Art Vocab Part 1

Question 1

___, the modification of a (usually) natural form by simplification or distortion. ____ is the category of such modified images. (See also non-objective.)

Answer 1

abstract/abstraction

Question 2

Italian term, meaning to paint on canvas or other ground directly, in full, opaque color, without any preliminary drawing or underpainting done first. (Underpainting is often done to establish the larger masses of the composition, or to establish tonal values (lights and darks)).

Answer 2

alla prima

Question 3

A type of space in modern painting characterized by the distribution of forms equally “all over” the picture surface, as opposed to the traditional composing method of having a focal point, or center of interest. In “all-over” space, the forms are seen as occupying the same spatial depth, usually on the picture plane; also, they are seen as possessing the same degree of importance in the painting. (In traditional painting, the focal point (or center of interest) is meant to be the most significant part of the painting, both visually and subject-wise, for instance, a portrait; whereas with “all-over” space, there is no one center of interest visually or subject-wise.) The Action painter, Jackson Pollock, was the first to use all-over (also called infinite) space, in his famous “drip” paintings of the 1940’s and ‘50’s, and this spatial concept has influenced most two-dimensional art since that time.

Answer 3

all-over-place

Question 4

A type of modern sculpture consisting of combining multiple objects or forms, often ‘found’ objects. (A found object is one that the artist comes upon and uses, as is or modified, in an artwork.) The most well known assemblages are those made by Robert Rauschenberg in the 1950’s and ‘60’s; for example, one assemblage consisted of a stuffed goat with an automobile tire encircling its stomach, mounted on a painted base. The objects are combined for their visual (sculptural) properties, as well as for their expressive properties.

Answer 4

assemblage

Question 5

A quality of two-dimensional images which has to do more with space than with volume; an ‘airiness,.’ seen more in contemporary than traditional images. Also refers to atmospheric perspective, which is a less technical type of perspective, using faded and lighter colors to denote far distance in landscapes.

Answer 5

atmospheric

Question 6

a less technical type of perspective, which consists of a gradual decrease in intensity of local color, and less contrast of light and dark, as space recedes into the far distance in a landscape painting or drawing. Often, this far distance will also be represented by a light, cool, bluish-gray. (See also perspective.)

Answer 6

atmospheric perspective

Question 7

a technique first used by the Dada and Surrealist artists in the early 20th century, to tap into their subconscious to write poetry (Freud’s ideas on the subconscious had been introduced in the early part of the 20th century). They would try to connect with their subconscious to access a ‘stream of consciousness,’ or more ‘free’ type of poetry. Visual artists in these movements also tried to draw or paint “automatically,” by allowing their subconscious to play a large part in the creative process. The Abstract Expressionists of the 1940’s and ‘50’s also used this method, for example, Jackson Pollock’s “drip” paintings.

Answer 7

automatic writing

Question 8

An attribute related to organic, since it describes images derived from biological or natural forms; it was a term frequently used in early- to mid-20th century art. The art of Miro, Arp and Calder contains examples of these simplified organic forms.

Answer 8

biomorphic

Question 9

first used by Manet and the Impressionists in 19th century French painting, where color was applied in small “dabs,” as opposed to the traditional method of smoothly blending colors and values (lights and darks) together. This method results in more of a “patchwork” effect, where the dabs render the facets of light on forms, and/or the planes of the forms’ volume, by means of color and value. Broken color has continued to be used in much modern and contemporary painting.

Answer 9

broken color

Question 10

beautiful personal handwriting, which has also been practiced in the Orient and Near East for many centuries. The term calligraphic is also applied to drawing or painting which contains brushstrokes reminiscent of calligraphy.

Answer 10

calligraphy

Question 11

A system of lenses and mirrors developed from the 16th to the 17th centuries, which functioned as a primitive camera for artists. With the camera obscura, painters could project the scene in front of them onto their painting surface, as a preliminary drawing. Vermeer, among others, is thought to have used the camera obscura.

Answer 11

camera obscura

Question 12

Italian term for light and dark, referring to the modeling of form by the use of light and shade.

Answer 12

chiaroscuro

Question 13

French word for cut and pasted scraps of materials, such as paper, cardboard, chair caning, playing cards, etc., to a painting or drawing surface; sometimes also combined with painting or drawing.

Answer 13

collage

Question 14

A style of painting begun in the 1950’s to ‘70’s, characterized by small or large abstracted areas of color. Mark Rothko is one of the earliest and best known color field painters; Morris Louis, Jules Olitski and Helen Frankenthaler are other examples.

Answer 14

color field painting

Question 15

Colors which are located opposite one another on the color wheel (e.g., red and green, yellow and purple, blue and orange);

Answer 15

complementary colors

Question 16

The process of arranging the forms of two- and three-dimensional visual art into a unified whole, by means of elements and principles of design, such as line, shape, color, balance, contrast, space, etc., for purposes of formal clarity and artistic expression.

Answer 16

composition

Question 17

____ is the birth process of an artistic idea, from the initial creative impulse through aesthetic refinement, problem-solving, and visualization/realization. ____ is the second half of the creative process: the actual carrying out of the idea, in terms of method and materials, which often involves compromises and alterations of the initial conception.

Answer 17

conception and execution

Question 18

Pertaining to the process involved in the initial stages of art-making (i.e., the initial conception, or idea). Also, the name of a contemporary art movement which is mainly concerned with this process of conceiving of and developing the initial idea, as opposed to the carrying-out of the idea into concrete form.

Answer 18

conceptual

Question 19

The term _____ describes the most recent art, in this case as distinguished from modern art, which is generally considered to have lost its dominance in the mid-1950’s.

Answer 19

contemporary art

Question 20

As opposed to subject matter, _____ is the “meaning” of the artwork, e.g., in Moby Dick, the subject matter is a man versus a whale; a complex system of symbols, metaphors, etc. describing man’s existence and nature.

Answer 20

content

Question 21

The outer edge of forms which implies three dimensions, in contrast to an outline, which is a boundary of two-dimensional, flat form. Also, a type of line drawing which captures this three-dimensional outer edge, with its fullness and recession of form.

Answer 21

contour

Question 22

Italian term, meaning to represent freedom of movement within a figure, as in ancient Greek sculpture, the parts being in asymmetrical relationship to one another, usually where the hips and legs twist in one direction, and the chest and shoulders in another.

Answer 22

contrapposto

Question 23

generally is one which contains a large amount of blue, as opposed to a warm color, which will contain more yellow.

Answer 23

cool colors

Question 24

The practice of overlapping parallel sets of lines in drawing to indicate lights and darks, or shading.

Answer 24

cross hatching