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Year 9 - Art and design

Principles of art: volume

The principles of art

Unit Summary

This unit expands pupils understanding of the foundations of creative practice, building on knowledge of the elements of art, to now explore more complex principles. This will deepen understanding of how artists use these principles to question the world around them and communicate their ideas.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to create volume in two and three dimensional work.

Key Notes

  • Volume is the amount of space occupied by an object or figure in three dimensions: height, width and depth
  • Volume is an element of visual expression that can be appreciated in a real or figurative way
  • The illusion of volume can be created in a two-dimensional work

Vocabulary To Learn

  • volume: how much space an object takes up. Includes height, width and depth
  • bust: a sculpted or cast representation of a human head and neck
  • chiaroscuro: an Italian word meaning 'light-dark'
  • contour: a line that helps describe the outline and 3D form

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Lines create an edge but they don't create volume.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

Volume is the amount of space occupied by an object or figure in three dimensions: height, width and depth. Volume is an element of visual expression that can be appreciated in a real or figurative way.

2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'volume'

how much space an object takes up. Includes height, width and depth.

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: Lines create an edge but they don't create volume. Correction: Contour lines and directional hatching lines can be used to describe the volume of a 3D object in a 2D drawing.

More Lessons In This Unit

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