abstraction
A visual representation having little resemblance to the objective world.
achromatic
black, gray, or white with no distinctive hues
additive system
A color mixing system in which combinations of different wavelengths of light create visual sensations of color.
aerial perspective
The perception of less-distinct contours and value contrasts as forms recede into the background.
aesthetics
a branch of philosophy concerned with the beautiful in art and how the viewer experiences it.
afterimage
Occurs after staring at an area of intense color for a certain amount of time and then quickly glancing away toward a white surface where the complementary color seems to appear.
allover pattern
A composition that distributes emphasis uniformly thorough the 2-D surface by repetition of similar elements
alternating rhythm
A rhythm that consists of successive patterns in which the same elements reappear in a regular order. The motifs alternate consistently with one another to produce regular and anticipated sequence.
ambiguity
obscurity of motif or meaning.
amplified perspective
a dynamic and dramatic illustration effect created when an object is pointed directly at the viewer.
analogous colors
a color scheme that combines several hues located next to each other on the color wheel.
analysis
a measure of the attributes and relationships of an artwork or design.
anamorphic
term used to describe an image that has been optically distorted.
anticipated movement
The implication of movement on a static two-dimensional surface caused by the viewer's past experience with a similar situation.
art deco
Art style of the 1920s and 1930s based on modern materials and repetitive geometric patterns.
art nouveau
a late nineteenth century style that emphasized organic shapes.
assemblage
an assembly of found objects composed as a piece.
asymmetrical balance
balance achieved with dissimilar objects that have equal visual weight or equal eye attraction.
axis
a line of reference around which a form or composition is balanced.
balance
the equilibrium of opposing or interacting forces in a pictorial composition.
bilateral symmetry
balance with respect to vertical axis.
biomorphic
describes shapes derived from organic or natural forms.
blurred outline
a visual device in which most details and the edges of a form are lost in the rapidity of the implied movement.
calligraphy
elegant flowing lines suggestive of writing with an aesthetic value separate from its literal content.
caryatid
an architectural column in the form of a human figure.
chiaroscuro
the use of light and dark values to imply the depth and volume in a two dimensional work of art.
chromatic
relating to the hue or saturation of color.
classical
suggestive of Greek and Roman ideals of beauty and purity of form, style, or technique.
closed form
the placement of objects by which a composition keeps the viewer's attention within the picture.
collage
an artwork created by assembling and pasting a variety of materials onto a two dimensional surface.
color constancy
a psychological compensation for changes in light when observing a color.
color discord
a perception of dissonance in a color relationship.
color harmony
any one of a number of color relationships based on groupings within the color wheel.
color symbolism
employing color to signify human character traits or concepts.
color triad
three colors equidistant on the color wheel.
color wheel
an arrangement of colors based on the sequence of hues in the visible spectrum.
complementary
a color scheme incorporating opposite hues on the color wheel.
composition
the overall arrangement and organization of visual elements on the 2-D surface.
conceptual
artwork based on an idea.
constancy affect
an aspect of human perception that allows us to see size or color or form as consistent even if circumstances change appearances.
content
an idea conveyed through the artwork, that implies the subject matter, story, or information the artist communicates to the viewer.
continuation
a line or edge that continues from one form to another, allowing the eye to move smoothly through a composition.
continuity
the visual relationship between two or more individual designs.
contour
a line used to follow the edges of forms and thus describe their outlines.
cool color
a color closer to blue on the color wheel
critique
a process of criticism for the purpose of evaluating and improving art and design.
cross contour
lines that appear to wrap around a form in a pattern that is at an angle to the outline of the form.
cross-hatching
a technique of crossing lines over each other to create a change in value
crystallographic balance
Balance with equal emphasis over entire 2-D surface so that there is always the same visual weight or attraction wherever you may look.
cubist
a form of abstraction that emphasizes planes and multiple perspectives.
curvilinear
rounded and curving forms that imply flowing shapes and compositions.
description
a verbal account of the attributes of an artwork or design.
design
a planned arrangement of visual elements to construct an organized visual pattern.
distortion
a departure from an accepted perception of a form or object.
draftsmanship
the quality of drawing or rendering.
earthworks
artworks created by alternating a large area of land using natural and organic materials.
emotional color
a subjective approach to color use to elicit an emotional response in the viewer.
enigmatic
puzzling or cryptic in appearance or meaning.
equilibrium
visual balance between opposing compositional elements.
equivocal voice
an ambiguous space in which it is hard to distinguish the foreground from the background.
expressionism
an artistic style in which an emotion is more important than adherence to any perceptual realism.
facade
the face or frontal aspect of a form.
fauve
a French term meaning "wild beast" and descriptive of an artistic style characterized by the use of bright and intense expressionistic color schemes.
figure
any positive shape or form noticeably separated from the background, or the negative space.
folk art
art and craft objects made by people who have not been formally trained as artists
form
when referring to objects, it is the shape and structure of a thing.
formal
traditional and generally accepted visual solutions
fresco
a mural painting technique in which pigments mixed in water are used to form the desired color.
gestalt
a unified configuration or pattern of visual elements whose properties cannot be derived from simple summation of its parts.
golden mean
A mathematical ratio in which width is to length as length is to length plus width.
golden rectangle
The ancient Greek ideal of a perfectly proportioned rectangle using a mathematical ratio called the Golden Mean.
graphic
forms drawn or painted on a 2-D surface.
grid
a network of horizontal and vertical intersecting lines that divide spaces and create a framework of areas.
ground
the surface of a 2-D design that acts as the background or surrounding space for the "figures" in the composition.
harmony
the pleasing combination of parts that make up a whole composition.
hieractic scaling
a composition in which the size of figures is determined by their thematic importance.
horizontal line
the farthest point we can see where the delineation between the sky and ground becomes distinct.
hue
a property of color defined by distinctions within the visual spectrum or color wheel.
idealism
an artistic theory in which the world is not reduced as it is but as it should be.
illustration
a picture created to clarify or accompany a text.
imbalance
occurs when opposing or interacting forms are not of equilibrium in a pictorial composition.
impasto
a painting technique in which pigments are applied in thick layers or strokes to create a rough 3-D paint surface on the 2-D surface.
implied line
an invisible line created by positioning a series of points so that the eye will connect with them and thus create movement across the picture plane.
impressionism
an artistic style that sought to re-create the artist's perception of the changing quality of light and color in nature.
informal balance
synonymous with asymmetrical balance. It gives a less-rigid, more casual impression.
installation
a mixed media artwork that generally takes into account the environment in which it is arranged.
intensity
the saturation of hue perceived in a color.
interpretation
a subjective conclusion regarding the meaning, implication, or effect of an artwork or design.
isometric projection
A spatial illusion that occurs when lines receding on the diagonal remain parallel instead of converging toward a common vanishing point, Used commonly in Oriental and Far Eastern art.
juxtaposition
when one image or shape is placed next to or in comparison to another image or shape.
kinesthetic empathy
a mental process in which the viewer consciously or unconsciously re-creates or feels an action or motion he or she only observes.
kinetic
artworks that actually move or have moving parts.
legato
a connecting and flowing rhythm.
line
a visual element of length.
line quality
any one of a number of characteristics of line determined by its weight, direction, uniformity, or other features.
linear perspective
a spatial system used in 2-D artworks to create the illusion of space.
lines of force
lines that show the pathway of movement and add strong visual emphasis to a suggestion of motion.
local color
the identifying color perceived in ordinary daylight.
lost-and-found contour
a description of a form in which an object is revealed by distinct contours in some areas whereas other edges simply vanish or dissolve into the ground.
mandala
a radial concentric organization of geometric shapes and images commonly used in Hindu and Buddhist art.
medium
the tools or materials used to create an artwork.
minimalism
an artistic style that stresses purity of form above subject matter, emotion, or other extraneous elements.
mixed media
the combination of two or more different media in a single work of art.
module
a specific measured area or standard unit.
monochromatic
a color scheme using only one hue with varying degrees of value intensity.
moncular
pertaining to vision from one eye only.
montage
a recombination of images from different sources to form a new picture.
multiple image
a visual device used to suggest the movement that occurs when a figure is shown in a sequence of slightly overlapping poses in which each successive position suggests movement from the prior position.
multiple perspective
a depiction of an object that incorporates several points of view.
multipoint perspective
a system of spacial illusion with different vanishing points for different sets of parallel lines.
naturalism
the skillful representation of the visual image, forms, and proportions as seen in nature with an illusion of volume and 3-D space.
negative shape
a clearly defined shape within the ground that is defined by surrounding figures or boundaries.
negative space
unoccupied area or empty space surrounding the objects or figures in a composition.
nonobjective
a type of artwork with absolutely no reference to, or representation of, the natural world.
objective
having to do with reality and fidelity to perception.
one-point perspective
a system of spatial illusion in 2-D art based on the convergence of parallel lines to a common vanishing point usually on the horizon.
op art
a style of art and design that emphasizes optical phenomena.
opaque
a surface impenetrable by light
open form
the placement of elements in a composition so that they are cut off by the boundary of the design.
optical mixture
color mixture created by the eye as as small bits of color are perceived to blend and form a mixture.
overlapping
a device for creating an illusion of depth in which some shapes are in front of and partially hide or obscure others.
pattern
the repetition of a visual element or module in a regular and anticipated sequence.
parallax
the resolution of two images from binocular vision
picture plane
the 2-D surface on which shapes are organized into a composition.
plane
the 2-D surface of a shape.
pointillism
a system of color mixing based on the juxtaposition of small bits of pure color.
pop art
an art movement originating in the 1960s that sought inspiration from everyday popular culture and the techniques of commercial art.
positive shape
any shape or object distinguished from the background.
primary colors
Three colors from which all other colors originate. They are red, blue and yellow.
progressive rhythm
repetition of a shape that changes in a regular pattern.
proportion
size measured against other elements or against a mental norm or standard.
proximity
the degree of closeness in the placement of elements.
psychic line
a mental connection between two points or elements.
radial balance
a composition in which all visual elements are balanced around and radiate from a central point.
realism
an approach to artwork based on the faithful reproduction of surface appearances with a fidelity to visual perception.
rectilinear
composed of straight lines
repeated figure
a composition device in which recognizable figure appears within the same composition in different positions and situations so as to relate a narrative to the viewer.
repetition
using the same visual element over again within the same composition.
representational
an image suggestive of the appearance of an object that really exists.
rhythm
an element of design based on the repetition of recurrent motifs.
secondary color
a mixture of two primary colors.
shade
a hue mixed with black.
shading
use of value in artwork.
shape
a visually perceived area created either by an enclosing line or by color and value changes defining the outer edges.
silhouette
the area between the contours of a shape.
simultaneous contrast
the effect created by two complimentary colors seen in juxtaposition.
site specific
a work of art in which the content and aesthetic value is dependent on the artwork's location.
spectrum
the range of visible color created when white light is passed through a prism.
staccato
abrupt changes and dynamic contrast within the visual rhythm.
static
still, stable, or unchanging.
subject
the content of an artwork.
subjective
reflecting a personal bias.
subtractive system
A color mixing system in which pigment (physical substance) is combined to create visual sensations of color. Wavelengths of light absorbed by the substance are subtracted, and the reflected wavelengths constitute the perceived color.
suprematism
a Russian art movement of the early 20th century that emphasized nonobjective form.
surrealism
an artistic style that stresses fantastic and subconscious approaches to art making and often results in images that cannot be rationally explained.
symbol
an element of design that communicates an idea or meaning beyond that of its literal form.
symmetry
a quality of composition or form wherein a precise correspondence of elements exists on either side of a center axis or point.
tactile texture
the use of materials to create a surface that can be felt or touched.
tertiary color
a mixture of a primary and an adjacent secondary color.
texture
the surface quality of objects that appeals to the tactile sense.
tint
a hue mixed with white.
tonality
a single color or hue that dominates the entire color structure despite the presence of the other colors.
transparency
a situation in which an object or form allows light to pass through it.
triadic
a color scheme involving three equally spaced colors on the color wheel.
trompe l'oeil
a French term meaning "to fool the eye.
unity
the degree of agreement existing among the elements in a design.
value
a measure of relative lightness or darkness.
value contrast
the relationship between areas of dark and light.
value emphasis
use of a light-and-dark contrast to create a focal point within a composition.
value pattern
the arrangement and amount of variation in light and dark values independent of any colors used.
vanishing point
in linear perspective, the point at which parallel lines appear to converge on the horizontal line.
vernacular
a prevailing or commonplace style in a specific geographical location, group of people, or time period.
vertical location
a spatial device in which elevation on the page or format indicates a recession into depth.
vibrating colors
colors that create a flickering effect at their border.
visual color mixing
placing small units of color side by side so that the eye perceives the mixture rather than the individual component colors.
visual texture
a 2-D illusion suggestive of a tactile quality.
volume
the appearance of height, width, and depth in a form.
warm color
a color closer to the yellow-to-red side of the color wheel.
wash drawing
a technique of drawing in water-based media.