Shape vs Form: Difference and Comparison

The human eyes see a variety of things each day, some with very giant and noticeable structures while some with almost negligible characteristics, but the one thing that remains the same in all our experiences is the way in which we remember these things.

This becomes possible due to our understanding of various shapes and structures related to different things and objects. Human brains perceive different things in different ways. 

One major way to memorize the existence of these objects is to remember them by their shapes and forms. While these two words are really confusing and used interchangeably, they can be characterized differently.  

Key Takeaways

1. Shape describes the outline or contour of a two-dimensional object, while form pertains to the three-dimensional structure of an object.
2. The shape is an element of design, whereas form is an aspect of sculpture and architecture.
3. Artists use shapes to create patterns, textures, and compositions, while forms convey volume, mass, and spatial relationships.

Shape vs Form  

The difference between a Shape and a Form is that the former refers to a structure that can plainly be reflected on a plain sheet of paper in just two dimensions, while in the latter’s case, the structure happens to be a three-dimensional one and cannot be painted on a plain sheet. But this is not the only difference. These two are separate from each other in terms of perception and point of view as well. They are collectively used as a way of seeing things, but they differentiate the ways of seeing things into two categories.  

While on one side, Shape refers to a structure having just two dimensions that can easily be reflected on just one plain sheet of paper. Certain examples are circles, rectangles, squares, etc.

It is a collection of one or multiple strokes of lines and seems just one way when it is seen by human eyes. It only shows the length or width of a particular object but does not denote the depth. 

And Form refers to the state of a structure of an object in which the three-dimensional view of that particular object is seen.

It contains the length, width, and depth of certain objects, and it cannot be reflected on a plain sheet of paper. In technicality, it refers to the actual view of certain things. 

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Shape	Form
Meaning	In terms of visual arts, it refers to a structure having a flat view with a two-dimensional appearance.	In terms of visual arts, it refers to a structure having a real and not an illusionary three-dimensional view of any object or person.
Dimension	Two-dimensional view	Three-dimensional view
Side	It consists of the length and width only	It consists of the length, width, and depth as well.
Complexity	These are very simple figures and easy to comprehend.	These are complex and tough to comprehend.
Nature	It reflects the illusionary status of a particular object.	it refers to the real and original status of an object.
Examples	Circle, rectangle, triangle, square, etc.	Sphere, cone, cube, cuboid, etc.

What is Shape? 

A Shape literally refers to a structure generated by the combination of certain flat lines on a plain paper sheet. This provides a two-dimensional view and can easily be painted on blank paper. It consists of one or more than one lines joined all together.  

A shape clearly shows the length and width of an object but fails to show its depth or height inside of it. It provides only an illusionary view of the thing being looked at. It is good for creating understanding in children with respect to certain structures.  

Shapes are really easy to comprehend and accordingly evaluate owing to their simple and easy structure and composition. They do not have much in that to get confused about.  

For example- if one is asked to draw the earth on a piece of paper, all he can draw is just a round figure pertaining to the earth. In actual terms, it is just the shape of the earth, not the form. Certain examples of shapes can be circles, triangles, rectangles, squares, etc. 

What is Form? 

A Form is also an element of art, but unlike shape, it is three-dimensional in its structure and can be really complex in its nature to comprehend. It also shows the length and width of an object but also shows the depth.

And this depth feature distinguishes it from all other elements of art. 

In other words, it can be said that when a shape comes out of paper in real life, it becomes a Form and showcases originality. This originality comes from all three dimensions that are reflected in this shape. 

For example- similar to the example mentioned above, the actual earth is the only form of earth. Identical forms of earth can be manufactured by giving their form to a miniature.  

Certain examples of shapes can be a cube, cuboid, cone, cylinder, etc. 

Main Differences Between Shape and Form 

1. In terms of visual arts, Shape refers to a structure having a flat view with a two-dimensional appearance. While on the other hand, in terms of visual arts, Form refers to a structure having a real and not illusionary three-dimensional view of any object or person. 
2. While Shape shows a two-dimensional view, Form showcases a three-dimensional view of any object. 
3. Shapes are easy to comprehend due to their simple structure, while Forms are tough to understand as they have a complex structure.  
4. The shape consists of the length and width of any object, while the Form shows the depth also along with these two. 
5. Shape refers to the imaginary and illusionary status of a thing, while Form is the actual structure of that object seen all over the world.  
6. Circles, rectangles, triangles, and ovals are all examples of Shapes. And cone, cube, cuboid, and cylinder are examples of Forms.  

References

1. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=zJzC7nfAMWEC&oi=fnd&pg=PP16&dq=shape+and+form&ots=xDWA9EpnIP&sig=revcPi72cGlX8zRWipsPTisuEVA
2. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00427-016-0539-2