Activity 4: It’s Elementary (A Look At The Elements And The Principles Of The Media Arts)
OVERVIEWThis is an introductory activity that exposes students to the principles and elements of the media arts. The elements of the visual arts, media arts, and principles of design are outlined. Students review and reinforce their understanding of media elements and principles through an embedded quiz.
EXPECTATIONSOverall Expectations:
THV.01 - explain the elements and principles of media arts as they apply to their own work and the work of others. Specific Expectations: TH1.03 - recognize and use vocabulary specific to media art. |
CONTENTIn this activity you will explore the principles and elements of the visual and media arts through the following interactive learning activity. This activity ends with a quiz to test your comprehension of the elements and principles. Take notes as you work your way through the Elements and Principles of Media Arts presentation below.
REVIEWHere is a summary of the elements and principles of the media arts presented in the multimedia activity above.
1. Definitions Interactivity – The degree to which a media art work allows information to be transferred immediately both to and from the work and the “observer”, each thus having an effect on the other. Heterogeneity – Consisting of dissimilar parts or elements. Different components or ingredients combined to form one thing. Hybridization – Something that is heterogeneous in origin or composition. Something that has two or more different types/forms of components performing essentially the same task or function. Medium – A mode of artistic expression or communication. A means of effecting something or conveying something. A substance/material used for transmission. Temporality – Relating to time as distinguished from space. A sequence of time. Light – The physical property of actual light/illumination or reflection of light, e.g., mirrors, fire, light bulbs, glow materials. Sound – Actual, implied, and or simulated noise. Something that is usually audible. Time – Chronological, non-linear, delivery system vs. actual; mechanical vs. organic. Performance – Performer and audience. The performer typically is the product or the medium. There is often a “recording” of the performance. Point of View – Social/political/religious/economical/emotional/cultural/”ism’s”. Narrative – Story, event, talking. A sequence, often containing a plot and or a theme. Can be text-based as well as image-based. Placement or Framing – Deals with composition and the act of curating works. Movement – Actual or implied motion. Series of Work – A body, a collection of several products that deal with a common theme or use similar materials. The works have commonalities to them so that they are recognizable as belonging to the same artists, and appear to the audience as though they were meant to be placed with one another for a specific purpose. These works have a unity and harmonious relationship with each other. 2. Elements of Design Line An element of design that creates a path. A line is curved, straight, or a combination. Lines take many forms; they can be straight and sharp. Lines can create patterns which add emotional impact to the visual image. Lines can also be used as forms of universal language in communication. Shape An element of design used to describe distance, depth, and perspective. There are three basic shapes: square, circle, and triangle. Each of these shapes has a psychological meaning associated with it. The triangle has an attitude of conflict or action. The circle gives a sense of protection or infinity. Honesty or equality is associated with the square. Mass/Form An element of design that is three dimensional and encloses volume (cube, sphere, pyramid, cylinder, and free flowing). Mass often refers to the size or amount of space consumed. The mass or form, plus the shape, tend to give relation with other elements. The various weights of different shapes can be used to emphasize type styles. Texture An element of design that refers to the surface -- whether it is rough, smooth, or soft, for example. It can be actual or simulated (implied). Texture is a part of every printed image. The first reaction is to touch the surface. Texture can be produced by lines that form images. However, this element is usually visual and no reaction would be received through the sense of touch. Actual texture can be produced as well, using a variety of techniques. Colour An element of design that identifies things as being red, blue, yellow, orange, etc. When colour is used, it causes that part of the work to attract attention. Colour can have a strong emotional and psychological impact on the viewer. It can be used to add interest and to reduce boredom. Yellow, orange, and red are considered warm colours and they denote aggression, excitement, and danger. Blue, green, and violet are considered to be cool colours and are associated with nature and passiveness. 3. Principles of Design Balance A principle of design that refers to the equalization of elements in a work. There are three kinds of balance:
Contrast A principle of design that refers to differences in values, colours, textures, and other elements in a work to achieve emphasis and interest. Contrast adds variety to a design. It is the variations of the elements in the work. Some elements in a work stand out because of contrast. This is achieved by a difference in size, colour, or appearance. A few contrasts are:
Unity A principle of design that relates to the sense of oneness or wholeness in a work of art; everything in the art work contributes to the idea. Unity or harmony gives elements the appearance of belonging together. It is the proper balance of all elements so that a pleasing whole (work) results. The image is viewed as one piece, as a whole, and not as separate elements. Using too many shapes or colours may cause a design to be unfocused. An organized design can be achieved by using a basic shape which is then repeated. Rhythm A principle of design that refers to the arrangement (or movement) of parts in a work of art to create a movement of your eye from one alike area, colour, texture, line, etc., to another. It occurs when a design element is repeated. Rhythm acts as a guide so that the eye reads important parts of a message. Proportion A principle of design that speaks to the relationship between size and shape. Proportion helps to achieve balance and unity in a work. To obtain good proportion, the sizes of the elements must be regulated. To prevent the design from being dull and static, proportion must be balanced by the use of contrast or unity. Proportion is a means of developing an aesthetically pleasing relationship between each of the elements used in the work. Emphasis A principle of design by which the artist or designer may use opposing sizes, shapes, contrasting colours, or other means to place greater attention on certain areas or objects. Usually the “area of interest” is created through emphasis. |