Vocabulary List
*Picture plane: The two-dimensional surface on which shapes
are organized into a composition.
Composition: The overall arrangement of visual
elements (formal components: line, form, color, texture, light, space) on the
two-dimensional surface.
Closed form: The placement of objects by which
a composition keeps the viewer’s attention within the picture.
Open form: The
placement of elements in a composition so that they are cut off by the boundary
of the design. This implies that the picture is a partial view of a larger
scene.
*Negative space: The “empty” areas; the space that
exists between, around, and behind tangible forms and in part defines tangible
forms. Negative space is as significant in a composition as positive space.
*Positive space: The figure(s) or object(s) or
tangible thing(s) in a composition. Sometimes an object can be both positive
and negative depending on its relationship to other tangible things in the
composition.
Framing: The edges that define the given
space in which a work of art is composed.
*Overlapping: A visual device for creating an
illusion of depth in which some shapes are in front of and partially hide or
obscure others.
Proportion: The relative size or amount of
one element to another.
Texture: The surface quality or “feel” of
an object, its smoothness, roughness, softness, etc. Textures can be actual or
simulated. Actual textures can be felt with the fingers, while simulated textures
are visually suggested by an artist when drawing things like drapery, metal,
rocks, hair, etc.
Axis: A line of
reference around which a form or composition is balanced.
Line: A mark on a
surface, usually created by a pen, pencil, or brush. Lines vary in width,
length, direction, color, and degree of curve, and can be two-dimensional or
implied.
Gestural line: A
line that does not stay at the edges but moves freely within the form. These
lines record movement of the eye as well as implying motion in the form.
*Contour line: A
line used to follow the edges of the form and thus describe their outlines.
Implied line: An
invisible line created by positioning a series of points so that the eye will
connect them and thus create movement across the picture plane.
*Cross contour: Lines that appear to wrap around a form in a
pattern that is at an angle to the outline of the form.
Shape: A
two-dimensional figure created by connecting actual or implied lines that
enclose an area of space.
*Biomorphic/Organic shapes: Irregular, curvilinear shapes
resembling living organisms.
Geometric shapes: Triangle, rectangle, circle, or
composites thereof.
Form: A
three-dimensional object or, in an artwork, the representation of a
three-dimensional object, defined by contour, height, depth, and width.
*Juxtaposition: When
one image or shape is placed next to
or in comparison to another image or shape.
Silhouette: A two-dimensional representation of the outline of an object, as a cutout or configurational drawing, uniformly filled in with black.
*Static: Composition
or shape that appears to be still, stable, or unchanging.
*Dynamic:
Composition
or shape that appears to be energetic, capable of action and/or change.
Shading: A way of
showing gradual changes in lightness or darkness in a drawing or painting.
Shading helps make a picture look more three-dimensional. Techniques include
blending, stippling, hatching, and cross-hatching.
*Value: The
relative lightness or darkness of something.
Value scale: A
series of blocks showing the gradual increase of shading.
*Hatching: Lines are placed in a parallel series to
darken the value of an area.
*Cross-hatching: A
drawing technique in which a series of lines are layered over each
other to build up
value and to suggest form and volume.
Stippling: The
use of dots to create value within space, forms and textures. The closer together and more condensed the
marks, the darker the value. This technique is also referred to as Pointillism,
especially when used with color.
*Volume: The
appearance of height, width, and depth in a form.
*Chiaroscuro: Italian word meaning light/dark. The
gradations of light and dark values in a two-dimensional imagery; especially
the illusion of rounded, 3-dimensional forms created through gradations of
light and shade rather than line.
High key: Exclusive
use of light or pale values in a work.
Low key: Exclusive
use of darkest values in a work.
Full range: Use
of values from lightest to darkest in a work.
*Contrast: The difference between two unlike
things, such as a dark color and a light color.
Core of a shadow: The darkest part of the shadow.
*Highlight: Where
the light hits the object portrayed. It will usually be the white of the paper.
Reflected light:
Light that bounces up from surrounding surfaces and onto the object in areas
that are in shadow.
*Figure/ground
relationship: (Or positive/negative shapes) figure or positive shape refers
to the subject or dominant shapes. The ground or negative shape refers to
background areas.
Subject: The
content of an artwork.
Emphasis: Used to
draw our attention to an area or areas. Position, contrast, size can be used to
create this.
Variety: The use of
several elements of design to hold the viewer’s attention and to guide the
viewer’s eye through the artwork.
*Unity: The feeling
of harmony between all parts of an artwork creating a sense of
completeness.
Continuity: The visual
relationship between two or more individual designs.
*Balance: A feeling of equality in weight,
attention, or attraction of the various visual elements within the pictorial
field as a means of accomplishing unity.
Symmetrical balance
or bilateral symmetry: Near or exact matching of left and right sides of a
composition.
Asymmetrical balance:
Balance achieved with dissimilar objects that have equal visual weight or equal
eye attraction. This creates
a more dynamic composition.
Radial balance: The elements are arranged around a central
point and may be similar.
Movement: The path the
viewer’s eye takes through the artwork, often to focal areas. Such movement can
be directed along lines, edges, shape and color within the artwork.
Pattern: A two-dimensional application of
rhythm or repetition of an object or symbol all over the
artwork (E.g. repeated
motif in a wallpaper or textile design).
*Repetition: In repetition, some visual
element(s) are repeated, providing stepping stones for our eye to follow. The repetition of elements of design creates unity within the artwork.
Rhythm: Created when
one or more elements of design (i.e. line, value, texture) are used repeatedly
to create a feeling of organized movement. Variety is essential to keep rhythm
exciting and active, and moving the viewer around the artwork. Rhythm
creates a mood like music or dancing.
*Foreshortening: A
distortion of a shape due to perspective where an object appears shorter than
we know it to be.
*Perspective: A means for showing the illusion of
3-dimensional depth on a 2-dimensional surface.
Linear perspective:
A spatial system used in two-dimensional artworks to create the illusion of
space. It is based on the perception that if parallel lines are extended to the
horizon line, they appear to converge and meet at a common point, called the
vanishing point.
One-point perspective:
A system of spatial illusion of two-dimensional art based on convergence of
parallel lines to a common vanishing point usually on horizon.
Two-point perspective:
A scene that is viewed through an angle, with no objects parallel to the
picture plan and with edges receding to two points on the horizon line.
*Vanishing Point:
The point on the horizon line where parallel lines appear to vanish.
*Atmospheric or
aerial perspective: Creates the illusion of distance by reducing color
saturation, value contrast, and detail to imply the hazy effect of atmosphere
between the viewer and distant objects. Things appear paler, blue-gray, and
less distinct as they approach the horizon.
*Focal Point: Area of highest visual interest
in a composition. Composition lines lead the viewer’s eye toward the focal
point. It usually consists of a shape with the greatest meaning, greatest or
smallest size, and greatest controlled central position.
Trompe l’oeil: A French term meaning “to fool the
eye.” The objects are in sharp focus and delineated with meticulous care to
create an artwork that almost fools the viewer into believing that the image
are actual objects.
Appropriate: The
act of borrowing images, objects, or styles from pre-existing artworks or from
culture in general for one’s own creative use.
Conceptual: Artwork
based on an idea. An art movement in which the idea is more important than the
work’s visual structure.
Representational,
objective, figurative (naturalistic): Refers to art in which the artist
presents again (re-presents) a particular subject, something you recognize: a
tree, a person, a house, etc.
Abstraction: The
representation of form for its own sake. Forms are simplified, distorted,
exaggerated in attempt to communicate an essential aspect of a form or concept.
Nonobjective: A
type of artwork with absolutely no reference to, or representation of, the
natural world. The artwork is the reality.
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