There seems to be common agreement that balance, proportion, repetition, rhythm, emphasis, harmony, and color are of first importance in their contribution to beauty and that the various principles and facts concerning each should be developed in an art unit or course. The selection of these seven phases of art as fundamental is supported by Goldstein,[ 9] by Russell and Wilson,[ 10] and by Trilling and Williams.[ 11]
The committee on art terminology has also given emphasis to these in the classification as set up in Table V of their report. This is here given in full.
Simplest form of classification[ 12]
| Basic elements | Major principles | Minor principles | Resulting attributes | Supreme attainment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Line. | Repetition. | Alteration. | ||
| Form. | Sequence. | |||
| Rhythm. | Harmony. | |||
| Radiation. | ||||
| Light and Dark. } Tone. | Proportion. | Parallelism. | Beauty. | |
| Transition. | ||||
| Balance. | Fitness. | |||
| Color. | Symmetry. | |||
| Texture. | Emphasis. | Contrast. | ||
It will be noted that repetition, rhythm, proportion, balance, and emphasis are listed as major principles. It will also be noted that harmony is classified as a resulting attribute. This will be the inevitable result if the principles of the first five are well taught. Arrangements which meet the standards of good proportion, which are well balanced and which are suited to the space in which they are arranged will be harmonious.
Although color is designated as a basic element of art structure in this table and the principles of design function in the effective use of it, there are some guides of procedure in the use of those qualities of color, such as hue, value, and intensity, which should be developed to insure a real ability to select colors and combine them harmoniously.
Line is also considered a basic element of art structure. Since the problems in a course in art related to the home are largely those of selection, combination, and arrangement, the consideration of line may be confined to its effect as it provides pleasing proportions, is repeated in an interesting manner, or produces desirable rhythm.
The omission of the remainder of the art terms that were found to be frequently used in art books and courses of study is not as arbitrary as it seems. Through the consideration of the qualities of color it will be found that value includes the material often given under "light and dark" or "notan."
Referring again to the report of the Committee on Art Terminology,[ 13] "unity" is considered as a synonymous term for "harmony." Since it is possible for an arrangement to be unified and still be lacking in harmony, the latter term is used in the bulletin as the more important and inclusive one. There is less obvious need for the principles of "radiation," "opposition," and "transition" in problems of selection andarrangement. The Goldsteins refer to them as methods of arranging the basic elements of lines, forms, and colors in contributing to the principles of balance, proportion, rhythm, emphasis, and harmony. Thus some reference to them may be made in the development of the principles of harmony and rhythm.