Oftentimes, a wide range of people—will view a piece that impacts them to a certain degree—by bringing about a particular mood or emotion. Yet even so, those who have very little knowledge in regards to art—will consequently “see” the visual, without first seeing the underlying components which make up such. In turn, while these seven elements may be disregarded by the eyes of others—they fail to go unnoticed by the general artist body—and are listed as follows; 1. Color, 2. Form. 3. Line, 4. Shape, 5. Space, 6. Texture, and 7. Value. It is through two or more of these aspects that artists are able to communicate a deeper meaning—and/or understanding—to that of their audience, which might be hidden beneath the work itself.

First and foremost is line, which is “defined by a point moving in space. It may be two or three dimensional, descriptive, implied, or abstract”. Second is shape, “an element of art that is two-dimensional, flat, or limited to height and width”. Third is form, which “encloses volume, and includes height, width, and depth. In addition, it may also be free flowing”. Fourth is value, which focuses on “the lightness or darkness of tones or colors. White being the lightest, and black being the darkest”. Fifth is space, in which “positive and negative areas are defined, or a sense of depth achieved in a work of art”. Sixth is color, “an element made up of three properties being hue, value, and intensity”. And last is texture, which “refers to the way things feel, or look”.

As a result, it is through these elements that both artists—and non-artists alike—can find the importance in not only their own work, but in the work of others. For example, as one begins to examine in detail the constitution—or structure—of a piece, he/she may find himself/herself being able to interpret what is taking place, through the elements that are being used within that particular work.

In conclusion, art can be both influential—and/or essential—but even more so, when one begins to decipher what is being expressed through the hand of the artist. For instance, some art may be created with the intent to affect social issues, and may therefore be difficult to look at—while some art may be beautiful, as well as hard to look away from. In turn, no matter the form of art, these seven elements allow a wide range of individuals to appreciate art to its fullest degree—no matter the message.