Design
FUNDAMENTALS
1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
Emphasis: the principle of drawing attention to particular content in a work Focal point: the center of interest or activity in a work of art, often drawing the viewer’s attention to the most important element Principles: the “grammar” applied to the elements of art— contrast, balance, unity, variety, rhythm, emphasis, pattern, scale, proportion, and focal point Elements: the basic vocabulary of art—line, form, shape, volume, mass, color, texture, space, time and motion, and value (lightness/darkness) Subordination: the opposite of emphasis; it draws our attention away from particular areas of a work Abstract: art imagery that departs from recognizable images from the natural world Color field: a term used by a group of twentieth-century abstract painters to describe their work with large flat areas of color and simple shapes Color: the optical effect caused when reflected white light of the spectrum is divided into a separate wavelength Positive shape: a shape defined by its surrounding empty space Negative space: an empty space given shape by its surround, for example the right-pointing arrow between the E and x in FedEx Implied texture: a visual illusion expressing texture
Emphasis and focal point are principles of art that draw attention to specific locations in a work. Emphasis is the principle by which an artist draws attention to particular content. A focal point is a specific place of visual emphasis in a work of art or design. Most works of art have at least one area of emphasis and multiple focal points. Those few artworks that do not have areas of emphasis or focal points usually have little or no variation. An artist can emphasize focal points through the use of line, implied line, value, color—in fact, any of the elements of art can help focus our interest on specific areas. Like the bull’s-eye on a target, focal points concentrate our attention. Even though our field of vision is fairly wide, at any given
1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
Emphasis: the principle of drawing attention to particular content in a work Focal point: the center of interest or activity in a work of art, often drawing the viewer’s attention to the most important element Principles: the “grammar” applied to the elements of art— contrast, balance, unity, variety, rhythm, emphasis, pattern, scale, proportion, and focal point Elements: the basic vocabulary of art—line, form, shape, volume, mass, color, texture, space, time and motion, and value (lightness/darkness) Subordination: the opposite of emphasis; it draws our attention away from particular areas of a work Abstract: art imagery that departs from recognizable images from the natural world Color field: a term used by a group of twentieth-century abstract painters to describe their work with large flat areas of color and simple shapes Color: the optical effect caused when reflected white light of the spectrum is divided into a separate wavelength Positive shape: a shape defined by its surrounding empty space Negative space: an empty space given shape by its surround, for example the right-pointing arrow between the E and x in FedEx Implied texture: a visual illusion expressing texture
Emphasis and focal point are principles of art that draw attention to specific locations in a work. Emphasis is the principle by which an artist draws attention to particular content. A focal point is a specific place of visual emphasis in a work of art or design. Most works of art have at least one area of emphasis and multiple focal points. Those few artworks that do not have areas of emphasis or focal points usually have little or no variation. An artist can emphasize focal points through the use of line, implied line, value, color—in fact, any of the elements of art can help focus our interest on specific areas. Like the bull’s-eye on a target, focal points concentrate our attention. Even though our field of vision is fairly wide, at any given