What are the Basic Elements of Drawing?

This is a good question. Here is a small section of my notes taken in my college Art class. For many years I was already drawing what I thought I saw for years. But this series of points help me to see more into what I was drawing or painting. I keep this list in my mind when I review the painting or drawing.

 Line  [Line is the most familiar and versatile way to express a drawing] it describes surfaces, it separates one form from another

Form  [It defines shape] 

Value  [ A scale of shades from light to dark]

Space [ negative and positive ]

Contrast [ light and darks ] 

Colour [ the light particles that bounce back to your eye from the source ][Tones and value]

Shadow and reflection [ such as the reflection in an eye or the shadow to create depth]

Perspective [ viewpoint or vantage point]

Exercise.

Pick a point in the list above and look around the room. Pick out an object. Can you see all these points above in the object you are looking at?  Practice this exercise for a number of days and see how it changes your view of what you see.

 

 

    Line                                                   

   Form          

Negative and positive space         

 

Value            

 

Colour                   

 

 Reflection   and Shadow