mrocio:

- Color: use of complimentary colors, contrasting colors, a monochromatic palette, etc. A good grasp/use of hue, intensity, and value. Take note of color combinations and compositions.
- Value: a good grasp/use of lighting, and the lightness and darkness of colors. Turning your image into a gray scale is a good way of seeing this.
- Line: going beyond contour lines, varying with thickness, use of dots, crosshatching, etc. Good use of emphasizing and de-emphasizing lines.
- Shape: height and width
- Form: height, width, and depth, take note of the mass of objects
- Texture: smooth, shiny, rough, etc through shading and line. Take note of how things look and feel. Try touching objects then trying to get the feel of them down through different strokes and brushes.
- Space: negative space, compositions that span the page, etc. Take note of the distance or area between, around, above and below or within things.
- Balance: centered, off centered, balance in colors, shapes, lines etc. Take note of the three types of balance: symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radial.
- Emphasis: “also known as contrast. It is a way of using the elements to stress the difference of certain elements. Emphasis would be accomplished by using sudden and abrupt changes in elements.”
- Harmony: “Harmony refers to a way of combining similar elements (line, shapes, color etc.) in an artwork to accent their similarities. It could be accomplished by using repetition and gradual changes. Pieces that are in harmony have an overall uniform appearance.”
- Proportions: “Proportion is used to describe the relationship of certain elements to the whole and to each other.” Try drawing objects of notably different sizes and shapes next to each other.
- Variety: “A picture made up of many different hues, values, lines, textures, and shapes would be described as complex. Complex pictures increase visual interests.”
- Gradation: “Gradation refers to a way of combining elements by using a series of gradual changes. For example, a gradual change of small shapes to larger shapes, or a gradual change of a dark value to a light value.”
- Movement: “Movement is used to create the look and feeling of action. It guides and moves the viewer’s eye throughout the work of art. Movement is achieved through placement of elements so that the eye follows a certain path, like the curve of a line, the contours of shapes, or the repetition of certain colors, textures, or shapes.”
- Rhythm: Is basically organized movement, through the use of patterns/repetition, gradation, variety, etc.
- Unity: do all the elements and principals work together? What is the mood/feel/look? Does the piece manage to convey that?


Well, I went back to my old post on art portfolios and updated it a bit (just this part, really.)
Also, here’s some links for you to help you a bit with your Art Basics and Art Foundations.