In its artistic sense the term ‘form’ has two meanings. Firstly it refers to the overall form taken by the work – its physical nature. Secondly, within a work of art, form refers to the element of shape among the various elements that make up a work. Painting for example consists of the elements of line, colour, texture, space, scale, and format as well as form. Sculpture consists almost exclusively of form. Until the emergence of modern art in the 20th century, when colour became its rival, form was the most important element in painting and was based above all on the human body. In treating or creating form in art, the artist aims to modify natural appearances in order to make a new form that is expressive, that conveys some sensation or meaning in itself. In modern art the idea grew that form could be expressive, even if largely or completely divorced from appearances.