Elements are the parts of a work you can point at. Principles are the ways those parts are arranged. The written paper asks you to keep the two lists apart.
The idea
General Knowledge in Art is the written examination for Visual Arts candidates. It is not the studio paper. On this topic the elements are line, shape, form, colour, texture and space. Shape is flat. Form has depth: a pot you can walk around is a form, a circle drawn on paper is a shape. Texture can be a surface you can feel, or only the look of a surface. Space is the area around and between the parts, including the empty ground. Line can be the edge of a form or a mark that leads the eye.
Principles describe the arrangement. Balance can be symmetrical, like a mirror, or asymmetrical, with different parts that still feel even. Contrast is a clear difference, such as light against dark. Emphasis is the part the eye reaches first. Rhythm is a repeated line, shape or colour. Proportion is the size of one part against another. Harmony, or unity, means the parts belong together. Variety keeps that unity from becoming dull. A full answer names the word and shows it in a work. "It looks nice" does not name a principle. The Visual Arts past question pages practise the same words inside studio subjects. This page is the written paper.
The General Knowledge in Art tips guide is the written paper: the objective items, the essay, and how to build a point. The Visual Arts tips guide covers the studio papers that sit beside it. Start practising on glearn.now with Kevin and Anna. WASSCE General Knowledge in Art tips