The Visual Elements

Try looking at a painting as only a series of choices. The visual elements are: line, shape, color, value,  and texture.When you think about it this way, it helps to highlight why and how the painting looks the way it does. Often in order to express something about color, an artist has to let go of line, or detail. In order to focus on shape, an artist may choose to avoid too much texture.  What the artist chooses is what you will see. Often a work reveals itself by what it is not.  For those wishing to improve their drawing skills, drop color entirely.