Form and line are the main instruments artists use to “build” their composition. The line is employed to create a form, while the latter is needed to reach the finite goal – the creation of a shape. These are the basic principles familiar to every artist, designer, and photographer. It seems to be much more important to realize the role that these elements might potentially perform. As such, it might be suggested that a work of art, whether it is a painting or a photograph, can become literally alive with the help of a skillful use of such elements as forms and lines. In order to provide some evidence supporting this thesis, let us compare two pieces of art: the “The Starry Night” by Vincent van Gogh and Jerry Uelsman’s “Tree Goddess.”

The selected pieces illustrate a masterful use of lines and shapes and show how these elements bring life to still pictures. Thus, for instance, looking at the “The Starry Night” one is absolutely sure that it is a windy night depicted in the painting. It is important to note that van Gogh uses simple, almost primitive lines in his work. In the meantime, this simplicity is sufficient to animate the still picture – a viewer almost feels the movement of the wind in the dark night sky. It is also important to pay attention to the shapes the artist exploits. While the lines are used to depict a windy, even stormy weather conditions that are commonly associated with thrill and anxiety, the gentle floating shapes smooth the impression bringing in the element of calmness into a seemingly hectic composition. Jerry Uelsman’s “Tree Goddess,” in its turn, is another example of the piece that emphasizes the role of lines and shapes. Just like in “The Starry Night,” the lines in the “Tree Goddess” create an impression of movement. Here, though, the lines are, on the contrary, crimpled and involute. In the meantime, they do not bring in the feeling of smoothness like those simple lines in “The Starry Night.” Instead, they create the impression of mystery and secrecy. There is no contrast between the lines and the shapes – they all interlace harmoniously forming a surrealistic pattern. A viewer is necessarily taken aback by this complexity and diversity. As such, the examined examples illustrate that lines and shapes are more than a mere “artistic brick” used by a creator to depict the composition. These elements play a much more important role adding the target emotional and semantic connotations and animating the still picture.

The idea that one of the line and shape’s functions is the creation of the movement illusion might be very well illustrated by the examples of Henri Matisse’s “Dance” and Kent Walmer “Summer School Students of Miss Margaret Morris Rehearse on The Beach.” As such, the two pieces are static – in other words, unlike films, they are not able to show movement and action. In the meantime, their creators have managed to translate the impression of movement and dance with the help of a skillful use of lines and shapes. As a result, one would never claim that the pieces are static – instead, the viewer is sure to feel the rhythm and music sounds while examining these pieces.