ARTICLES

ELEMENTS OF ART
(PETAs Basic Integrated Theater Arts Workshop (BITAW) is a clear and
informative guide for some activities of this topic.)
The basic elements of arts are :space, line, shape, sound, texture, color,
movement and rhythm. In a broad sense, these elements are common to the
particular subject areas dealt with in BITAW.
Space refers to the field in which the art exists; it is the element that the
artist works with. Without space, we would not be able to discern the ideas being
expressed. To the visual artist, it refers to the paper or the actual area in which the
other elements are placed; to the musician, it comes as intervals of sound and
silence, while to the actor it refers to both his inner space (thoughts and feelings)
and the outer space (the world where he moves around). In all of the art forms
space may be occupied, referred to as positive space, positive in the sense that
there is something in the space; or unoccupied, referred to as negative space,
meaning the empty space or spaces occupied by matter.
When a pencil is used to draw, it starts with its point and we do not see
anything until the pencil moves and creates a line. Line, therefore, has direction,
since motion leads towards something. This is also true for an actress onstage. The
minute she moves across the stage, she has drawn a line and we perceive motion
towards a direction. Besides direction, line in itself can have different qualities; the
texture of lines differ depending on what drawing tool one uses or what paper the
artist is drawing on. A body which moves in jerky or jagged way projects a jerky and
jagged line.
As the lines move, It creates shape. Shape varies in form. If straight and
precise lines or edges are used, geometric shapes are produced. If sound, soft and
irregular, organic or biomorphic forms are created. The quality of expression also
differs with shape.
Texture refers to the tactile quality of surfaces. Gelatine has a different
texture than crystal; there are rough and smooth surfaced stones. Textures are seen
when painter try to simulate the visual appearance of the surface of things or when
they actually glue textured objects on their artwork. But texture is also perceived in
music. The sound that a bamboo musical instrument makes is different from what a
metal musical instrument creates.
And so with people. We refer to certain characters as textures: for example,
we say a person is plastic to refer to her being artificial and synthetic. This is true to
Filipinos since we have been exposed to plastic flowers, plastic plate and other
plastic products that leave us cold and unfeeling. We have an exercise where we ask
the participants to create a character collage, where collage refers to the activity of
pasting different textured surfaces or objects on the paper and building a character
suggested by the resulting composite. For instance, a collage may have a piece of
glass, flower, soft paper, paper clip. The person can be described as being gentle
and warm or firm and cold. It is open to interpretation and we begin to relate to
people with traits and create signs and symbols for use.

Aside from texture, color is also used to refer to feelings. Art history shows
that early painters used color as they saw it in life. Later we saw how color was
emancipated from designated roles and artists started to use color to express their
impressions and feelings. Colors are akin to emotion and music. When we hear
music we respond to the music from within. Color, as the other elements are, is
culture specific. Our culture has a particular color taste brought about by the way
we are or the way we live. Because we live in a tropical climate we tend to favour
and express ourselves through warm colors, reflecting sunny and warm
environment.
Movement refers to the energy impulses that the art form carries. There is an
energy inherent in the form which has a dynamic relationship with the world
outside, creating tension and relaxation.
Rhythm expresses this impulse as well but more than just that, it provides the
pulse of life of the art work. Certain emotions or situations have a different rhythm
than others.
These elements are parts which interrelate to complete a whole. A
combination of these elements produce the art form that will project a particular
message depending on how the parts were put together.
PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION (Taken from the PETA Basic Integrated Theater
Arts Workshop.)
Selectivity- This refers to the selection of elements to use- what line, color, shape,
texture, sound, movement, and rhythm to get specific qualities needed by the
form for it to express or suggest and idea or concept.
Variation and Contrast- The art form has an over-all theme and the parts carry
variations of the same theme, which may be in contrast to one another. Contrast
heightens the difference and emphasizes a point.
Focus and Subordination- A good art form focuses on a point. There is something
which is emphasized to draw the viewers attention to a particular idea. To do this, it
is necessary that other parts of the form do not compete for attention with the focal
point; in fact, subordinating the other parts is necessary for any one part to be
emphasized.
Proportion and Balance- Balance refers to the distribution of weights in the art form.
This may be seen in the use of the visual elements such as line, color and shape or
on stage in the weight of the spoken lines or the distribution of the movement.
Proportion needs to be considered in balancing weights, as for example, in deciding
how many elements and how much of them should be used in creating a particular
form.
Movement and Dynamism- Dynamism refers to the excitement created by the
interaction of the elements. As earlier mentioned, the elements on the space
provide tension or the push and pull forces that the elements exert upon one
another. Since each element placed on the work provides movement, this
contributes to the dynamic relationship of the parts.

Logic- There should be reason for the elements to exist. As one one element is
placed, so others follow in logical sequence, in designing for theater, there should
be a logical reason for putting a chair on stage. Is it essential to the play? If it has no
function, it has no reason to be there. In a way, form follows function, i.e. the form
is the logical result of the function for which it is created. This is a good principle to
remember here.
Unity and Harmony- The main objective in creating a form is to achieve unity and
harmony. When parts contribute harmoniously to the completion of the whole, then
unity is achieved.
Clarity- To be expressive, the form needs to be clear in its conception and creation.
This is achieved when superfluous and non-essential elements do not obscure the
idea being put across.

URL: https://fc.deltasd.bc.ca/~jhacker/FOV2-00054F35/?
OpenItemURL=S012EF37A-02BF0F67
If you're going to work in the theatre, you need to know up from down and left from
right. Here are the basics:

Upstage - Away from the audience

Downstage - Close to the audience
Stage Left and stage right are taken from the ACTOR's point of view.
Combine up, down, left, right and centre to form locations like UpCentre or
DownLeft:

UR

UC

UL

RC

CS

LC

DR

DC

DL

Audience

Apron - Portion of the stage in front of the main curtain

Wings - offstage left and right.
Pit - the undercover place where the band plays. In many theatres this is
removable, and in some the orchestra plays behind the actors or off to one side.

Wings - areas to the left and right of the stage behind the proscenium.
Backstage - guess what this is.
Cyclorama wall - the back wall of the stage. In ND this is white and used to blend
colours using special lights. In other theatres this may be a light-coloured curtain.
Tunnel - the passageway behind the Cyclorama wall.
Proscenium (arch)- the archway or "frame" the audience looks through to watch the
play.
False proscenium - The archway in front of the proscenium arch.
False proscenium doors - doors to backstage on each side of the proscenium.
Fire curtain - a fire-proof curtain right behind the proscenium arch that drops when
its magnesium cords are heated in a fire.
Main Curtain - the main curtain. Also called the grand master, or the FOH curtain.
Teaser - a horizontal curtain that covers the sightlines of lights or hanging
backdrops. To remember, think of a short skirt "teasing" boys watching.
Tormentor (leg) - Vertical curtains used to hide sightlines into the wings or
backstage areas.
Bar/Pipe - A hanging pipe or bar that can be used to hang curtains, backdrops, or
lights.
Scrim Curtain: A loosely woven fabric curtain, which is translucent when lit from the
front and transparent when lit from the back.
Electric - a pipe that has electrical circuits to attach lights to. In ND we have three
electrics (called LXs) backstage (LX1, LX2, LX3).
Green Room - traditionally, this is a room where actors wait for their scenes. At ND
we have turned our greenroom into the stagecraft room, because it is too small and
too noisy to use during productions.
Ladders - these are devices used by AUTHORIZED STUDENTS to reach greater
heights. We have: Big Bertha, the rolling "A" frame ladder, Mini-Bertha, the 15 foot
step ladder, and "Old Shaky," the aluminum extension ladder.
Galleries: These are the storage spaces up the vertical ladders in the wings.
Students found in these spaces without teacher approval face suspension.
Construction area: Area in front of the garage/loading door.
Fire Hatch: a hatch in the roof that opens automatically to release smoke in the
event of a fire.

Front of House:

House - where the audience sits.

House Right and House Left are taken from the AUDIENCEs point of view.
Apron Bar a bar directly above the apron. Although not technically an electric, it
does have power directly above it.
FOH1 the gallery area directly above the front row. Used for hanging lights.
FOH2 the electric over the audience. Raises and lowers for easy access.
Electrical room: Ground floor room House left.
Costume / Prop Room: Ground floor House right.
The Booth Sound and lighting control room at the back of the house.
Cord room/Light room: storage rooms to the left and right of the booth.