Shape and form (visual arts)

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In the visual arts, shape is a flat, enclosed area of an artwork created through lines, textures, or colours, or an area enclosed by other shapes, such as triangles, circles, and squares. [1] Likewise, a form can refer to a three-dimensional composition or object within a three-dimensional composition. [2]

Contents

Specifically, it is an enclosed space, the boundaries of which are defined by other elements of art. Shapes are limited to two dimensions: length and width.

Form

A form is an artist's way of using elements of art, principles of design, and media. Form, as an element of art, is three-dimensional and encloses space. Like a shape, a form has length and width, but it also has depth. Forms are either geometric or free-form, and can be symmetrical or asymmetrical.

Categories

Geometric and organic

Geometric shapes are precise edged and mathematically consistent curves,[ citation needed ] they are pure forms and so consist of circles, squares, spirals, triangles, while geometric forms are simple volumes, such as cubes, cylinders, and pyramids. [3] They generally dominate architecture, technology, industry and crystalline structures.

In contrast, organic shapes are free-form, unpredictable, and flowing in appearance. These shapes and organic forms visually suggest the natural world of animals, plants, sky, sea, etc... The addition of organic shapes to a composition dominated by geometric structures can add unpredictable energy. [4]

Bell-shaped flowers Bell Shaped Flowers.jpg
Bell-shaped flowers

Positive and negative

A positive shape is a shape, that has details inside it, such as an outline of a human, with body features. Contrarily, a negative shape is a shape without any details; it's just an outline.

Representation

A shape that is representative is created by the flattening out of three-dimensional objects. [5] Nothing is actually geometric, but can be interpreted as such by breaking it down to shapes that, when put together, form a recognizable silhouette. [5]

See also

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References

  1. "NIU School of Art Vocabulary". Archived from the original on 2004-06-24. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  2. Stewart 2006 , p. 381
  3. Stewart 2006 , pp. 378–384
  4. Stewart 2006 , p. 32
  5. 1 2 Fisher, Mary; Zelanski, Paul (1996). Design Principals and Problems. San Antonio: Harcourt Brace College Publishers. p. 90. ISBN   0-15-501615-6.

Further reading