Each ART FORM has its own set of 'building blocks' that are used to 'build' the art. We may refer to these building blocks as conventions, or elements, or devices. Below you will find the building blocks for Visual Art, the Short Story, Poetry, Music, Dance, and Drama. As we move through this year, you will have opportunities to create art in a variety of forms. Before you begin creating, though, you will need to familiarize yourself with the building blocks for the form in which you will be working.
VISUAL ART
Click HERE for a quick introduction to the Elements and Principles of Art
The short videos below offer a more in-depth look at the elements.
The short videos below offer a more in-depth look at the elements.
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THE SHORT STORY
Five Key Elements of the Short Story
- Setting
- Plot
- Characters
- Central conflict
- Theme
POETRY
Click HERE for a resource that will help refamiliarize you with these very common poetic devices.
1. imagery
2. rhythm
3. simile
4. metaphor
5. personification
6. onomatopoeia
7. hyperbole
8. alliteration
9. rhyme/rhyme scheme
10. repetition
11. stanza
12. allusion
13. symbol
14. assonance
15. euphemism
1. imagery
2. rhythm
3. simile
4. metaphor
5. personification
6. onomatopoeia
7. hyperbole
8. alliteration
9. rhyme/rhyme scheme
10. repetition
11. stanza
12. allusion
13. symbol
14. assonance
15. euphemism
MUSIC
Pitch – register (high or low); Organization of pitches with a pattern of intervals between them creates scales; Words we might use to describe scales: major/minor, gapped, skipping, linear.
Rhythm – the time element of music. A specific rhythm is a specific pattern in time; we usually hear these in relation to a steady pulse, and mentally organize this pulse or tempo into meter (sometimes called a "time signature"). Meter organizes beats into groups, usually of two or three; beats can be divided into small units usually 2, 3 or 4 subdivisions
Melody- or musical line, is a combination of pitch and rhythm (some say "duration"). Sometimes a melody is considered to be the theme of a composition. We might characterize melody by its contour (rising or falling) and the size of the intervals in it. A melody that uses mostly small intervals (or scale steps) and is smooth is said to be a conjunct melody. Not surprisingly, a melody that uses large intervals is called a disjunct melody. A motif (or motive) is either a very short melody or a distinctive part of a longer melody. I might describe the opening four notes of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony as a "motific cell."
Timbre – sound quality or tone color; timbre is the characteristic that allows us to distinguish between one instrument and another, and the difference between vowel sounds (for example, long "a" or "ee"). Terms we might use to describe timbre: bright, dark, brassy, reedy, harsh, noisy, thin, buzzy, pure, raspy, shrill, mellow, strained.
Dynamics – loud or soft. A composition that has extremely soft passages as well as extremely loud passages is said to have a large or wide dynamic range. Dynamics can change suddenly or gradually (crescendo, getting louder, or decrescendo, getting softer.)
Texture – monophonic (one voice or line); polyphonic - many voices, usually similar, counterpoint; homophonic (1. a melody with simple accompaniment); heterophony – “mixed” or multiple similar versions of a melody performed simultaneously; collage – mixing of extremely different textures or sounds.
Tempo – Speed of the beat of music. In a composition the words used to describe tempo may be: fast, slow, accelerando, ritardando, allegro, moderato, andante, largo.
Rhythm – the time element of music. A specific rhythm is a specific pattern in time; we usually hear these in relation to a steady pulse, and mentally organize this pulse or tempo into meter (sometimes called a "time signature"). Meter organizes beats into groups, usually of two or three; beats can be divided into small units usually 2, 3 or 4 subdivisions
Melody- or musical line, is a combination of pitch and rhythm (some say "duration"). Sometimes a melody is considered to be the theme of a composition. We might characterize melody by its contour (rising or falling) and the size of the intervals in it. A melody that uses mostly small intervals (or scale steps) and is smooth is said to be a conjunct melody. Not surprisingly, a melody that uses large intervals is called a disjunct melody. A motif (or motive) is either a very short melody or a distinctive part of a longer melody. I might describe the opening four notes of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony as a "motific cell."
Timbre – sound quality or tone color; timbre is the characteristic that allows us to distinguish between one instrument and another, and the difference between vowel sounds (for example, long "a" or "ee"). Terms we might use to describe timbre: bright, dark, brassy, reedy, harsh, noisy, thin, buzzy, pure, raspy, shrill, mellow, strained.
Dynamics – loud or soft. A composition that has extremely soft passages as well as extremely loud passages is said to have a large or wide dynamic range. Dynamics can change suddenly or gradually (crescendo, getting louder, or decrescendo, getting softer.)
Texture – monophonic (one voice or line); polyphonic - many voices, usually similar, counterpoint; homophonic (1. a melody with simple accompaniment); heterophony – “mixed” or multiple similar versions of a melody performed simultaneously; collage – mixing of extremely different textures or sounds.
Tempo – Speed of the beat of music. In a composition the words used to describe tempo may be: fast, slow, accelerando, ritardando, allegro, moderato, andante, largo.
DANCE
DRAMA - this includes a film or a play.
| elements_of_drama.pdf |
*****We will not be using the materials below*****
| art_analysis_graphic.pdf |
My Second Symphony was written in 1991, begun just after the Persian Gulf War took place. The absurdity and cruelty of this war, in particular the "surgical" nature of its reliance on gleaming new technological warfare used at a safe distance made an enormous and lasting impression on me. It awoke me to the brutality and hollow moralizing of which nations are all too easily capable and led me to examine the culture of war and genocide in our time. The Gulf War was the first war in which, as an adult, I "witnessed" (through the media) my country's participation. . .
One image from the war that influenced the last movement ("Barricade") came from news reports of a civilian apartment building (mistakenly thought to be a military installation) that was flattened by American bombs just before the end of the war - its 500 civilian inhabitants were killed instantly.
One image from the war that influenced the last movement ("Barricade") came from news reports of a civilian apartment building (mistakenly thought to be a military installation) that was flattened by American bombs just before the end of the war - its 500 civilian inhabitants were killed instantly.
| still_i_rise_by_maya_angelou.pdf |
