Art terms Flashcards
A visual representation that may have little resemblance to the real world. Abstraction can occur through a process of simplification or distortion in an attempt to communicate an essential aspect of a form or concept.
Abstraction
Black, gray, or white with no distinctive hues.
Achromatic.
A color mixing system in which combinations of different wavelengths of light create visual sensations of color.
Additive system.
The perception of less distinct and value contrasts as forms recede into the background. Colors appear to be washed out in the distance or take on the color of the atmosphere. Also called atmospheric perspective.
Aerial perspective.
The branch of philosophy concerned with the beautiful in art and how the viewer experiences it.
Aesthetics.
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.
Afterimage.
A composition that distributes emphasis uniformly throughout the two dimensional surface by repetition of similar elements.
Allover pattern.
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 a regular and anticipated sequence.
Alternating rhythm.
Obscurity of motif or meaning.
Ambiguity.
A dynamic and dramatic illusionistic effect created when an object is pointed directly at the viewer.
Amplified perspective.
A color scheme that combines several hues located next to each other on the color wheel.
Analogous colors.
A measure of the attributes and relationships of an artwork or design.
Analysis.
Term used to describe an image that has been optically distorted.
Anamorphic.
The implication of movement on a static two dimensional surface caused by the viewer’s past experience with a similar situation.
Anticipated movement.
A decorative style, popular in the 1920’s characterized by its geometric patterns and reflecting the rise of industry and mass production in the early twentieth century.
Art deco.
A late nineteenth century style that emphasized organic shapes
Art nouveau.
An assembly of found objects composed as a piece of sculpture.
Assemblage.
Balance achieved with dissimilar objects that have equal visual weight or equal eye attraction.
Asymmetrical balance.
A line of reference around which a form or composition is balanced.
Axis.
The equilibrium of opposing or interacting forces in a pictorial composition.
Balance.
Balance with respect to a vertical axis.
Bilateral symmetry.
Describes shapes derived from organic or natural forms.
Biomorphic.
A visual device in which most details and the edges of a form are lost in the rapidity of the implied movement.
Blurred outline.
Elegant flowing lines suggestive of writing with an aesthetic value separate from its literal content.
Calligraphy.
A law or accepted code that prescribes a set of standards.
Canon.
An architectural column in the form of a human figure.
Caryatid.
The use of light and dark values to imply depth and volume in a two dimensional work of art.
Chiaroscuro.
Relating to the hue or saturation of color.
Chromatic.
Suggestive of Greek and Roman ideals of beauty and purity of form, style, or technique.
Classical.
The placement of objects by which a composition keeps the viewer’s attention within the picture.
Closed form.
An artwork created by assembling and pasting a variety of materials onto a two dimensional surface.
Collage.
A psychological compensation for changes in light when observing a color. A viewer interprets the color to be the same under various light conditions.
Color constancy.
A perception of dissonance in a color relationship.
Color discord.
Any one of a number of color relationships based on groupings within the color wheel.
Color harmony.
Employing color to signify human character traits or concepts.
Color symbolism.
Three colors equidistant on the color wheel.
Color triad.
An arrangement of colors based on the sequence of hues in the visible spectrum.
Color wheel.
A color scheme incorporating opposite hues on the color wheel. Complimentary colors accentuate each other in juxtaposition and neutralize each other in mixture.
Complementary.
An overall arrangement and organization of visual elements on the two dimensional surface.
Composition.
Artwork based on an idea. An art movement in which the idea is more important than the two or three dimensional artwork.
Conceptual.
An aspect of human perception that allows us to see size or color or form as consistent even if circumstances change appearances.
Constancy effect.
An idea conveyed through the artwork that implies the subject matter, story, or information the artist communicates to the viewer.
Content.
A line or edge that continues from one form to another, allowing the eye to move smoothly through a composition.
Continuation.
The visual relationship between two or more individual designs.
Continuity.
A line used to follow the edges of forms and thus describe their outlines.
Contour.
A color closer to blue on the color wheel.
Cool color.
A process of criticism for the purpose of evaluating and improving art and design.
Critique.
Lines that appear to wrap around a form in a pattern that is at an angle to the outline of the form.
Cross contour.
A drawing technique in which a series of lines are layered over each other to build up value and to suggest form and volume.
Cross hatching.
Balance with equal emphasis over an entire two dimensional surface so that there is always the same visual weight or attraction wherever you may look. Also called allover pattern.
Crystallographic balance.
A form of abstraction that emphasizes planes and multiple perspectives.
Cubist. (Cubism)
Rounded and curving forms that tend to imply flowing shapes and compositions.
Curvilinear.
A verbal account of the attributes of an artwork or design.
Description.
A planned arrangement of visual elements to construct an organized visual pattern.
Design.
A departure from an accepted perception of a form or object. Distortion often manipulates established proportional standards.
Distortion.
The quality of drawing or rendering.
Draftsmanship.
Artworks created by altering a large area of land using natural and organic materials. Earthworks are usually large scale projects that take formal advantage of the local topography.
Earthworks.
A subjective approach to color use to elicit an emotional response from the viewer.
Emotional color.
Puzzling or cryptic in appearance or meaning.
Enigmatic.
Visual balance between opposing compositional elements.
Equilibrium.
An ambiguous space in which it is hard to distinguish the foreground from the background. Your perception seems to alternate from one to another.
Equivocal space.
An artistic style in which an emotion is more important than adherence to any perceptual realism. It is characterized by the exaggeration and distortion of objects in order to evoke an emotional response from the viewer.
Expressionism.
The face or frontal aspect of a form.
Facade.
A french term meaning “wold beast” and descriptive of an artistic style characterized by the use of bright and intense expressionistic color schemes.
Fauve.
Any positive shape or form noticeably separated from the background, or the negative space.
Figure.
A compositional device emphasizing a certain area or object to draw attention to the piece and to encourage closer scrutiny of the work.
Focal point.
Art and craft objects made by people who have not been formally trained as artists.
Folk art.
A distortion of a shape due to perspective wherein an object appears shorter than we know it to be.
Foreshortening.
When referring to objects, it is the shape and structure of a thing. When referring to two dimensional artworks, it is the visual aspect of composition, structure, and the work as a whole.
Form.
Traditional and generally accepted visual solutions.
Formal.
A mural painting technique in which pigments mixed in water are used to form the desired color. These pigments are then applied to wet lime plaster, thereby binding with and becoming an integral part of a wall.
Fresco.
A unified configuration or pattern of visual elements whose properties cannot be derived from a simple summation of its parts.
Gestalt.
A line that does not stay at the edges but moves freely within forms. These lines record movement of the eye as well as implying motion in the form.
Gesture.
A mathematical ratio in which width is to length is to length plus width. This ratio has been employed in design since the time of the ancient greeks. It can also be found in natural forms.
Golden mean.
The ancient greek ideal of a perfectly proportioned rectangle using a mathematical ratio called the golden mean.
Golden rectangle.
Forms drawn or painted onto a two dimensional surface; any illustration or design.
Graphic.
A network of horizontal and vertical intersecting lines that divide spaces and create a framework of areas.
Grid.
The surface of a two dimensional design that acts as the background or surrounding space for the “figures” in the composition.
Ground.
The pleasing combination of parts that make up a whole composition.
Harmony.
A composition in which the size of figures is determined by their thematic importance.
Hieratic scaling.
The farthest point we can see where the delineation between the sky and ground becomes distinct. The line on the picture plane that indicates the extent of illusionistic space and on which are located the vanishing points.
Horizon line.
A property of color defined by distinctions within the visual spectrum or color wheel. Red, blue, yellow and green are example of hue names.
Hue.
A religious image meant to embody the actual qualities of the depicted saint. More generally, a symbol or sign, especially one with strong emotional power.
Icon.
An artistic theory in which the world is not reproduced as it is but as it should be. All flaws, accidents, and incongruities of the visual world are corrected.
Idealism.
A picture created to clarify or accompany text.
Illustration.
Occurs when opposing or interacting forms are out of equilibrium in a pictorial composition.
Imbalance.
A painting technique in which pigments are applied in thick layers or strokes to create a rough three dimensional paint surface on the two dimensional surface.
Impasto.
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.
Implied line.
An artistic style that sought to re create the artist’s perception of the changing quality of light and color in nature.
Impressionism.
Synonymous with asymmetrical balance. It gives a less rigid, more casual impression.
Informal balance.
A mixed media artwork that generally takes into account the environment in which it is arranged.
Installation.
The saturation of hue perceived in a color.
Intensity.
A subjective conclusion regarding the meaning, implication, or effect of an artwork or design.
Interpretation.
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.
Isometric projection.
When one image or shape is placed next to or in comparison to another shape.
Juxtaposition.
A mental process in which the viewer consciously or unconsciously re crates or feels an action or motion he or she only observes.
Kinesthetic empathy.
Artworks that actually move or have moving parts.
Kinetic.
Low or common art forms that appeal to sentimentality.
Kitsch.
A connecting and flowing rhythm.
Legato.
A visual element of length.. It can be created by setting a point in motion.
Line.
Any number of characteristics of line determined by its weight, direction, uniformity, or other features.
Line quality.
A spatial system used in two dimensional artworks to create the illusion of space. It is based on the perception that if parallel lines extended to the horizon line, they appear to converge and meet at a common point, called a vanishing point.
Linear perspective.
Lines that show the pathway of movement and add strong emphasis to a suggestion of motion.
Lines of force.
The identifying color perceived in ordinary daylight.
Local color.
A sign or image that is taken to be an easily recognized symbol representing a company or organization.
Logo.
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.
Lost and found contour.
A radial concentric organization of geometric shapes and images commonly used in hindu and buddhist art.
Mandala.
The tools or materials used to create an artwork.
Medium.
An artistic style that stresses purity of form above subject matter, emotion, or other extraneous elements.
Minimalism.
The combination of two or more different media in a single work of art.
Mixed media.
A specific measured area or standard unit.
Module.
A color scheme using only one hue with varying degrees of value or intensity.
Monochromatic.
Pertaining to vision from one eye only.
Monocular.
A recombination of images from different sources to form a new picture.
Montage.
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 image.
A depiction of an object that incorporates several points of view.
Multiple perspectives.
A system of spatial illusion with different vanishing points for different sets of parallel lines.
Multipoint perspective.
The story that is told in an artwork.
Narrative.
The skilful representation of the visual image, forms and proportions as seen in nature with an illusion of volume and three dimensional space.
Naturalism.
A clearly defined shape within the ground that is defined by surrounding figures or boundaries.
Negative shape.
Unoccupied area or empty space surrounding the objects or figures in a composition.
Negative space.
A type of artwork with absolutely no reference to, or representation of, the natural world. The artwork is the reality.
Nonobjective.
Having to do with reality and fidelity to perception.
Objective.
A system of spatial illusion in to dimensional art based on the convergence of parallel lines to a common vanishing point usually on the horizon.
One point perspective.
A style of art and design that emphasizes optical phenomena.
Op art.
A surface impenetrable by light
Opaque.
The placement of elements in a composition so that they cut off by boundary of the design. This implies that the picture is a partial view of a larger scene.
Open form.
Color mixture created by the eye as small bits of color are perceived to blend and form a mixture.
Optical mixture.
A device for creating an illusion of depth in which some shapes are in front of and partially hide or obscure others.
Overlapping.
The repetition of a visual element or module in a regular and anticipated sequence.
Pattern.
A surface impenetrable by light.
Opaque.
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.
Open form.
Color mixture created by the eye as small bits of color are perceived to blend and form a mixture.
Optical mixture.
A device for creating an illusion of depth in which some shapes are in front of and partially hide or obscure others.
Overlapping.
The repetition of a visual element or module in a regular and anticipated sequence.
Pattern.
The resolution of two images from binocular vision.
Parallax.
The artist’s changes or corrections sometimes vident as traces in the surface. From the italian and implying artist repents.
Pentimenti.
A simple pictorial sign or group of signs intended to communicate without words.
Pictogram.
The two dimensional surface on which shapes are organized into a composition.
Picture plane.
The two dimensional surface of a shape.
Plane.
A system of color mixing used in painting and drawing based on the juxtaposition of small bits of pure color. Also called divisionism.
Pointillism.
A complex pattern employing more than one rhythm or beat.
Polyrhythmic.
An art movement originating in the 1960’s that sought inspiration from everyday popular culture and the techniques of commercial art.
Pop art.
Any shape or object distinguished from the background.
Positive shape.
The three colors from which all other colors theoretically can be mixed. The primaries of pigments are traditionally presented as red, yellow and blue. Whereas the primaries of light are red, blue and green.
Primary colors.
Repetition of a shape that changes in a regular pattern.
Progressive rhythm.
Size measured against other elements or against a mental norm or standard.
Proportion.
The degree of closeness in the placement of elements.
Proximity.
A mental connection between two points or elements. This occurs when a figure is pointing or looking in a certain direction, which causes the eye to follow toward the intended focus.
Psychic line.
A composition in which all visual elements are balanced around and radiate from a central point.
Radial balance.
An approach to artwork based on the faithful reproduction of surface appearances with a fidelity to visual perception.
Realism.
Composed of straight lines.
Rectilinear.
A compositional device in which a recognizable figure appears within the same composition in different positions and situations so as to relate a narrative to the viewer.
Repeated figure.
Using the same visual element over again within the same composition.
Repetition.
An image suggestive of the appearance of an object that actually exists.
Representational.
Fading perception due to overexposure and resulting in an afterimage effect.
Retinal fatigue.
An element of design based on the repetition of recurrent motifs.
Rhythm.
A mixture of any two primary colors.
Secondary color.
A hue mixed with black.
Shade.
Use of value in artwork.
Shading.
A visually perceived area created either by an enclosing line or by color and value changes defining the outer edges.
Shape.
The area between the contours of a shape.
Silhouette.
The effect created by two complimentary colors seen in juxtaposition. Each color seems more intense in this context.
Simultaneous contrast.
A work of art in which the content and aesthetic value is dependent on the artwork’s location.
Site specific.
The range of visible color created when white light is passed through a prism.
Spectrum.
Abrupt changes and dynamic contrast within visual rhythm.
Staccato.
Still, stable, or unchanging.
Static.
The content of an artwork.
Subject.
Reflecting a personal bias.
Subjective.
A color mixing system in which pigments are combined to create visual sensations of color. Wavelengths of light absorbed by the substances are subtracted, and the reflected wavelengths constitute the perceived color.
Subtractive system.
A russian art movement of the early twentieth century that emphasized nonobjective form.
Suprematism.
An artistic style that stresses fantastic and subconscious approaches to art making and often results in images that cannot be rationally explained.
Surrealism.
An element of design that communicates an idea or meaning beyond that of its literal form.
Symbol.
A quality of a composition or form wherein a precise correspondence of elements exists on either side of a center axis or point.
Symmetry.
The use of materials to create a surface that can be felt or touched.
Tactile texture.
A mixture of a primary and an adjacent secondary color.
Tertiary color.
The surface quality of objects that appeals to the tactile sense.
Texture.
A hue mixed with white.
Tint.
A single color or hue that dominates the entire color structure despite the presence of other colors.
Tonality.
A situation in which an object or form allows light to pass through it. In two dimensional art, two forms overlap, but both are seen in their entirety.
Transparency.
A color scheme involving three equally spaced colors on the color wheel.
Triadic.
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 images are actual objects.
TRompe l’oeil.
A scene that is viewed through an angle, with no objects parallel to the picture plane and with edges receding to two points on the horizon line.
Two point perspective.
The degree of agreement existing among the elements of design on a design.
Unity.
A measure of relative lightness or darkness.
Value.
The relationship between areas of dark and light.
Value contrast.
Use of a light and dark contrast to create a focal point within a composition.
Value emphasis.
The arrangement and amount of variation in light and dark values independent of any colors used.
Value pattern.
In linear perspective, the point at which parallel lines appear to converge on the horizon line. Depending on the view, there may be more than one vanishing point.
Vanishing point.
Accuracy or faithfulness in depiction or representation.
Versimiltude.
A prevailing or commonplace style in a specific geographical location, group of people, or time period.
Vernacular.
A spatial device in which elevation on the page or format indicates a recession into depth. The higher an object, the farther back it is assumed to be.
Vertical location.
Colors that create a flickering effect at their border. This effect usually depends on an equal value relationship and strong contrast.
Vibrating colors.
Placing small units of color side by side so that the eye perceives the mixture rather than the individual component colors.
Visual color mixing.
A two dimensional illusion suggestive of a tactile quality.
Visual texture.
The appearance of height, width, and depth in a form.
Volume.
A color closer to the yellow to red side of the color wheel.
Warm color.
A technique of drawing in water based media.
Wash drawing.
