Shapes often occupy a similar space in the public consciousness as lines. This is to say, shapes are often dismissed as simplistic and primitive elements, which leads to them being frequently overlooked. Foregoing the teaching and learning of lines and shapes due to a perceived notion of these being too simple for anyone past a certain age, could be compared to skipping addition and subtraction when teaching mathematics. They are the foundation of understanding the fundamentals that follow.
A shape is the space inside an enclosed contour, but it can also be much more organic than that. A shape can be formed by a brushstroke and dependant on the style of the bristles, or by the way the water pools on the paper when painting with watercolours, or even the angle of an oil pastel stick on the paper. As such, we can more broadly define shapes as the two-dimensional areas that are denoted by a change in contrast.
Shapes are incredibly important in the creation of a work of art, even when only considering the process. They are often one of the first layers of a work, the first step of both a sketch and the colouring. As art educators, we teach artists to always breakdown a work into shapes. This is because , while a hand may be overwhelming to draw, a square and a few rectangles are much more manageable.
Let’s take another look at Van Gogh’s Café Terrace at Night.
Van Gogh, Vincent. “Café Terrace at Night.” Wikimedia, May 29, 2026. Kröller-Müller Museum. Netherlands. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Van_Gogh_-_Terrace_of_a_Caf%C3%A9_at_Night_(Place_du_Forum)_1888.jpg.
At first glance, the most initially recognisable shapes are the rigid rectangles, particularly the bright-blue outlined rectangles of the door frame in the foreground. We can also notice the large yellow parallelogram that makes up the awning.
These are the more noticeable geometric shapes, which appear in contrast to the organic shapes created by the brushstrokes. These are at their highest contrast point when we compare the rigid outlines and geometry of the buildings to the more fluid background of the sky and stars. Built by organic cross-shaped brushstrokes, the sky has the distinct illusion of movement, a technique which is iconic to Van Gogh’s skies.
This contrast of shapes—sharp versus fluid—is integral to composition of this work. The geometric shapes are counter-intuitively warm, drawing you in further towards the café, while the dark cold-blue sky is organic and mysterious. The feeling of comfort and mystery is one that has, as its base foundation, the simple shapes of the elements used to create the work.
Looking at the following project completed by one of our students, what can you tell about the shapes used and how they aid the composition and the initial building steps of the art? Are they organic or geometric, and what would be the impact on the overall piece if those were switched?
"Hello Galaxy" art project completed by a 2nd Grade student, Artshine Inc.
The simple, 2D element of shapes can certainly be found everywhere when we What happens, however, when you take a 2D shape, and add more depth and volume to it? Next week, we will take a look at form and how it serves as the central element in many works, including Café Terrace at Night.