Elements of Design: SHAPE

A shape is an enclosed object. Shapes can be created by

line, or by color and value changes which define their edges.

Volume and Mass

Shape is considered to be a two-dimensional element,

while

three-dimensional elements have volume or mass.

Therefore,

a painting has shapes, while a sculpture has

volume and mass.

Positive/Negative shapes

In a picture, the shapes that the artist has placed are considered the positive shapes. The spaces around the shapes are the negative spaces. It is just as important to consider the negative space in a picture as the positive shapes. Sometimes artists create pieces that have no distinction between positive and negative spaces. M. C. Escher was a master at creating drawings where there was no distinction between positive and negative space. Here are two examples of Escher's work which show the

interplay between positive and negative space: