Visual Language: Essential Qualities and Types of Forms

Essential Qualities of Forms

Forms are divided into several key characteristics:

• Configuration: Refers to the structure. A two-dimensional form may be triangular, rectangular, square, circular, or irregular. A three-dimensional form may be pyramidal, cubic, spherical, or irregular.
• Size: Determined by comparison with surrounding objects. For example, an apple is big when compared with a cherry, but small compared with a melon.
• Material: Refers to the composition of the object, such as wood or stone. It can be hard, soft, light, or heavy.
• Texture: Indicates the tactile or graphic sensation of the surface. It can be smooth or rough, and the finish is expressed in terms like opaque or bright.
• Color: A quality that can vary depending on ambient light.
• Position: Includes orientations such as upright, lying, foreshortened, profile, front, static, or moving. Space refers to the situation where a form is located, such as near, high, side, or far.

Simple and Complex Forms

• Simple: Easy to visualize with a brief outline and easy to memorize.
• Complex: Consisting of flat lines, different colors, and various textures.

Classification of Shapes

If we look at the origin or source, shapes may be natural (coming from nature) or artificial (built by humans).

If we look at the configuration, they can be geometric if they follow mathematical structures, or organic if they have a more open, free-form configuration.

Techniques for Drawing Shapes

Drawing is a basic graphical procedure for representing the shape of objects. It is a fundamental part of visual language and serves as an effective communication medium. To draw, you can use different materials such as graphite pencils, crayons, and more. The most common support used is paper.

The stroke is the graphic element embodied in a form. There are different types: fine, uniform, thick, continuous, slanted, irregular, or discontinuous with sharp edges. The quality and expressive effects of a stroke depend on several factors, such as the pressure of the hand over the drawing materials.

Methods and Preparatory Sketches

There are different ways of drawing, such as sketching, outlining, or using natural points. Sketches are preparatory drawings made before tackling the final execution of a work. Multiple sketches can be made to find the most suitable composition. They are normally done with a pen, but any material can be used.