Why are the elements and principles of art important?

Answer 1

The elements of design - such as balance, harmony, continuity - are present in all good art - whether it's architecture, ancient sculpture, renaissance painting, photography, a bridge, abstract art or a soup label. If those elements are not present, you're not looking at inspired art.

Elephants who paint with their trunks probably don't understand the elements of design.

Answer 2

The elements and principles are vital in art and design. They give you an understanding of negative space, and how to fill it with image/information for the best impact on the viewer. If you take your design into advertising/web design/product design etc it is so important to know these principles in order to have a professional final piece which works both creatively as well as with high legibility. And if you go into fine arts, they are still important as it means your work has depth and intellect behind it. Not just a random application of paint. When I was in high school I couldnt see the use for elements & principles of design either, I thought it was a bunch of bull that would never be put into use.... But later I realised how important it is, and how much your work will benefit from using it! All the best :)

Answer 3

There is no answer for this because there are so many interpretations to art, as well as relying on your instincts to tell you elements and principles are important.

If you look at Greek art, the elements and principle of sculpture and architecture were based on perfect geometric proportions as well as the use of space and freezing time (as well as having the perfect male nude body).

If you look at Renaissance art, elements and principle are based on color and composition, perspective, and grandeur (there are so many more that it's way too long to list).

If you fast foward to modern art, art was based on principles and concepts rather than technique (Warhol's Marilyn Monroes, Duchamp's toilet, etc.)

But if you look at these pieces, each time period has their own element and principle to start a building block of art from. Like everything, you need basic building blocks to start something, and that is what art is about. Regardless of how different each element and principle is, they all are the starting points of how they want to do their artwork.

Answer 4

I teach painting and drawing in college. So this is one of the first topics we cover in class.

The elements and principles of art are important because they replicate the visual world in which we live. Line, color, shape, form, space and texture comprise our visual grammar. The way we see a room, table, or sunset, involves the same components of art. This is why the elements are important.

The Elements of Art were not formalized as an educational rubric until the early 20th century with the Bauhaus School. It was primarily interested in design principles, rather than traditional figure drawing or landscape painting (like the French Academies). Thus it was influential in modernist abstract painting. When high school art teachers talk about the "elements of art" they are very often speaking of a set of principles derived from Bauhaus teaching methods.

Many of our notions of color and color theory come from Bauhaus figures like Johannes Itten and Joseph Albers.

Answer 5

Hello friend!
Art is a form of communication and expression and just like any other sort of communication and expression it requires its own elements(If, by "elements," you mean media) and principles to be effective and unique to the particular artist or style of art. it's certainly easy to tell Van Gogh and the Impressionist painters from centuries ago apart from the cubists and surrealists like Salvador Dali who emerged following World War 2.
Different forms of art require different elements and principles. Consider the work of architects. Their work needs to be done with extremely fine lines to exacting standards that engineers can follow so that buildings don't fall down unlike the impressionists who were able to use broad brushes and strokes to merely give an impression of what they painted.
There is information and websites in my Yahoo! group that address this question directly. Please feel free to join and bring your friends with you.
Thank you for your question,
tutorJB :)

Answer 6

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Answer 7

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