Lecture: Formal Elements and Principles of Design

Summary

This presentation delves into the concept of 'form' in art, highlighting its structure composed of formal elements and principles of design. It distinguishes between content and form, emphasizing the latter's role in engaging viewers. The discussion covers various formal elements such as line, color, texture, space, and perspective, each with its unique characteristics and examples. It also explores principles of design like balance, emphasis, proportion, repetition, rhythm, unity, and variety, illustrating how they contribute to the composition and visual appeal of artworks.

Takeaways

• 🎨 Form in art encompasses both formal elements and principles of design, which together create the overall structure of an artwork.
• 👀 Lines can be actual or implied, and they come in various types such as outline, contour, implied, and expressive lines, each serving a different purpose in art.
• 🌈 Color is a formal element with primary, secondary, and tertiary types, and it can be manipulated to create different moods and effects in a piece.
• 🖼️ Texture can be actual, where you can feel the physical bumps and grooves, or implied, where the artwork suggests a texture through visual cues.
• 📏 Perspective and space are crucial for creating depth and the illusion of three dimensions on a two-dimensional surface.
• 🔵 The use of color schemes like monochromatic, polychromatic, analogous, and complementary can greatly influence the mood and visual appeal of an artwork.
• 🌐 Negative and positive space work together to create balance and focus in an artwork, with negative space often being just as important as the subject itself.
• 🎭 Principles of design such as balance, emphasis, proportion, repetition, rhythm, unity, and variety guide how artists arrange elements within a composition.
• 👁️‍🗨️ Emphasizing certain elements through techniques like chiaroscuro (the use of light and dark) can draw the viewer's eye and create focal points in art.
• 🔶 Shape and form are distinct; shapes are two-dimensional, while forms have three-dimensional qualities, adding depth to artwork.
• 🖌️ Techniques like hatching, cross-hatching, and chiaroscuro are used to create the illusion of depth, volume, and light in two-dimensional art.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the presentation?

The presentation focuses on introducing the concept of form in art and preparing viewers to conduct a formal analysis of artworks.

What are the two aspects that form is comprised of?

Form is comprised of formal elements and principles of design.

What is the difference between content and form in art as discussed in the interview with Jacob Lawrence?

Jacob Lawrence discusses that form is important to engage the viewer initially, which then leads to their interest in the content of the artwork.

What are the five formal elements that contribute to a work's form?

The five formal elements are line, color, texture, space, and perspective.

What are the four types of lines in art?

The four types of lines are outline, contour, implied, and expressive lines.

Can you explain the difference between primary, secondary, and intermediate colors?

Primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. Secondary colors result from mixing two primary colors. Intermediate or tertiary colors result from mixing one primary and one secondary color.

What is the term used to describe the strength or brightness of a color?

Intensity is the term used to describe the strength or brightness of a color.

What is the difference between tint and shade in color theory?

A tint is created by adding white to a color, while a shade is created by adding black to a color.

What are the two types of color schemes that use a single color?

Monochromatic and analogous color schemes use a single color and its variations.

How does atmospheric perspective contribute to the illusion of depth in a painting?

Atmospheric perspective contributes to the illusion of depth by making distant objects appear hazy, less distinct, and cooler in color.

What is the difference between shape and form in art?

Shape refers to flat, two-dimensional areas, while form refers to solid, three-dimensional spaces with mass and volume.

What are the three types of balance in art?

The three types of balance in art are symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radial balance.

How does the principle of emphasis guide the viewer's eye in a composition?

Emphasis is used to draw the viewer's eye to a particular aspect of a composition, often through techniques like color schemes or chiaroscuro.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Understanding Art Form and Elements

This segment introduces the concept of 'form' in art, which is the overall structure of an artwork, including formal elements and principles of design. It emphasizes the importance of engaging viewers through form to draw their interest to the content. The formal elements discussed are line, color, texture, space, and perspective. Lines are defined and categorized into outline, contour, implied, and expressive lines, with examples provided for each. The segment also encourages viewers to watch an interview with artist Jacob Lawrence to explore the distinction between content and form.

05:02

🌈 Delving into Color Theory

This part of the script delves into color as a formal element in art, explaining primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. It describes how colors are created and arranged in a color wheel, and introduces terms like hue, value, and intensity. The discussion continues with color relativity, tints, shades, and various color schemes, including warm and cool, monochromatic, polychromatic, analogous, and complementary. The application of color in Vincent van Gogh's work is highlighted to illustrate the use of bold and vivid colors, especially complementary colors.

10:04

🖌️ Exploring Texture and Spatial Perspective

The script now turns to texture, distinguishing between actual and implied texture, and discussing how it contributes to the tactile sensation in art. Examples of actual texture are provided by a sculpture, while implied texture is illustrated through paintings. The concept of space and perspective is introduced, explaining negative and positive space, and the use of linear perspective to create depth. Key terms like vanishing point, horizon line, orthogonals, and transversals are defined with reference to artworks, such as Leonardo da Vinci's 'Last Supper'.

15:06

📏 Principles of Design: Shape, Form, and Techniques

This section discusses shape and form, differentiating between two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional forms. It explains how artists use techniques like hatching, cross-hatching, and chiaroscuro to create depth and volume on a flat surface. The script also touches on tenebroso, a Baroque technique used for dramatic lighting effects. The segment concludes with an overview of the principles of design, including balance, emphasis, proportion, repetition, rhythm, unity, and variety, which guide how artists arrange elements within a composition.

20:06

🔍 Analyzing Balance and Emphasis in Art

The final paragraph focuses on the principles of balance and emphasis within art compositions. It explains the concepts of symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radial balance, providing examples for each. The discussion on emphasis highlights how artists use various techniques, including color and lighting, to draw the viewer's attention to specific parts of their work. The script also mentions how these principles contribute to the overall impact and understanding of an artwork.

Keywords

💡Form

Form in the context of the video refers to the overall structure of an artwork, which includes both the formal elements and principles of design. It is what gives an artwork its shape and coherence. The video emphasizes the importance of form in engaging the viewer and leading them to explore the content of the artwork. For instance, the discussion of how Jacob Lawrence uses form to captivate viewers before they delve into the content illustrates the critical role form plays in art appreciation.

💡Formal Elements

Formal elements are the fundamental visual components that contribute to the form of a work of art. The video identifies line, color, texture, space, and perspective as key elements. Each element plays a role in creating the visual impact of the artwork. For example, the video explains different types of lines such as outline, contour, implied, and expressive lines, and how they are used to define shapes or convey emotions in artworks.

💡Principles of Design

Principles of design are the guidelines or strategies artists use to arrange formal elements within a composition. The video mentions balance, emphasis, proportion, repetition, rhythm, unity, and variety as principles. These principles help artists create harmony and visual interest in their work. The video uses the example of how artists use balance to distribute visual weight in a piece, contributing to the overall stability and appeal of the artwork.

💡Line

Line is defined as a point that travels along a given path, creating a mark left by a moving point. In the video, lines are categorized into outlines, contour lines, implied lines, and expressive lines. Each type of line serves a different purpose in art, from defining shapes to suggesting movement or emotion. For example, Van Gogh's use of expressive lines in his paintings is highlighted to show how lines can convey the artist's unique style and emotions.

💡Color

Color is a formal element that adds visual interest and emotional resonance to artworks. The video discusses primary, secondary, and tertiary colors, and how they can be mixed to create different hues. It also covers color schemes such as monochromatic, polychromatic, analogous, and complementary, which artists use to create harmony or contrast in their work. The video uses Vincent van Gogh's bold use of complementary colors to illustrate how color can enhance the emotional impact of a painting.

💡Texture

Texture refers to the tactile sensation or appearance of an artwork's surface. The video differentiates between actual and implied texture, explaining how artists can create the illusion of different surfaces through their technique. For instance, the video mentions Alberto Giacometti's bronze sculptures, which have an actual rough texture, and William Hartnett's paintings, which use brushwork to imply texture.

💡Space and Perspective

Space and perspective are elements that help artists create the illusion of depth on a two-dimensional surface. The video explains concepts like negative and positive space, linear perspective, and atmospheric perspective. It uses examples such as Leonardo da Vinci's 'The Last Supper' to illustrate how linear perspective with a vanishing point, horizon line, orthogonals, and transversals can make a painting appear three-dimensional.

💡Shape and Form

Shape and form are distinguished in the video as two-dimensional and three-dimensional elements, respectively. Shapes are flat areas defined by height and width, while forms have mass and volume, defined by height, width, and depth. The video discusses how artists use techniques like hatching and cross-hatching to give a sense of form and depth in two-dimensional works, enhancing the viewer's perception of volume and space.

💡Chiaroscuro

Chiaroscuro, meaning light and dark, is a technique used by artists to create contrast and model forms with light. The video describes how artists use this technique to define spatial relationships and give mass and volume to figures. An example provided is the use of chiaroscuro by Caravaggio to create dramatic effects and draw attention to specific parts of his paintings.

💡Tenephryism

Tenephryism, a technique developed during the Baroque era, is characterized by the use of dramatic contrasts of light and dark. The video mentions how artists like Caravaggio used this technique to create areas of intense darkness juxtaposed with brightly illuminated areas, making the focal points of their paintings stand out. This technique is exemplified in Caravaggio's painting where a central figure is dramatically lit against a dark background.

Highlights

Introduction to the concept of form in art, which includes formal elements and principles of design.

Formal analysis of artworks involves understanding the structure and visual elements that make up the artwork.

Content and form are distinct, with form being crucial for engaging viewers and leading them to the artwork's content.

Formal elements are the building blocks of an artwork's form, including line, color, texture, space, and perspective.

Types of lines in art: outline, contour, implied, and expressive lines, each serving different purposes in composition.

Color theory in art includes primary, secondary, and tertiary colors, influencing the mood and depth of a piece.

Color schemes such as monochromatic, polychromatic, analogous, and complementary are used to create harmony and contrast.

Texture in art can be actual or implied, adding a tactile dimension to two-dimensional works.

Space and perspective are used to create the illusion of depth, with techniques like linear perspective and atmospheric perspective.

Shape and form are distinguished by their dimensionality, with shapes being two-dimensional and forms being three-dimensional.

Hatching and cross-hatching are techniques used to create the illusion of depth and volume on a flat surface.

Chiaroscuro is a technique of using light and shadow to create contrast and highlight focal points in a painting.

Principles of design such as balance, emphasis, proportion, repetition, and rhythm contribute to the composition of an artwork.

Types of balance in art include symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radial balance, each providing a different visual effect.

Emphasis in art directs the viewer's attention to a particular part of the composition, often using color or light and dark contrasts.

Proportion in art refers to the harmonious relationship between the parts of an artwork and the whole.

Repetition and rhythm in art create movement and unity within a composition.

Unity and variety are principles that can be used to create a cohesive artwork or to introduce elements of surprise and disjunction.

Robert Rauschenberg's 'Monogram' is highlighted as an example of variety in art, challenging traditional compositional unity.

Transcripts

this presentation will introduce you to

the concept of form and prepare you to

conduct a formal analysis of artworks

form is the overall structure of an

artwork and is comprised of two aspects

formal elements and principles of design

stop the video and watch at least the

first minute and 15 seconds

of this interview with African-American

artist Jacob Lawrence to learn more

about the difference between content and

form

and how important he believes it was

to engage the viewer with form in order

for them to be interested in the content

to better understand how to critically

examine a work of art one must first

understand how it is created

formal elements in conjunction with the

principles of design result in a

finished work of art

when we speak of composition this is the

manner in which these visual elements

are arranged resulting in a finished

piece

formal elements are visual elements that

contribute to a Works form and the five

that we're going to explore in this

course are line color texture space and

perspective shape and form

a line is a point that travels along a

given path it's a mark that's left by a

moving point and it can be actual or

implied and travel in various directions

with varied intensity and width

we are going to look at four different

types of line outlines contour lines

implied lines and expressive lines and I

will offer an example of each and

discuss each of those in detail

the first is an outline

these are lines

that Define the perimeter of shapes in

this particular work from Pete Mondrian

we see that rectangles and squares are

outlined with those thick black lines

contour lines give the impression that a

figure or an object has mass although it

is completed on a two-dimensional

surface

in this particular drawing from Picasso

the sleeves the pant legs look as if

there is an actual arm in there the

folds and the creases give it depth and

Mass

please pause the lecture here for a

moment and watch this short yet very

effective video that demonstrates the

difference between outlines and contour

lines

implied lines refer to lines that do not

visibly appear in an artwork

however there is an implication that

something is connecting two or more

aspects of an artwork and in this

cartoon we see a girl throwing a

basketball towards the net and an

implied line indicates that that ball is

not going to quite make it into the net

and in this painting there is no actual

line only a glance that implies a

connection between the two girls

expressive lines are those that convey a

sense of emotion they're very gestural

they're unique to the artist almost like

an autograph

Van Gogh's use of line is typically

quite expressive in nature

note the light emanating from the lamps

that hang from the ceiling the short

abbreviated lines are very expressive as

are the lines in the floor of the bar

color is the second formal element that

we will discuss in the course

and there are three types of color

primary secondary and intermediate which

is also known as tertiary

primary colors consist of red yellow and

blue

you cannot make these colors with a

mixture of anything else it's just it

red yellow and blue

secondary colors result from mixing two

primary colors together

if you mix red and yellow you will have

orange yellow and blue green and if you

mix red and blue you'll have purple

if all three colors were mixed together

however you would end up with a murky

brownish or gray color

intermediate or tertiary colors result

from one primary and one secondary

those often are labeled as such you know

yellow orange yellow green blue green

and so on

this is one example of a color wheel

that identifies an arrangement of these

colors

according to their characteristics

if we see red at the top and then blue

and yellow the other two primary colors

on either side of the wheel

in between the red and yellow for

example we'll see orange which is the

secondary color and between red and

orange we have red orange which is the

intermediate or tertiary color

some relevant terms when we discuss

color are listed here Hue is just the

name of a color so blue was a hue yellow

is a hue

the value of color refers to the

lightness or darkness of a color

intensity

refers to the strength or brightness of

a color think of like those neon colors

that are quite popular now

and relativity

refers to how a color changes in

relation to another color

and that sounds a little odd because

colors don't actually change but our

eyes perceive them differently when

they're placed next to different colors

so if you have a yellow and you place a

blue next to it

that yellow is going to appear to have a

blue tinge or to be a bit cooler

if you put the red next to the yellow

the perception of that yellow will

change and it will appear a little bit

warmer or to have a little bit of a red

tinge to it

when you excuse me start with white and

then you add a color to it you end up

with a tint so if you have white and you

add a drop of red mix it together you'll

have pink

if you start with a particular color

such as red and add black to it you end

up with a shade so burgundy or maroon

those would be considered shades of red

color schemes is a term that refers to a

system that an artist will use to choose

colors for their particular artwork

okay so for example warm and cool are

two different color schemes and they're

also descriptive terms that can be used

to describe colors warm colors convey a

sense of warmth you know think of a sun

or a fire very hot red orange colors

those pop out in artworks and make the

objects that are painted that color

appear much closer

cool colors are associated with cold

objects like ice or water they're

recessive in nature and they make

objects appear further away and when we

talk about perspective and space

we will mention that because a lot of

the artists will use blues or cool

colors to make things look far away in

their painting

two other color schemes are

monochromatic and polychromatic

consider the prefix mono meaning one so

it would be the use of one color and all

of its values so you may choose a blue

hue and then have different values of

that blue you know sky blue

midnight blue navy those are all tints

and shades of a blue

polychromatic color schemes use multiple

colors and their values so be very

colorful you artists may use you know

oranges Blues greens and all of the

tints and shades that coincide with

those particular colors

analogous and complementary color

schemes are a little more complex and

refer to the color wheel

analogous colors

utilize neighboring colors on the wheel

usually three to five adjacent colors so

if an artist uses yellow orange yellow

and yellow green three colors right next

to each other on the color wheel that

would be considered an analogous color

scheme

complementary colors are those that are

opposite each other on the color wheel

traditionally those are orange and blue

yellow and violet and red and green

so we discussed the use of line with

regard to this painting from Vincent

vanco

let's take a look at his application of

color

we see that he utilizes very

bold Vivid colors the green and the red

are complementary as they were opposite

on the color wheel

and the Reds and the yellows are quite

warm and convey a sense of warmth in the

painting

the next formal element is texture

with texture we have actual and implied

texture

and this is an element that explores and

describes that tactile sensation of an

artwork surface and its appearance you

know tactile referring to that sense of

feel and touch

the sculpture on the right from about

Alberto giacometti

is made of bronze and if you look

closely you can see the sharp and rough

appearance of this sculpture

if you were to touch it you'd feel the

bumps in the grooves and we also see

them in this particular work we've seen

both actual and implied texture

in this painting from William Hartnett

however

there is an applied appearance of varied

Textures in this work that we could feel

the strings of the violin or the rough

Grain on the wood door or even the

smooth texture of the Horseshoe however

it's only implied it's an illusion if we

were to actually touch the painting we

would feel just a smooth surface

another formal element is space and

perspective

these images

provide information about negative and

positive space

negative space in this sculpture

refers to the empty space

created by the artist when he drilled

holes into the wood

those holes only exist because of the

positive space or the wood that

encompasses it

so all of the holes that we see are

considered negative space

with regard to perspective

an artist can utilize techniques to give

a sense of space on a two-dimensional

surface

to give that illusion that that flat

piece of paper or a painting actually

recedes into space giving it depth and

dimensionality

one technique is using linear

perspective when an artist can use a

line actual or implied to create that

sense of dimension on a flat surface

and there are four terms that you need

to be familiar with regarding linear

perspective

first is a vanishing point that is the

point at which everything that the

artist is trying to depict

disappears off into space

okay the horizon line runs through the

vanishing point

orthogonals are diagonal lines that run

into the vanishing point

and then transversals run parallel to

the horizon line

and so an artist will use all of these

elements to create that depth of space

and we'll look at in a couple examples

Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper is a

great example to use when exploring

linear perspective

so let's start by looking at all the

different elements first is the

vanishing point

attempt to find the point where

everything in the painting seems to

disappear

feel free to pause the lecture to take a

moment and look

if you chose behind the central figure

Christ's head that would be correct

the horizon line will then run through

that point

what element of the painting would be

considered

the horizon line

so look past Christ's head at the line

where it appears that the sky and the

land meet that would be the horizon line

fine lines that run into that vanishing

point and these will be diagonal lines

Direct

that direct towards Christ's head

the first two that might be noticeable

to you are his arms

right those are two diagonal lines that

run right up to his head and if they

were to continue going they

head off into the distance

look at the corners

of the walls

the coffered ceiling

next are transversals

those lines will run parallel to the

horizon line

consider the edge of the table

the top of the windows

and the horizontal lines that run

through the Comfort ceiling

in this image we see some of those lines

identified

so the circle of Christ's head would be

the vanishing point

the blue line that runs through it is

the horizon line

the green diagonal lines

are the orthogonals

and then the red lines are the

transversals

now in DaVinci's painting we saw one

vanishing point right right behind

Christ's head

artists can also use multiple Vanishing

points to give the

artwork A sense of Greater dimension

in this painting Paris straight rainy

day we see two Vanishing points

one on either side of the large building

and it takes you down those streets if

you were to follow the orthogonals

in the vanishing points are not always

in the center of an artwork can you

identify the vanishing point horizon

line transversals and orthogonals in

this work

pause the lecture

and attempt to identify

were you correct

again the blue dot is the vanishing

point

the blue line is the horizon line

green diagonal lines or orthogonals and

the red horizontal lines are the

transversals

artists can employ other techniques to

provide a sense of depth and space

in a flat two-dimensional work

atmospheric perspective also known as

aerial perspective is typically employed

in landscape paintings

the objects in the distance become less

distinct kind of hazy

and they become Bluer or cooler in color

as we mentioned in the discussion of

color

cool colors are recessive

in this painting the artist uses both

linear perspective and Atmospheric

perspective

to give the illusion of depth in space

on this flat canvas

the sky appears to be hazy

and blue and cool in color

which makes it appear recessive

in addition can you identify the

vanishing point

and the horizon line

look at the waterfall and the water line

that runs through it

in addition

the transversals

the mountaintops the Treetops

the row of cattle and horses

and the orthogonals run into the

vanishing point into the waterfall

and another formal element refers to

shape and form

shapes are flat two-dimensional areas

that are measured by height and width

examples are squares rectangles

triangles circles

form refers to solid three-dimensional

spaces

they have mass they have volume they can

be measured by height width and depth so

consider some of those shapes that I

provided

a square turns into a cube a circle

turns into a sphere they become

three-dimensional with mass and volume

in two-dimensional Works artists can use

a line

to model figures and give that sense of

depth and dimension of volume and mass

hatching and cross hatching are two

examples of those

hatching are areas of closely spaced

parallel lines or hatch marks

cross hatching is when you take sets of

hatch marks and cross them at an angle

overlapping each other perhaps two three

or four times

this drawing from ecological provides

examples of both hatching and cross

hatching

the more times you layer hatch marks

over one another and create that cross

hatching the darker it gets and the same

applies when you create those hatch

marks closer and closer together it

appears darker and it appears to reseed

further into space

is a technique that was developed during

the Renaissance it translates to light

and dark

and light helps to Define spatial

relationships and Atmospheric

perspective and when modeling figures

meaning

an artist can represent light falling

across curved or rounded surfaces to

give it mass and volume

an example is creating a sphere on a

flat two-dimensional surface note that

the highlight

pops out towards you the viewer while

the shadows and the darker areas recede

further into space

pause the lecture and attempt to draw a

sphere on a flat piece of paper

tenephryism meaning murky was a

technique employed by artists during the

Baroque era such as Caravaggio and

Artemisia generation

these artists would use this exaggerated

light and dark to create large areas of

dark contrasted by brightly illuminated

areas really making aspects of the

painting or the artwork pop out

this is one example of caravaggio's

application of ten of Brazil

these two Martha and Mary Magdalene are

in a room somewhere but we can't quite

identify what type of room it is because

it is so dark in the background

we do see one light source shining on

Mary Magdalene

the central figure

and we see its reflection in the mirror

that she is gripping

everything else around that is very dark

and shaded which really makes

um Mary Magdalene pop out and becomes

the focal point of the painting

principles of design are the second

component of form

and they refer to how an artist arranges

the formal elements within the

composition

and the five that we will look at are

balance emphasis

proportion repetition and rhythm unity

and variety

balance is the distribution of visual

weight how these elements are arranged

to provide stability in art

an object can presents actual weight

like the weight of a marble sculpture or

the weight of a ton of bricks that are

used to build a building

but balance in art refers to visual

weight

two halves of a composition and how they

relate to one another

three types of balance symmetrical

balance asymmetrical and radial balance

will be discussed

there are two types of symmetrical

balance absolute Symmetry and bilateral

symmetry

in absolute symmetry both sides are a

mirror image

think of when you're in elementary

school if you were to drop paint on one

half of all

piece of paper fold it and then open it

you would have that mirror image

bilateral symmetry

refers to

the balance being evident on both sides

but the images are not identical

in this particular painting from Raphael

the School of Athens we see that there

are numerous figures on both halves

but they're not the same number or the

same figures

uh Raphael balances It Out by putting

several groups on both sides as well as

the sculptures in the background of the

painting but they are not an identical

mirror image

asymmetrical balance refers to

a difference in visual weight

When comparing both halves of a work

so in this particular painting

the left side appears far heavier than

the right side we see people trolley

cars buildings on the left side and on

the right it's wide open landscape

with radial balance

everything radiates outward from the

central point

if we were to slice this Rose window

into pieces you know cutting it up like

it were a pizza each slice that we would

pull out would be balanced and equal to

the other slices

emphasis is how an artist draws

your eye the viewer's eye to a

particular aspect of a composition

and they may employ different techniques

to achieve that

using color schemes or chiaroscuro using

light and dark which we see in this

particular painting from Velasquez

what is the focal point in this work

where is your eye first drawn

many students say it is the man in the

doorway because he is very dark and

there's bright light Illuminating in the

background

creating that

um

dramatic

difference some also say that it's the

princess in the center because her white

dress is bright and illuminated and

everything around her is a bit darker

either is correct

however it's important to note that the

artist is using light and dark in this

particular painting to guide our eye

through the work

the principle of proportion refers to

the relationship between the parts of a

whole and the whole object

in this drawing from da Vinci

we see that he is concerned with the

proportion of the figure's head arms

torso and legs in relation to each other

and the body as a whole

another principle is that of repetition

and rhythm artists will use repetition

repetitive patterns and objects and

colors to create a sense of Rhythm or

movement within a composition

in this Hall in the mosque and Cordova

Spain we see the repetitive use of line

and arches to create that sense of

movement and Rhythm within the work

an artist will use repetition and Rhythm

to create a sense of unity pulling all

of those elements within an artwork

together to unify it it makes it easier

to understand it's more comprehensible

oftentimes we better understand what it

is that we look at when elements and

principles are Unified

however there are artists that like to

create a sense of disjunction variety

where all the parts don't equal a whole

and typically my post-modern artists of

the 20th century found great interest in

creating works of art with variety

pause the lecture and watch this short

video

about Robert rauschenberg's monogram

which is a great example of variety