Composition Flashcards
what is composing
arrangement of subject matter in the format
what is the composition
the final result of composing an artwork. it is vert important and can often make or break the success of an artwork
what are the three planes that composition is divided up into
the background, the foreground and the middle ground
what is composition
the combination of the art elements to form a pleasing whole. the arrangement of colours, forms, etc. must form a visually pleasing or stimulating unity.
what is the focal point
the area of interest to which the viewers eye is drawn to when viewing the artwork
what are the principles of composition/design
balanace rhythm/movement emphasis unity/harmony contrast proportion pattern
what is balance
it refers to the arrangement of the elements to create stability in an artwork. ( looks and feels right )
what is symmetrical balance
both sides are similar in visual weight and almost mirrored. it often looks stiff and formal
what is asymmetrical balance
both sides are similar is visual weight but not mirrored. usually creates more interesting compositions
what is radial balance
it is not very common in compositions. arranged like a flower (daisy/sunflower). everything is arag`nged around a centre. rose windows of cathedrals used this design
what is rhythm/ movement
it refers to the ways of combining art elements to produce a sense of flow or movement in an artwork.
what are the different types of rhythm/movement
repetition
alternation
progression
what is emphasis
developing points of interest that pull the viewer’s eye to important parts of the artwork. also refers to the focal point of the composition
how can emphasis be created
through the use of tone, colour, space,etc.
what is unity/harmony
refers to the wholeness which results from the successful combination of the elements of an artwork. everything fits well and creates a pleasing unity
what is contrast
refers to the visual differences in an artwork. very important factor in an artwork and creates interesting compositions
what differences does contrast refer to
line, shapes, tonal values, colours. etc
how can contrast also be seen
bright colours and dull colours, angular shapes with round shapes ,etc.
proportion
the size relationship of parts of a whole and to one another. sometimes they are ingnored, enlarged or changed to create a certain effect, such as an emotional impact
what is a pattern
the repetition of motifs
what is media
medium refers to the material used to make the artwork
how do artists choose their medium
first they have an idea, and then, through trial and error, they
what are the two-dimensional media
drawing painting tempera fresco oil painting water colour acrylic collage photo montage mixed media photography relief prints intaglio prints planographic
how do most artists use drawing
they usually use it as preparatory work before doing the final work in another medium.
what are some of the drawing materials
charcoal pencil a variety of pens pen and/or brush and ink crayons, conte chalk pastels- need to be sprayed with fixative to preserve it
what does the painting media consist of
pigment, a liquid called vehicle or medium in which the pigments are mixed on a pallet, and a surface ( a wall, board, canvas, paper, etc.) called a support to which the mixture is applied
what is tempera
an old painting technique known to the Egyptians, greeks and Romans. main medium for small scale paintings until the development of oil painting during the Renaissance
what did tempera use
it used colour pigment extracted from minerals, egg yolk used as an adhesive, and water to liquefy the paint. the surface that was going to be painted on was often prepared with a thin coating of plaster or gesso
what was the nature of the medium tempera
it was linear in nature- it was usually neat within the shapes and had a matt finish. it dries too quickly for brush strokes to be blended, but shapes can be modeled by a series of fine brush strokes.
what was gold leaf used as in tempera
backgrounds, haloes, and drapery detail
who developed the fresco technique
the ancient mediterranean civilizations and it was refined by italian renaissance painters
what is fresco
a painting made with pigments mixed with water and painted onto a wall when the plaster is still wet. the pigment is absorbed by the wet plaster; after several, the plaster dries and reacts with the air( a chemical reaction which fixes the pigment particles in the plaster)
what is a fresco painting on dry plaster called
fresco secco. it is less durable than true fresco
what is true fresco called
buon fresco