Final Flashcards
3 Steps of the design process
Think: understand the task at hand
Look: research ideas
Do: thinking through materials
Content & Form
Content: what you want to say
Form: How you say it
Harmony
pleasing combination of parts that make up the whole
Unity
the degree of agreement existing among the elements of a design
visual unity
elements have some type of visual relationship
intellectual unity
unified by an idea/theme
Gestalt Theory
human nature to group things together. We look for unity
Ways to achieve unity
Proximity: placing elements close to each other
Repetition: Something that repeats in various parts of a design
Continuation: something that continues by line, edge or implied direction; a leading line
Continuity: a visual relationship found between two or more designs
Focal Point
center of interest
Ways to create emphasis
contrast: color, value, texture
isolation: element in nothing or nothing in something
placement: dead center in canvas
proportion
element compared to the norm
scale
the size of the object
Hieratic scaling
more important objects are larger
human scale referencing
compared to human size-standard of the norm
internal proportions
scale of elements in a composition used to narrate or convey mood
exaggerate scale
objects placed out of context to evoke a response
golden rectangle
from the rotation of the diagonal of half a square. Considered to be a perfect ratio
golden mean
ratio of the parts to the whole
Fibonacci sequence
each new number is the sum of the previous two
balance
the equilibrium of forces in a composition
visual weight
the amount of attention an element in a composition draws
central/vertical axis
central vertical line, division of a composition left and right
equilibrium
when successful distribution of visual weights in a composition to where balance is achieved.
symmetrical balance
formal balance-similar elements in similar locations on each side of the central axis
bilateral symmetry
exact repetition on central axis-mirror image
palindrome
a word read the same frontward and back
asymmetrical balance
informal balance-the placement of dissimilar objects in a composition achieving balance
radial balance
radiates outward from a central point
crystallographic balance
all over balance-no focal point
rhythm
principal based on repetition
kinesthetic empathy
our visual experience stimulates one of our other senses
legato
a connection and flowing rhythm
staccato
abrupt changes and dynamic contrast within the visual rhythm
alternating rhythm
successive pattern where elements reappear in a regular order
progressive rhythm
repetition of shapes that change in a regular pattern
polyrhythmic structures
the overlay of several rhythmic patterns in a composition
line
a point set in motion
3 types of lines
actual, implied, psychic
horizontal lines
at rest
vertical lines
line at attention
diagonal lines
implies movement, action in motion
contour line
defines an object
silhouette
the areas between the contours of a shape
gesture lines
show movement, weight, and posture
hatching and cross-hatching
series of lines to suggest value
shape
area created by an enclosing line or by color or value defining an outer edge
form-2D
another name for shape, flat, paintings
volume and mass-3D
objects that occupy space, in the round, sculptural
naturalism
as seen in real life
distortion
an exaggeration of shape
idealism
not as it is, but how it should be
abstraction
a simplification or reduction of form
biomorphic
abstract shapes allude to natural or organic forms
nonobjective
pure form, referring to nothing, simply shape
curvilinear
composed of compound curves-Art Nouveau
rectilinear
emphasis of right angles and rectangular planes
figure and ground
object and the space around it
positive and negative space
all areas inside object that defines it
pos/neg integration
creating equal visual interest of the pos and neg
shape ambiguity
no visual distinction between pos and neg
pattern
repetition of visual elements in a regular or anticipated manner. based on repetition
texture
the surface quality of an object based on repetition
actual (tactile) texture
by touch
impasto
use of thick pigment to create a 3D surface
visual (implied) texture
can’t touch, but see it
verisimilitude
the impression or illusion of texture on a flat smooth surface
frottage
creating visual texture through the process of rubbing
Tromp l’oeil
rendered so tightly it confuses the viewer into thinking they are looking at the real thing
devices to create the illusion of space
size overlapping vertical location aerial perspective linear perspective
vanishing point
where parallel lines converge
horizon line
eye level to the viewer
amplified perspective
emphasis on an unusual point of view
foreshortening
distortion of shape due to perspective
multiple perspectives
an object seen from multiple points of view-Cubism
montage
recombination of images to form a new picture
isometric projection
use of right angle lines without foreshortening, imply depth without a vanishing point
open form
allows viewer to go outside the composition-cropping
closed form
everything is inside composition-keeps viewer inside-creates a flow
equivocal space
transparent nature of overlapping objects are seen completely
illusion of motion
anticipated movement-motion by implied line or gesture
repeated figure
the repetition of a figure seen in a chronological time line
figure cropped
where a figure breaks the plane suggesting more beyond the border
blurred outlines
blurring or stretching suggesting time duration-tracers
multiple image
repetition of figure stills suggesting movement
optical movement
illusions- visual effects where values jump their bounds-OP Art
value
lightness or darkness
value contrast
degree of difference of light and dark values
achromatic grays
mixtures of black and white only
chiaroscuro
use of light and dark values to imply depth
color
the property of light
Sir Isaac Newton
passed white light through a prism which broke into a rainbow. credited with the development of the first color wheel in 1706
visible spectrum
wavelengths that can be seen
additive system
relating to light. colors of light, when combined, lighten to white. RGB
subtractive system
relating to pigments. colors of pigment, when added, darken to muddy grays. CKYK
color constancy
color compensation by the mind contrary to visible evidence, lighting conditions
color influence
lenonardo de vinci said, “colors will appear what they are not, according to the ground that surrounds it
3 properties of color
hue
value
chroma
primary hues
r,y,b can’t be mixed
secondary hues
middle mix of 2 primary colors
tertiary hues
middle mix of primary and secondary
optical mixtures
visual color mixing. Juxtaposed color in small quantity will optically blend-Post Impressionism=pointilliism
light and shadow
shadow is the compliment to its light source
monochromatic
one color tinted and shaded
analogous
colors found next to each other on the color wheel
complimentary
opposite on color wheel
split compliment
one or both split into analogous
triadic
andy 3 equally spaced colors
color discord
colors that repel each other-subjective
local color
color seen under normal day light
optical color
color we actually see under controlled conditions
arbitrary color
subjective use-liberty to use any color for any reason
emotional color
colors and/or combinations of that evoke an emotional response
color symbolism
color to signify human character traits or concepts
simultaneous contrast
vibrating color-2 juxtaposed colors that jump their bounds-shimmer
successive contrast
afterimage due to retinal fatigue
