- Definition
The dominant element in a piece of art is the part that immediately catches your eye, standing out from everything else.
In a drawing of a bright red ball on green grass, the red ball is the dominant element because its color stands out.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: The dominant element is like the biggest, brightest toy in the toy box that your eyes go to first.
Ask your child: What part of this picture grabs your eye first?
Common mix-up: Kids may think the dominant element is always the biggest thing. It can also be the brightest or most interesting part that you see first.
Examples
- A big, yellow sun drawn in the middle of a picture.
- The face of a person who is up close in a photograph.
- A single dark tree in a picture of a snowy white field.
dominant element is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
