When I first explored The Visual Elements, I never realized what it takes to fully appreciate art. These elements are what we perceive, the tools we need to envision a work of art, to give us some type of visual pleasure to truly understand what we see. The first of the eight elements I begin with is line.
Line is a point in motion, used to imply direction and movement. Line can be used to define the contours of shapes. Artists can use lines to create effects to define different moods or a sense of atmosphere. Lines can create illusions of movement and depth. The main function a line is used for is to describe, to depict what you want to convey. When you combine lines together, you form shapes.
A shape is a two-dimensional form. The dimensions of shape used in a composition can communicate much about what the artist intended. Geometric shapes might be used to indicate solidity or rigidity. Organic shapes may be used to create a more relaxed natural feeling. Objective shapes refer to the objects in the real world, while some shapes subject a sense of artificiality when used abstractly.
A mass is a three-dimensional form that occupies a volume of space. In the textbook it gives the example
Space can be referred to as nothing, blank, empty. Trying to understand mass is kind of the same way. In a three-dimensional way, we need to experience it, walk though it, or around it and inhabit the same space. In a two-dimensional way there are many visual indications that we can use to perceive spatial relationships in depths.
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