Primary Elements

Point

  

Point, by definition, indicates a position in space. It has no length, width, or depth and it has no mass at all.  Point can be a focal point in an image or in a space. The image below presents a flower that can be the focal point. A point can serve to mark the two ends of a line, the intersection of two lines, and the center of a field. A point can provide various feelings depending on the position in the space.  For example, at the center of its environment, a point is stable and at rest, dominating its field.

      

 Line

Line, by definition, is the extension of a point. A line has length, but no width or depth. It can also be straight or curved. Line can express various feelings and emotions. For example, a smooth line seems serene and soothing, while a heavy line can signify anger or energy. One of the most expressive qualities of line is its direction.  Vertical lines evoke aspiration and stability. Horizontal lines express feeling of rest and relaxation. The image below presents upward curves suggest gentle, relaxed movement. Even though a line has only one dimension, it has to have some degree of thickness to become visible. Sometimes it is seen as a line simply because its length dominates its width.





Plane

Plane is a line extended in a direction other than its intrinsic direction becomes a plane. A plane has length and width, but no depth. One of characteristic of a plane is shape. It is created by the contour of the line forming the edges of a plane. However, our perception of shape can be distorted by perspective foreshortening. Therefore, we see the true shape of a plane only when we view it frontally. With its supplementary properties, a plane’s surface color, pattern, and texture affect its visual weight and stability. With the composition of a visual construction, a plane serves define the limits or boundaries of a volume.

Volume

Volume is a plane extended in a direction other than its intrinsic direction becomes a volume. A volume has three dimensions including length, width, and depth. All volumes can be created by points or vertices where several planes come together and by lines or edges where two planes meet. Besides, a volume can be from planes or surfaces that define the limits or boundaries of a volume. The primary indentifying characteristic of volume is form. It is created by the shapes and interrelationships of the planes that describe the boundaries of the volume. Under architectural design, a volume can be either a solid, space displaced by mass, or a void, space contained or enclosed by planes.





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