Form by Kathy Patnaude

Peter Hiller lists form as one of the basic elements of art or "sensory components used to create and talk about works of art" (2002). Merriam-Webster Dictionary (online) lists the etymology of form originating from the Latin forma which means form or beauty. Specifically, (according to Dictionary.com) (online), form can denote a boundary line of a material object but form may also be defined as the shape and structure of an object. Therefore form and shape are closely related. An Online Docent Reference and Tour Design Aid from the Delaware Art Museum explains that although related, form differs from shape in that form "implies the third dimension of depth".

Charlotte Jirousek (online) explains that both form and shape need space to exist and she categorizes form as geometric or organic. Shapes and figures such as circles, squares and rectangles suspended in space represent geometric form. This photo of the Continental Center building in downtown Houston Texas is a good example of geometric form, which includes a triangle and a polygon. The geometric form of the two lower sections of the building implies depth by cutting off some of the windows in the sections above.
	Jirousek also discusses how form can be described as organic. This section of mountains in Indian Wells California represents organic form. Although the mountains bear a resemblance to triangles in the spatial sky they have asymmetrical qualities. Depth is implied by the shadowed crevices and dwarfed palm trees that grow in the valley below.
From these two examples, it would be reasonable to assume that geometric form is always constructed and organic form occurs only in nature but according to Jirousek the form of an object that is constructed can have very organic qualities. This ice carving (in progress) is quite asymmetrical and shows irregular curves similar to the mountains that were formed by nature so even though human hands constructed this ice carving it has an organic form.
	Likewise, geometric form can occur in nature. Jirousek uses examples such as snowflakes and soap bubbles. They are organic because they occur in nature but when placed under a microscope they display a geometric form. Another good example of geometric form occurring in nature would be the pattern on the trunks of these palm trees. If you observe the trunks at an angle, their pattern is geometric like the windows on the outside of the constructed Continental Center building. Both examples are geometric in form but only the palm trees are naturally occurring.
Jirousek also discussed value or "the relative lightness or darkness of a color" and how it defines form. A very strong contrast in value will define the boundaries of an object. This statue has a strong contrast in value, the form is very well defined and the statue appears to be solid and not able to be penetrated.
	On the other hand the spotlight on the figure skater has a lower contrast value. Although it creates an illusion of contour and volume in the dark arena the form of the spotlight is not as well defined and there is a sense that it is not solid.

Following are two examples from online museums that will illustrate the contrast between two dimensional shape and three-dimensional form:

1. Madonna and Child by Giotto di Bondone
Museum: National Gallery of Art
In the online description of this painting, the National Gallery of Art describes flat planes that were derived from Byzantine traditions. Jirousek explains this concept - during the Middle Ages, depth was not an important concept and real images of landscapes and the natural world were not valued. Instead, religious objects and symbols were desired so European artists lost their ability to depict depth correctly. In this painting there are fine nuances of depth, (or as what the museum calls, "soft shadows") but it is very difficult to imagine depth in this painting. It is a very good example of two-dimensional shape as opposed to form.
URL: http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/gg1/gg1-400.0.html

2. From above Pont-y-Pant by George Elbert Burr
Museum: Smithsonian American Art Museum
URL: http://www.nmaa.si.edu/
This painting from 1899 is a excellent example of three-dimensional form and how one must use the visual signals to imagine depth. The weak contrast and light shades of the mountains in the background aids in this process. Jirousek explains that these "3D cues" are natural to almost every person today, but that there are some preliterate societies that have trouble imagining this depth perception.

Bibliography:

1. Art, Design and Visual Thinking (n.d.). Retrieved September 9, 2003 from http://char.txa.cornell.edu/first.htm.

2. Delaware Art Museum, Docent Reference and Tour Design Aids (n.d.). Retrieved September 13, 2003 from http://www.delart.org/damdocent/eform.html.

3. Dictionary.com. (n.d.). Retrieved September 9, 2003, from http://dictionary.reference.com/
Hiller, P. (2002). Covering Art's Bases [Electronic version]. Arts & Activities, 132, p37.

4. Merriam Webster Dictionary (n.d.) Retrieved September 15, 2003 from http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary.