The street art scene has been growing steadily in and around Grand Rapids over the last several years. Almost anywhere you go, you can find some sort of mural. Competitions likes ArtPrize and other programs have encouraged more art and murals on the sides of buildings, walls and other spaces.
In today’s episode of Curiosity Lab on the Go, join us as we travel through part of the Creston neighborhood and view several fantastic murals!
We started our walk at Lions & Rabbits, an art center on Plainfield Ave. This is a great place to start your art tour, since there are several great murals to view right in their parking lot! As we walked down Plainfield Ave, we searched for the seven Elements of Art. The elements of art are the building blocks of a work of art.
Can you find all the elements of art on your walk?
Line - A line has greater length than width. Lines can be horizontal, vertical, diagonal. They can be thick or thin, wavy or straight.
Shape - Shapes are closed lines. They can be geometric like squares, circles or triangles, or they can be more natural. Shapes are flat.
Form - Forms are three dimensional shapes! Cylinders, boxes and pyramids are all examples of forms.
Color - The basic definition of color is how light is reflected off objects. In the light spectrum, white is considered the essence of all color and black is the absence. However, if you mix pigments together (like paint), white is the absence of color and black is the essence!
Value - Value is the lightness or darkness of a color in a work of art. Consider a piece that is monochromatic (like a black and white picture); you can find all sorts of values of white, grey and black.
Space - Space is the area between and around objects in a work of art. Space can help create an illusion or feeling of depth.
Texture - Texture is the surface quality that can be seen and felt. Rough, smooth, soft and hard are all examples of texture.
When you get home, consider the elements of art, and make a piece of artwork yourself! What elements do you want to emphasize? Which one is your favorite?
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