Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Leonardo Da Vinci, all famous artist who gave years of dedication to their

artwork. All of them also happen to be dead, leaving no one to tell us exactly what they were trying to say. These beautiful paintings and sculptures are more than they seem at first glance but, the question still stands how exactly does someone decipher the artists code they left behind? Although art often goes unthought of, the elements of art create feeling through color, line, and texture. Colors have the ability to trigger your moods. Not only does it sound sensible but it is also a part of science.The Gazette staff at Harvard University have researched and have pinpointed the part of the brain responsible for conscious experience of color... Next to, but distinct from the area that was believed for years to be the color center(Cromie). There is far more to color than opinion on whether it will look good on your wall or not. Our brain can understand color, and decide how to feel about it.Your brain uses prior knowledge or judgment to decide how to feel about the color, but designers also use color to bring up emotion or feeling in you the way that fast food places use red and yellow to make you hungry. In fact, it is said that color is a form of nonverbal communication. It is not a static energy, and its meanings change from one day to the next with any individual(Scott-Kemmis) color is personal, and just like words we interpret it differently. Most of the time our interpretations are similar though, like how red is usually associated with passion, and excitement, provoking action, too much red can cause us to get agitated, though. Blue is reliable and honest, it makes us feel safe, and helps you relax. The color yellow works with left side of your brain, so it is usually associated with logic, it is also the brightest primary color making it the color of happiness and illumination. It makes a lot of sense because the colors do really different things, because the colors are extremely different. Knowing what certain colors can do will help create the kind of mood you want to set,

and in the signs I want to create a fun, energy filled setting so I will use colors like red, yellow, and purple, which is the color of imagination. Color is definitely an important element of design, but so is line. Lines can affect what you do, and think.These lines that I am talking about are not all as simple as a squiggle or a zig zag, there is a psychological plane, containing psychological lines aka transitional lines, which do not exist in any concrete visual sense, but are created by the minds eye(Suler). This psychological line they mention is actually quite complex what happens is that things like eyes in a painting can direct what you're thinking about, I remember in my eighth grade art class we were shown a painting of Greek peasants scattered around a room, and they all had their eyes set on the back of the room and in the back of the room was a small girl dressed in bright colors signifying her status as a royal, and although she was in the back of the room one of the smallest people painted it was obvious that she was the main focal point of the painting. Same goes for pointing in a painting, the theoretical line between your finger and the object is something that the audience observes. Lines that you actually see have a big job too. They act as as a symbolic language, or it can communicate emotion through its character and direction(Introduction). This is shown in the way horizontal lines are usually in relation to rest, which is obvious really because the natural position associated with rest is lying down horizontally. While vertical lines are associated with spirituality because the lines reach upward. Exemplified in the way cathedrals have large vertical windows. Diagonal lines usually associates with movement or direction. Curvy lines relate to comfort, and safety, theyre usually associated because its a reminder of the human body. Lines are create emotion in complex ways, but texture can do that as well.

Texture can affect your comfort level with something. How you might ask. Well, Some surfaces are inviting and some are repellent and so are the textures that suggest those surfaces(Palomar). You might not realize but you are unconsciously making decisions about what you want to touch, and what you dont want to touch. Soft, and smooth things will often make you feel at ease because it can be associated with things such as the comfort of your bed, while rough things could remind you of scraping your knee on the black top. Things with interesting texture will also help keep your piece popular, the way the science center at balboa park has a piece of a fence in one of their older exhibits, when you rub your hands on either side it makes your hand feel bubbly. This was by far the most visited piece because the texture was pleasant making it fun to do. The way the texture looks also has an affect, the way you might see some dog collars have spikes, the reason for the spikes is to make the dog look intimidating. All in all texture is very important. The elements of art can do fantastic things that you arent always aware of. Whether its making you feel jubilated, or directing your attention elsewhere, or even being intimidated by a thirty pound dog. Line, texture, and color are only part of the elements of art, and alone each one does incredible things together they create miraculous things. Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known(Oscar Wilde). Which is why understanding art is key to understanding people, and who knows, maybe that will knit the bond people a little tighter.

Works Cited Cromie, William J. "Brains Color Processor Located." The Harvard University Gazette. Harvard University, 6 Aug.1998. Web. 31 Oct. 2013.< http://news.harvard.edu/ gazette/1998/08.06/BrainsColorProc.html>. "Introduction to the Elements of Design: Point." Art, Design, and Visual Thinking. Charlotte Jirousek, 1995 Web. 31 Oct. 2013. <http://char.txa.cornell.edu/ language/element/element.htm> Palomar, Daphne "Texture." Design Notes. James T. Saw, 2002 Web. 31 Oct. 2013. <http://daphne.palomar.edu/design/texture.html> Scott-Kemmis, Judy "Understanding the Meaning of Colors in Color Psychology." Empower Yourself with Color Psychology. Empower Yourself with Color Psychology, 2009-2013 Web. 31 Oct. 2013. <http://www.empower-yourself-with- colorpsychology.com/meaning-of-colors.html>. Suler, John "Psychological Lines." Users Rider. Users Rider, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2013. <http://users.rider.edu/~suler/photopsy/psylines.htm>. Wilde, Oscar Art Quotes. Brainy Quote. Brainy Quote, 2001- 2013 Web. 14 Nov. 2013. <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_art.html>.