What is the meaning of the word form in art

The term form can mean several different things in art. Form is one of the seven elements of art and connotes a three-dimensional object in space. A formal analysis of a work of art describes how the elements and principles of artwork together independent of their meaning and the feelings or thoughts they may evoke in the viewer. Finally, form is also used to describe the physical nature of the artwork, as in metal sculpture, an oil painting, etc.​

When used in tandem with the word art as in art form, it can also mean a medium of artistic expression recognized as fine art or an unconventional medium done so well, adroitly, or creatively as to elevate it to the level of fine art.

An Element of Art

Form is one of the seven elements of art which are the visual tools that an artist uses to compose a work of art. In addition, to form, they include line, shape, value, color, texture, and space. As an Element of Art, form connotes something that is three-dimensional and encloses volume, having length, width, and height, versus shape, which is two-dimensional, or flat. A form is a shape in three dimensions, and, like shapes, can be geometric or organic.

Geometric forms are forms that are mathematical, precise, and can be named, as in the basic geometric forms: sphere, cube, pyramid, cone, and cylinder. A circle becomes a sphere in three dimensions, a square becomes a cube, a triangle becomes a pyramid or cone.

Geometric forms are most often found in architecture and the built environment, although you can also find them in the spheres of planets and bubbles, and in the crystalline pattern of snowflakes, for example.

Organic forms are those that are free-flowing, curvy, sinewy, and are not symmetrical or easily measurable or named. They most often occur in nature, as in the shapes of flowers, branches, leaves, puddles, clouds, animals, the human figure, etc., but can also be found in the bold and fanciful buildings of the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi (1852 to 1926) as well as in many sculptures.

Form in Sculpture

Form is most closely tied to sculpture, since it is a three-dimensional art and has traditionally consisted almost primarily of form, with color and texture being subordinate. Three-dimensional forms can be seen from more than one side. Traditionally forms could be viewed from all sides, called sculpture in-the-round, or in relief, those in which the sculpted elements remain attached to a solid background, including bas-relief, haut-relief, and sunken-relief. Historically sculptures were made in the likeness of someone, to honor a hero or god.

The twentieth century broadened the meaning of sculpture, though, heralding the concept of open and closed forms, and the meaning continues to expand today. Sculptures are no longer only representational, static, stationery, forms with a solid opaque mass that has been carved out of stone or modeled out of bronze. Sculpture today may be abstract, assembled from different objects, kinetic, change with time, or made out of unconventional materials like light or holograms, as in the work of renowned artist James Turrell.

Sculptures may be characterized in relative terms as closed or open forms. A closed-form has a similar feeling to the traditional form of a solid opaque mass. Even if spaces exist within the form, they are contained and confined. A closed-form has an inward-directed focus on the form, itself, isolated from ambient space. An open form is transparent, revealing its structure, and therefore has a more fluid and dynamic relationship with the ambient space. Negative space is a major component and activating force of an open form sculpture. Pablo Picasso (1881 to 1973), Alexander Calder (1898 to 1976), and Julio Gonzalez (1876 to 1942) are some artists who created open form sculptures, made from wire and other materials.

Henry Moore (1898 to 1986), the great English artist who, along with his contemporary, Barbara Hepworth (1903 to 1975), were the two most important British sculptors in modern art, both revolutionized sculpture by being the first to pierce the form of their biomorphic (bio=life, morphic=form) sculptures. She did so in 1931, and he did in 1932, noting that “even space can have form” and that “a hole can have as much shape meaning as a solid mass.” 

Form in Drawing and Painting

In drawing and painting, the illusion of three-dimensional form is conveyed through the use of lighting and shadows, and the rendering of value and tone. Shape is defined by the outer contour of an object, which is how we first perceive it and begin to make sense of it, but light, value, and shadow help to give an object form and context in space so that we can fully identify it.

For example, assuming a single light source on a sphere, the highlight is where the light source hits directly; the mid-tone is the middle value on the sphere where the light does not hit directly; the core shadow is the area on the sphere that the light does not hit at all and is the darkest part of the sphere; the cast shadow is the area on surrounding surfaces that is blocked from the light by the object; reflected highlight is light that is reflected back up onto the object from the surrounding objects and surfaces. With these guidelines as to light and shading in mind, any simple shape can be drawn or painted to create the illusion of a three-dimensional form.

The greater the contrast in value, the more pronounced the three-dimensional form becomes. Forms that are rendered with little variation in value appear flatter than those that are rendered with greater variation and contrast.

Historically, painting has progressed from a flat representation of form and space to a three-dimensional representation of form and space, to abstraction. Egyptian painting was flat, with the human form presented frontally but with the head and feet in profile. The realistic illusion of form did not occur until the Renaissance along with the discovery of perspective. Baroque artists such as Caravaggio (1571 to 1610), explored the nature of space, light, and the three-dimensional experience of space further through the use of chiaroscuro, the strong contrast between light and dark. The portrayal of the human form became much more dynamic, with chiaroscuro and foreshortening giving the forms a sense of solidity and weight and creating a powerful sense of drama. Modernism freed artists to play with the form more abstractly. Artists such as Picasso, with the invention of Cubism, broke up the form to imply movement through space and time.

Analyzing an Artwork

When analyzing a work of art, a formal analysis is separate from that of its content or context. A formal analysis means applying the elements and principles of art to analyze the work visually. The formal analysis can reveal compositional decisions that help to reinforce content, the work’s essence, meaning, and the artist’s intent, as well as give clues as to historical context.

For example, the feelings of mystery, awe, and transcendence that are evoked from some of the most enduring Renaissance masterpieces, such as the Mona Lisa (Leonardo da Vinci, 1517), The Creation of Adam (Michelangelo, 1512), the Last Supper (Leonardo da Vinci, 1498) are distinct from the formal compositional elements and principles such as line, color, space, shape, contrast, emphasis, etc., the artist used to create the painting and that contribute to its meaning, effect, and timeless quality.

Resources and Further Reading

• Form, Tate Museum, http://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/f/form
• The Art of Sculpture, Encyclopedia of Art, http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/sculpture.htm
• The hole of life, Tate Museum, http://www.tate.org.uk/context-comment/articles/hole-of-life
• Barbara Hepworth vs Henry Moore, CultureWhisper, https://www.culturewhisper.com/r/article/preview/3670
• Works of Antoni Gaudi, http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/320
• Henry Moore Foundation, https://www.henry-moore.org
• Barbara Hepworth, https://barbarahepworth.org.uk
• James Turrell, http://jamesturrell.com

Resources for Teachers

• The Elements of Art: Form, Grade Level: 3-4, National Gallery of Art, https://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/education/teachers/lessons-activities/elements-of-art/form.html
• Shape and Form in Art: Instructional Program for Grades K-4, Teacher’s Guide, http://gettingtoknow.com/wp-content/uploads/shapeinartTG.pdf

Form in art gives artworks form, but what exactly does this mean? In this article we will explore this in more depth, discussing the form art definition and its role as one of the art elements. We will also discuss the different types of forms that artists utilize, including examples that range from paintings to sculptures.

What Is Form in Art?

There are so many possibilities when it comes to applying the above-mentioned art elements, so let us look at what form in art can do as one of them. This will also illustrate the form art definition. As we explained above, form gives artworks form and there are many different types available to apply in all forms of art media.

However, it is also important to note that while form is an art element that gives artworks more visual meaning, the term can also refer to the broader form of any artwork.

We can look at form in art on a smaller and larger scale. On a smaller scale, it is the art element that is applied onto a canvas or as part of a sculpture. It also closely relates to the other art element called shape – we will discuss this in more detail below. So, on a larger scale, it is the whole form of the artwork, which is described as the “physical” aspect of the artwork, which simply means whether it is a sculpture, an installation, a graphic art, a painting, and more.

This can also point to the art medium, for example, the art form of watercolor, acrylic, or oil painting.

Contextualizing Form in Art 

Form in art is one of the art elements, but before we discuss the form art definition and various illustrative examples, let us provide a brief overview of what the art elements and art principles are. These will provide you with the context you need, whether you are an artist or art historian, building, painting, or analyzing an artwork. 

What Are the Art Elements and Art Principles?

There are several art elements when it comes to creating any artwork like a drawing, sketch, watercolor, acrylic, oil painting, sculpture, graphic arts, and more. These elements act as the guiding tools that compose the subject matter, namely color, value, line, form, shape, texture, and space. Without these tools, an artwork will lack structure or meaning, even the most abstract artwork is composed of some, if not all, of these art elements.

However, there are also art principles, which give art elements more purpose, so to say. Both work in unison and can determine the mood and visual appearance of art.

There are a few art principles to be aware of and you will notice them right under your nose when you look at a painting or walk around a sculpture next. These are namely movement, rhythm, perspective, variety, contrast, pattern, repetition, emphasis, balance, unity, and harmony.

For example, if lines are depicted in an artwork for the sake of lines without any guiding principle or purpose it could cause the artwork to appear confusing or just plain boring, but if lines are used to convey movement or rhythm then it tells us, the viewers, what is happening – showing us that there is more to the story.

The principle of movement will guide how lines are applied.

Similarly, if the wrong shade of color is applied and it is too dark a painting may appear unbalanced, but if there is a balance of light and dark, which is the art element called value, the painting will appear harmonious.

The Relationship of Shape and Form in Art

Before we provide a few form in art examples, it is also important to understand how shape and form relate to each other. One of the main characteristics of form as one of the art elements is that it is three-dimensional and can be measured by width, height, and length.

If we compare it to the other art element, shape, mentioned above, we will notice that shape is two-dimensional. It will also appear flat and can only be measured by its height and length.

A shape can become a form when other art elements or art principles are used in conjunction with it. For example, if a shape is drawn or sketched on a two-dimensional piece of paper it can become a three-dimensional form by applying contrasting effects like shading, highlighting, toning, colors, patterns, perspective, or the space utilized around it.

This will give the illusion of it being a three-dimensional object. For example, a circle will be a sphere, a cylindrical form will be a rectangle, a square will be a cube, a triangle will be a cube, and so forth.

The Two Categories of Form in Art

Form in art is also categorized into two main types, namely, geometric and organic. Geometric forms can be easily detected by their shapes, which we mentioned above, namely circles, squares, rectangles, triangles, and more.

Organic forms are described as more “natural”, they will appear more fluid due to their curves and free-flowing formations.

Think of the natural forms you will see in the environment around you, for example, in flowers, trees, stones, or seashells. Some artworks can appear completely geometric and others more natural, however, we can remember that both types of forms can also be present in one artwork, be it a painting or a sculpture.

The best way to illustrate this is if we look at several examples.

Form in Painting

The medium of paintings or drawings will show us hundreds of ways how a form is utilized and rendered; from more realistic/naturalistic to abstracted subject matter. Form utilized as an art element in paintings or drawings is often described as “implied” or “illusionistic” of three dimensions. It is important not to confuse the term “illusionistic” with optical illusions, although do bear in mind that optical illusions in art also utilize various geometric forms.  

For subject matter that appears more realistic, or naturalistic, we can look to the Renaissance era.

Famous artists like the Italian Leonardo da Vinci or German Albrecht Dürer, masterfully adapted forms to portray their subject matter. Through techniques like shading and highlights Leonardo da Vinci explored the human form in his anatomical drawings/sketches, for example, A Study of a Woman’s Hands (c.1490) depicts two hands that appear as if they are crossed over the body. It has been described as two “separate” studies.

A Study of a Woman’s Hands (c. 1490) by Leonardo da Vinci; Leonardo da Vinci, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

We will notice the organic form created through the different light and dark areas like the shading on the folds on the fingers, which are all created by various lines. There is also highlighting on the skin that gives it a smooth texture and a lighter appearance, contrasting with the darker areas. Already other art elements like texture and line assist to create the illusion of a three-dimensional hand.

Albrecht Dürer’s “Praying Hands” (1508) is another organic form in art example. This depicts praying hands and it is made with pen and ink. We will notice the different contrasts of shading and toning, which create the illusion of real hands.

The part of the hands closest to us, the viewers, is whiter, or lighter, in its tone. This also gives the impression of an unseen light source. The part of the hands further away from us is darker in tone and there are more shaded areas, especially between the fingers and near the wrists. This contrast of light and dark creates depth.

Praying Hands (1508) by Albrecht Dürer, located in the Albertina Museum in Vienna, Austria; Albrecht Dürer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Spanish Joan Miró created his famous biomorphic forms in paintings like Harlequin’s Carnival (1924 to 1925), which is also more abstract. This oil painting is filled with a lively array of interplaying shapes and forms from organic to geometric. Notice the small cone in the foreground with a longer cylinder to the left of it. Behind the cone is a cube that appears to be a die with a figuration either emerging from or perched on top of it.

Form in Sculpture

Sculptures are real-life three-dimensional forms compared to the illusion of a three-dimensional form in painting, and similarly, these can also be organic or abstract. The form of sculptures is also categorized as either open or closed.

Open sculptures appear more dynamic in terms of how they occupy space, for example, dissected planes, openings, grooves, protrusions, and more. This also allows for more abstracted pieces to be created in a variety of methods and media.

David (c. 1501 – 1504) by Michelangelo, located in the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence, Italy; Michelangelo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A form art example of open sculpture can be found in the art of Alexander Calder, who became widely known for his mobiles and other installations. One example of many includes Red Mobile (1956), which Calder made from metal rods and sheet metal.

This is often contrasted with what is termed “traditional” sculptures because it floats in the space around them, and moves.

There is a lightness about it compared to the denseness found in closed sculptures. This leads us to the question of what closed sculptures are, which are often described as “solid” masses. In other words, there are no openings, and it is often immobile. One of the best and probably the most popular example of a traditional sculpture is the statue of David (c. 1501 to 1504) by Michelangelo.

This article discussed form as one of the art elements. It comes in various shapes and sizes and can give a visual composition meaning with subject matter that ranges from realistic to completely abstract. When a form is coupled with other art elements and principles like color, line, and contrast it will appear three-dimensional instead of just two-dimensional on a flat picture surface. However, form in art can also be physically three-dimensional; for example in sculptures or architectural formations. Whether you are creating a sculpture or painting a watercolor, what forms will inform your artwork and what message will they convey? Will it be a realistic portrayal of a figure, or will it be a more playful portrayal of forms that come alive?

Learn everything about the Elements of Art

We have written a series about all the elements of art, if you would like to dive a bit deeper into the topic:

• Elements of Art Overview
• Color in Art
• Value in Art
• Line in Art
• Shape in Art
• Texture in Art
• Space in Art

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Form in Art?

There are primarily seven art elements, and these include form; the other art elements are shape, line, color, texture, value, and space.

What Are the Categories of Form in Art?

Form in art can either be organic or geometric, of which both can be combined. Organic forms are often described as free-flowing, whereas geometric forms have more angularity and do not occur in nature.

What Are the Types of Forms?

Forms are three-dimensional versus shapes, which are flatter and two-dimensional. There are forms like cubes, spheres, cones, cylinders, pyramids, prisms, and more.

Shape and form are two words that are used interchangeably in art. They may seem like the same thing, but they are not.

The word shape mainly refers to flat, simple 2-D drawings; the shape 2-D drawing would have a length and width. A form is more complex and is 3-D, such as a sphere, cube, or cone. The word form has a dual meaning in art that refers to various elements that make up art. The form is essential for Formalism, abstract art, and biomorphic art.

To understand shape and form in art, we need to understand some fundamental differences between shape and form. Form and shape have some similarities but also some very distinct differences.

Comparison of Shape and Form in Art

Below is a table to compare the basic meanings of shape and form in art.

As you can see from the above table, a shape and form are not precisely the same. The main difference is that a shape is flat, and a form has some dimension or 3-D aspect.

Even though shape and form are two different terms, they are both essential elements for the artist to understand. The terms shape can be relatively straightforward in art, but the word form can have two meanings.

Form and Art

Art forms can have a dual meaning; the form can be confusing for art and artists. The Tate in London said it best when they defined form in art as:

“In relation to art the term form has two meanings: it can refer to the overall form taken by the work – its physical nature; or within a work of art it can refer to the element of shape among the various elements that make up a work.”

TAte – London

According to this definition, form in art has two meanings. One is the form in the work of art, and the other is the elements of the shape that make up the work of art.

Form In Formalism, Abstract Art and Biomorphic

The form has also influenced different types of art such as Formalism, Abstract Art, and Biomorphic art. All of these types of art are influenced by form in art.

Formalism

Formalism is the study of art entirely based on the analysis of its form. Form, in this case, means what the art looks like and the way the art is made.

In Formalism, the most critical aspect of a work is its form; in formalism art, the visual elements are essential. The subject matter, meaning, or what the artist conveys is not as important as the art forms.

A formalist art critic would review and look at art in terms of the qualities of the color, brushwork, form, line, and composition. It would not be about the subject matter or the meaning the artist is trying to convey.

Formalism came about because of Impressionism and the post-impressionism movements, where the emphasis was placed on the visual aspects of the artwork. An example of this is many of the paintings by Cezanne.

In 1890 the post-impressionism painter and writer Maurice Denis published a manifesto where he emphasized the visual pleasures of art and the form in art, Denis wrote:

“Remember, that a picture, before it is a picture of a battle horse, a nude woman, or some story, is essentially a flat surface covered in colours arranged in a certain order.”

Maurice Denis

The writings of Denis have become one of the most quoted texts in modern art; many artists agree with Denis that the form in art is one of the most important things.

Abstract Art

The Bloombury writer Clive Bell, in his 1914 book called Art, he was writing about the notion of significant form. Significant form means that the form can convey a meaning for art.

The thought that form can convey meaning in art quickly led to the Abstract movement in art. Abstract art is defined as:

“Abstract art is art that does not attempt to represent an accurate depiction of a visual reality but instead use shapes, colours, forms and gestural marks to achieve its effect.”

Tate – London

In Abstract art, the use of forms is essential. Forms such as geometric shapes and even marks are all critical. Abstract art’s definition states that abstract art does not attempt to depict a visual reality; instead, abstract art is about the shapes, colors, forms, and marks to achieve the desired effect.

Biomorphic

When speaking of form in art, we need to also talk about biomorphic and what it means to art. Biomorphic is defined as:

“Biomorphic forms or images are ones that while abstract nevertheless refer to, or evoke, living forms such as plants and the human body.”

Tate – London

Even the word biomorphic relates to forms in art; the word bio comes from the Greek word meaning life, and morph means form. The literal translation of the work biomorphic means “life form.”

Biomorphic in art means artists who use forms, but they use them to refer to something living as a plant, person, or even animal.

Joan Miro, Jean Arp, Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, and Louise Bourgeois, significant artists who practiced the biomorphic art form.

Shape and form may seem the same thing, but they are very different in art and have profound differences. The differences are essential for all artists to understand.

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By clicking here, you can discover more by reading What Is The Difference Between Fine Arts and Visual Arts?

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You can discover more by reading Is Procreate Easier Than Photoshop? What One Should An Artist Learn? by clicking here.