

a) Geometric forms are forms that are regular with specific names such as sphere, cube,
pyramid, cone, and cylinder.
b) Organic forms are irregular. Most items in nature are organic such as; the shapes of
flowers, branches, leaves, clouds, animals and the human figure

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 TASK 4
Draw at least 4 geometrical forms and 4 inorganic forms. Some examples are given
below.
GEOMETRICAL / INORGANIC FORMS ORGANIC FORMS

ASSIGNMENT 2
Select any one topic.
1. Paint a landscape and use value to show perspective.
2. Paint a still life composition and use value to create volume
3. Paint a human figure (or Portrait) and use value to show light and
dark.
4. Paint a pictorial composition and apply the elements of 2D Art
5. Giving FIVE points, explain how the element Colour is used in
everyday life.
6. Download a painting from**. Study the painting and analyse how
colour has been used in the composition.

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