Drawing Flashcards
The art, process, or technique of representing an object, scene, or idea by means of lines on a surface.
Drawing
A method or procedure for accomplishing a desired air or task, as that employed by an artist showing a high degree of skill or command of fundamentals.
Technique
The technique of drawing lines to represent the contour of a subject, without shading or modeling a form.
Contour Drawing

The outline of a two-dimensional shape or bounding edges of a three-dimensional form.
Countour
The art, process, or technique of drawing by hand without the aid of drafting instruments or mechanical devices, esp. for the representation of perceptions or the visualization of ideas.
Freehand Drawing

A representation of the form or appearance of something, made visible in a sculpture, photograph, or drawing.
Image
A thin, continous mark made on a surface with a pencil, pen or brush, as distinguished from shading or color.
Line
A line describing the outer boundary of a figure or object.
Outline
An outline of a form or structure seen or represented from the side.
Profile
The technique of drawing a single or multiple lines freely and quickly as subject is scanned and perceptions of volume, mass, movement and significant details are projected onto the drawing surface. In contrast to contour drawing, gesture drawing generally proceeds from the whole to the parts.
gesture drawing

A movement of the hand, arm, head, face, or body that expresses an adea, opinion or emotion.
Gesture
The effect or illusion of motion conveyed by the relationship of structural elements in a design or composition.
Movement
The technique of drawing lines to represent a series of cuts across the surface of a form rather than its edges.
Cross-contour drawing

A line drawin to measure or express alignment, scale or proportion.
Regulating Line
A line lightly drawn to record alignment or measurement.
Trace
The drawing of lines to represent the three-dimensional structure and geometry of a form, proceeding generally from the whole to the constituent parts.
Analytical Drawing

The rendering of light and dark values in a drawing to create the illusion of three-dimensionality, represent light and shadow or give the effect of color.
Shading
Shading composed of fine lines drawn in close proximity.
Hatching

Shading composed of two or more series of intersecting parallel lines.
Crosshatching

Shading by means of a network of random, multidirectional lines.
Scribbling

Shading by means of dots, small spots, or short strokes.
Stippling

The dominant tonal value of a drawing or painting.
Key
Having chiefly dark tones with little contrast.
Low-key
Having chiefly light tones with little contrast.
High Key
Monochromatic painting in shades of gray to produce a three-dimensional effect.
Grisaille

The technique of rendering the illusion of volume, depth, or solidity on a two-dimensional surface by shading.
Modeling
A simply or hastily executed drawing or painting representing the essential features of an object or scene without the details, often made as a preliminary study.
Sketch
A drawing executed as an educational exercise, produced as a preliminary to a final work, or made to record observations. Sometimes referred to as a referential draiwng.
Study
A drawing of something that does not yet exist.
Conception
A preliminary sketch of a design or plan, esp. one subject to revision.
Draft
A sketch showing the general features of a design or plan.
Esquisse

Any of the drawings made to aid in the visualization, exploration, evaluation and communication of a concept in the design process.
Design Drawing
A full-scale, detailed drawing done on a wall, floor or other large surface, from which are traced the patterns for various building elements.
Epure
A full-scale drawing of a motif or design, to be transferred in preparation for a fresco, mosaic or tapestry.
Cartoon

A drawing, esp. a perspective, of a building or interior space, artistically delineating materials, shades and shadows; usually done for the purposes of presentation and persuasion.
Rendering
Any of a set of design drawings made to articulate and communicate a design concept or proposal, as for exhibition, review or publication.
Presentation Drawing

A unified area of light, shade, or color that defines shape or form in general outline rather than in detail.
Mass
An area, section, or detail of a work, esp. with respect to its qualities of execution.
Passage
A drawing or painting in which objects are rendered in extremely fine detail to emphasize the illusion of tactile and spatial qualities.
Trompe l’oeil

[TROM] + [PLOY]
An elevation drawing of a facade, surrounded by a decorative arrangement of drawings of important details and sometimes a plan or section of the facade.
Analytique

A drawing that is shaded off gradually into the surrounding paper so as to leave no definite line at the border.
Vignette

Drawing done with the aid of such instruments as T-squares, triangles, compasses, and scales, esp. for the systematic representation and dimensional specification of architectural and engineering structures.
Drafting or Mechanical Drawing
A solid line representing a contour of an object.
Object Line

A broken line consisting of short, closely spaced strokes, used esp. to represent object lines that are hidden or removed from view.
Dashed Line
A broken line consisting of a series of closely spaced dots, sometimes used in place of a dashed line.
Dotted Line
A rectangular system of lines and coordinates serving as a reference for locating and regulating the elements of a plan.
Grid
A broken line consisting of relatively long segments separated by single dashes or dots, used to represent the axis of a symmetrical element or composition.
Centerline
The portion of the contract documents showing in accurate graphic or pictorial form the design, location, dimensions and relationships to the elements of a project.
Construction Drawings, Contract Drawings, Working Drawings
An embossing stamp used by a licensed architect, engineer, or other design professional on contract drawings and specifications to show evidence of registration in the state where the work is to be performed.
Seal
A line extending from an edge or feature of an object, to which a dimension line is drawn.
Extension Line
A line terminated by arrows, short slashes, or dots, indicating the extent or magnitude of a part or the whole, and along which measurements are scaled and indicated.
Dimension Line
A broken line consisting of relatively long segments joined by short zigzag strokes, used to cut off a portion of a drawing.
Break Line
A V-shaped mark the apex of which is a reference point.
Crowfoot
A short line leading the eye from a note or dimension to a reference point, line or area.
Leader
The theory of making projections of three dimensional objects on a plane surface in order to deduce their geometric properties and relationships.
Descriptive Geometry
The process or technique of representing a three-dimensional object by projecting all its points by straight lines, either parallel or converging, to a picture plane.
Projection
A method of projection in which a three-dimensional object is represented by projecting lines perpendicular to a picture plane.
Orthographic Projection or Orthogonal Projection
An orthographic projection of the top or section of an object or structure on a horizontal plane, usually drawn to scale.
Plan or Plan View
A plan of a room, suite, or entire floor of a building as seen from above after a horizontal section is cut and the upper portion removed, typically showing the form and arrangement of interior spaces and their enclosing walls, windows and doors.
Floor Plan
The walls, columns, and other solids of a building that are but in a floor plan or section drawing, indicated usually in black or by hatching.
Poche
A plan of a room as seen from above but having its ceiling surfaces and elements projected downward upon it so that what would appear to the right when seen from below appears on the plan to the left.
Reflected Plan
A plan showing the pattern, elements, and connections of the structural frame for a floor or roof of abuilding, using a system of symbols and draftling linework.
Framing Plan
An imaginary line joining points of equal elevation on a surface, or its representation on a topographic plan or map.
Contour Line
The difference in elevation represented by each contour line on a topographic plan or map.
Contour Interval
A plan showing the proposed finish contours and elevations of the ground surface of a construction site.
Grading Plan
A graphic symbol used on plans and maps to indicate the direction of north.
North Arrow
A graduated line or bar indicating the proportion between a representation and that which it represents.
Graphic Scale
A plan showing the top view of a building, esp. the form of its roof.
Roof Plan
A plan showing the form, location and orientation of a building or group of buildings on a site, usuall including the dimensions, contours, landscaping and other significant features of the plot.
Site Plan or Plot Plan
A plan showing the principal elements of a design project in the wider context of its surrounding environment.
Area Plan

An orthographic projection of an object or structure as it would appear if cut through by an intersecting plane to show its internal configuration, usually drawn to scale.
Section
An orthographic projection of a section made by cutting transversely, esp. at right angles to the long axis of an object.
Cross Section or Transverse Section
An orthographic projection of a section made by cutting through the longest axis of an object.
Longitudinal Section
A centerline terminating in a perpendicular segment with an arrow, used to indicate where a section is cut in a plan or elevation view and the direction in which the section is to be viewed.
Section Line
An orthographic projection of a section made by cutting with a plane that is neither parallel nor perpendicular to the long axis of an object.
Oblique Section
An orthographic projection of an object or structure on a vertical picture plane parallel to one of its sides, usually drawn to scale.
Elevation
The casting and rendering of shade and shadows, esp. in orthographic views, to convey light, surface, form and depth.
Shade and Shadows
The parts of a solid that receive no light because they are tangent to or turned away from a theoretical light source.
Shade
A dark figure cast upon a surface by an opaque body intercepting the rays from a theoretical light source.
Shadow
An apparent projection from a flat background due to contrast, creating the illusion of three dimensions.
Relief
The natural color of a particular object as it would appear in white light.
Local Color
A brilliantly lighted area of a modeled drawing appearing as a luminuous spot.
Highlight
Any of various single-view drawings characterized by parallel lines remaining parallel to each other rather than converging as in linear perspective.
Paraline Drawing
The orthographic projection of a three-dimension object inclined to the picture plane in such a way that its three principal axes are foreshortened.
Axonometric Projection
A paraline drawing of an axonometric projection, having all lines parallel to the three principal axes drawn to scale but diagonal and curved lines distorded.
Axonometric
A part of a drawing that is made transparent to permit representation of details otherwise hidden from view.
Phantom
An axonometric projection of a three-dimensional object inclined to the picture plane in such a way that two of its principal axes are equally foreshortened and the third appears longer or shorter than the other two.
Dimetric Projection

An axonometric projection of a three dimensional object inclined to the picture plane in such a way that all three principal axes are foreshortened at a different rate.
Trimetric Projection

A paraline drawing of an isometric projection, having all lines parallel to the principal axes drawn to true length at the same scale.
Isometric

An axonometric projection of a three-dimensional object having its principal faces equally inclines to the picture plane so that its three principal axes are equally foreshortened.
Isometric Projection

A drawing or model having an outer section removed to display the interior.
Cutaway
A drawing that shows the individual parts of a structure or construction separately but indicates their proper relationship to each other and to the whole.
Exploded View or Expanded View
A broken line consisting of relatively long segments separated by two short dashes or dots, used to represent a property line, an alternative position of a part of an object, or the relative position of an absent part.
Phantom Line
A paraline drawing of an oblique projection, having the receding lines perpendicular to the picture plane drawn to the same scale as the lines parallel to the picture plane.
Cavalier Drawing

A paraline drawing of an oblique projection, having all lines parallel to the picture plane drawn to exact scale, and the receding lines perpendicular to the picture plane reduced to half scale.
Cabinet Drawing
A method of projection in which a three-dimensional object, having one principal face parallel to the picture plane, is represented by projecting parallel lines at some angle other than 90d to the picture plane.
Oblique Projection
A paraline drawing of an oblique projection, having all lines and faces parallel to the picture plane drawn to exact scale, and all receding lines perpendicular to the picture plane shown at any convenient angle other than 90d, sometimes at a reduced scale to offset the appearance of distortion.
oblique
Any of various techniques for representing three-dimensional objects and spatial relationships on a two-dimensional surface as they might appear to the eye.
Perspective
The illusion of space or depth depicted on a two-dimensional surface by various graphic means, such as aerial perspective, continuity of outline, or vertical location.
Pictorial Space

A technique for rendering depth or distance by muting the hue, tone, and distinctness of objects perceived as receding from the picture plane.
Aerial Perspective or Atmospheric Perspective
A technique for representing depth or distance by placing distant objects higher in the picture plane that objects perceived as being closer.
Vertical location

A technique for representing depth or distance by reducing the size of objects perceived as receding from the picture plane.
Size Perspective

A technique for representing depth or distance by emphasizing the continuity of the contour of a shape perceived as being in front and concealing a part of another behind it.
Continuity of Outline
An edge of an object or surface separated from its background by an interval of space, delineated by a thicker line or by a sharp contrast in value or texture.
Spatial Edge
A technique for representing depth or distance by gradually increasing the density of the texture of a surface perceived as receding from the picture plane.
Texture perspective

A mathematical system for representing three-dimensional objects and spatial relationships on a two-dimensional surface by means of perspective projection.
Linear Perspective

A method of projection in which a three-dimensional object is represented by projecting all its points to a picture plane by straight lines converging at an arbitrarily fixed point representing the eye of the viewer.
Perspective Projection
A point representing the intersection of the central axis of vision and the picture plane in linear perspective.
Center of Vision
A fixed point in space representing a single eye of the viewer in linear perspective.
Station Point
Any of the lines projecting fron the eye of the viewer to various points on an object in linear perspective.
Sight Line
An imaginary transparent plane, coexistent with the drawing surface, on which the image of a three-dimensional object is projected. In linear perspective, any line or plane coincident with the picture plane can be drawn to exact scale.
Picture Plane
A point toward which receding palallel lines appear to converge in linear perspective, located at the point where a sightline parallel to the set of lines intersects the picture plane.
Vanishing Point
A line representing the intersection of the picture plane and a horizontal plane through the eye of the viewer in linear perspective.
Horizon line
A horizontal line representing the intersection of the ground plane and the picture plane in linear perspective.
Ground Line or Base Line
A horizontal plane of reference from which vertical measurements can be taken in linear perspective, usually the plane supporting the object depicted or on which the viewer stands.
Ground Plane
The field of vision radiating outward from the eye of the viewer in linear perspective, defined by sightlines forming a 15d to 30d angle with the central axis of vision. The cone of vision serves as a guide in determining what can be drawn in linear perspective without the appearance of distortion.
Cone Of Vision
The sightline indicating the direction in which the viewer is looking in linear perspective, perpendicular to the picture plane.
Central Axis of Vision
The apparent movement of parallel lines toward a common vanishing point as they recede, used in linear perspective to convey an illusion of space and depth.
Convergence
- Parallel lines perpendicular to the picture plane will appear to converge at the center of vision.*
- Parallel lines parallel to the picture plane retain their orientation and will not appear to converge.*
A drawing of the perspective projection of an object or scene, characterized chiefly by convergence and foreshortening.
Perspective
The apparent contraction or distortion of a represented line or shape that is not parallel to the picture plane, conveying an illusion of extension or projection in space.
Foreshortening
A linear perspective of a rectangular object or volume having a principal face parallel with the picture plane, so that vertical lines parallel to the picture plane remain vertical, horizontal lines parallel to the picture plane remain horizontal, and horizontal lines perpendicular to the picture plane appear to converge at the center of vision.
One-Point Perspective
A vanishing point for a set of horizontal lines receding at a 45d angle to the picture plane in linear perspective.
Diagonal Vanishing Point or Diagonal point, distance point
A line along which all sets of receding parallel lines lying in the same or parallel planes will appear to converge in linear perspective.
Vanishing Trace
A vanishing point for a set of parallel lines used in tranferring scaled measurements in the picture plane to lines receding in linear perspective.
Measuring Point
Having the heads of all figures at approximately the same level.
Isocephalic or Isocephalous
A linear perspective of a rectangular object or volume having two principal faces oblique to the picture plane, so that vertical lines parallel to the picture plane remain vertical and two horizontal sets of parallel lines oblique to the picture plane appear to converge at two vanishing points, one to the left and the other to the right,.
Two Point Perspective
A straight line connecting two non-adjacent angles of a rectangle, used in subdividing a whole into proportionate parts or multiplying a basic unit of measurement or space.
Diagonal
A distorted image that appears in natural form only when viewed at a special angle or reflected from a curved mirror.
Anamorphosis
Of or relating to pictorial representation, esp. that which depicts in a clear and effective manner.
Graphic
A linear perspective of a rectangular object or volume having all principal faces oblique to the picture plane, so that the three principal sets of parallel lines appear to converge at three different vanishing points.
Three-point perspective