(M) L1.1: Elements of Art (Visual) Flashcards
> These lines are parallel to the horizon; they do not slant
They are geometric, hard, and impersonal
Some move from right to left or vice versa
Usually indicate calmness and rest
Horizontal Lines
> These lines start from the bottom going up or vice versa
They do not lean
These show strength, balance, and stability
Monuments are usual examples of this
Vertical Lines
> These lines are between a vertical and horizontal line
Look as if they are rising or falling (positive or negative implications)
Diagonal Lines
T or F: Positive diagonals indicate stress, frustration, or defeat while negative lines indicate movement or action
False (reverse)
> These are formed through a mixture of diagonal lines
Diagonals form angles and change direction suddenly
These indicate chaos, conflict, and confusion
Zigzag Lines
> These lines are curvilinear
Are organic, natural, and adjust direction regularly
Curved Lines
T or F: Wiggly lines do not form curved lines
False (they can form spirals and circles)
A curved line that goes around itself forms what?
Spiral
When curved lines continuously move in opposite directions, they form what?
Wavy lines
These are lines that are intentionally shown in an artwork
Actual Lines
These lines are drawn to make the viewer feel involved in interpreting the composition by seeing and connecting lines where none actually exist
Implied Lines
T or F: Implied lines suggest movement and can add fluidity to the work
True
T or F: Implied lines do not disappear, fade, or stop at any point before reappearing again
False (they do)
> The most expressive element of art
Can appeal to our emotions and interact with the physiology of the visual system
A property of light
Color
T or F: Color is only seen when light bypasses an object
False (surrounds)
T or F: Absence of light can still show perceived colors
False (cannot)
Who discovered the different rays of colors by passing a white light beam through a prism?
Isaac Newton
T or F: Red has the shortest wavelength while violet has the longest
False (reverse)
T or F: The colors of the rainbow come from white light
True
> Refers to the name in which a color is known
Determined by the wavelength of light physically given by a color
Hue
> Refers to the lightness or darkness of a color
Pertains to the absence of white or black
Value
T or F: Hues can exist in different degrees of values
True
When white light is added to a color, it is called _______
Tint
When black is mixed with a hue, it is called ______
Shade
> Refers to how pure a color is (absence of white, black, or gray)
Distinguishes between a brighter appearance of the hue from a duller one
Intensity/Saturation
T or F: Colors with high saturation tend to be dull while those with low saturation tend to be bright
False (reverse)
How many color systems exist depending on the source?
2 (additive and subtractive)
> These are colors of light
When you combine these colors, the result is white
Additive
> These are colors of pigments (paints)
When you combine these colors, the result is black (the mixture cancels out each of the colors’ brightnesses)
Subtractive
He was the first to conceptualize the color wheel
Isaac Newton
A circle divided equally into 12 parts representing 12 colors and how they relate to one another
Color Wheel
T or F: The color wheel is based on pigments that make the mixture additive
False (subtractive)
In the color wheel, what are the 3 primary colors?
Red
Yellow
Blue
In the colors of light, what are the 3 primary colors?
Red
Green
Blue
These are colors that cannot be produced by the mixture of any other colors
Primary Colors
These colors result from the combination of 2 primary colors in equal amounts
Secondary Colors
In the color wheel, what are the 3 secondary colors?
Orange
Green
Violet
In the colors of light, what are the 3 secondary colors?
Yellow
Cyan
Magenta
Colors that emerge from the combination of a primary and secondary color
Intermediate Colors
What are the intermediate colors?
Red-orange
Yellow-orange
Yellow-green
Blue-green
Blue-violet
Red-violet
What is the division of color classifications that make up the 12 colors of the wheel?
3 - primary
3 - secondary
6 - intermediate
T or F: Tertiary colors are not the same as intermediate colors
Both can be applicable according to some sources, read up on this further
Colors that are formed when you combine 2 secondary colors OR by adding the compliments together in order to neutralize them
Tertiary
T or F: Browns and olive greens are considered intermediate colors
False (tertiary)
T or F: Not all pigments show color
True
> This is the family of colors that refer to blacks, whites, and grays
They do not share any characteristics with other colors because they show no color quality
Neutrals
This color is manifested with the presence of ALL COLORS
White (a surface reflects all wavelengths equally)
This shade is described as the absence of color
Black (a surface absorbs all colors and reflects none of them)
This color is described as an impure white created by a partial reflection of all wavelengths
Gray
T or F: Neutrals are concerned about the quantity of light reflected, while colors are concerned about the quality of light reflected
True
T or F: Colors have a temperature
True
These are colors associated with the sun and fire
Warm colors (red, orange, and yellow)
T or F: Cool colors advance while warm colors recede in a painting
False (reverse)
These are colors associated with the air, sky, earth, and water
Cool colors (blue, green, and violet)
The coming together of lines enclosing an area and separating it from its surroundings
Shape
T or F: In art, a shape can be discerned by viewing the artwork against the background
True
These psychologists discovered that the way humans process information is done by organizing stimuli into groups based on similarity, nearness, and figure-ground relationships
German Gestalt Psychologists
After the human brain processes information that can be chunked together, a perceptual totality that gives the viewer a “whole” is formed, which can be referred to as _______
Shapes
> These are shapes that are regular, precise, and present an industrial feel
May be rectilinear or curvilinear
Geometric Shapes
> These are shapes that have a natural appearance and represent objects from nature
Usually curvilinear or irregular
Organic Shapes
These shapes manifest qualities of biological organisms
Bimorphic shapes
These shapes exist without any basis from nature or geometry
Amorphous shapes
T or F: Shapes are usually done for objective representation of the world rather than the expression of ideas
False (reverse); the chosen shapes are more about the personality of the artist rather than objective reality
These shapes may suggest stability, symmetry, monotony, and independence
Squares
These shapes may suggest confinement and self-reliance
Circles
These shapes may suggest creativity
Oval
These shapes may suggest the feeling of reaching out
Stars
> A tricky element of visual arts
Involves both physiological capability of the eyes and physical manipulation of a 2D surface
Gives the viewer the illusion of depth or distance
Space
This type of vision refers to the perception of depth due to the distance between two eyes
Stereoscopic Vision
This gives the viewer 2 images of the object (one from each eye) which is physiologically merged into one image
Retinal Disparity
This type of vision involves the movement of the eyes when looking at or viewing the object
Kinesthetic Vision
T or F: More ocular movements occur when an object is near while less ocular movements occur when an object is far
True
> When objects are grouped, not all parts will be seen
Nearer objects will have complete details while farther objects will have less details as they will be covered by the objects in front of them
Overlapping
> Nearer objects will be perceived as larger while farther objects will be perceived as smaller
Relative Size and Linear Perspective
T or F: Relative mass is supported by linear perspective
False (relative size)
T or F: Parallel lines that do not meet at a distance give the illusion of distance
False (that do meet)
> aka Aerial Perspective
Illusion of depth is created through gradients
Atmospheric Perspective
Refers to a gradual change in either color, texture, brightness, color intensity, etc.
Gradient
The lower part of the painting that is nearest to the viewer
Foreground
The second part of an artwork located at the center of the canvas
Middle Ground
The upper part of the picture plane which is usually the most faded
Background
T or F: Objects in the foreground would be more detailed and bigger than those in the background
True
Who stated this?
“Art is a product of human creativity and is always dependent on individual interpretations and responses”
Ocvirk
> This element is also known as light and shadow
The gradual change from light to dark and vice versa
Results in the illusion of form and depth
Value
Refers to changes in the amount of reflected light from white to gray to black and vice versa
Achromatic Value
T or F: Light rays equally shine on all surfaces of an object
False (a shadow is cast where light is blocked by the object)
T or F: Cast shadows will always appear black
False (can range from gray to black)
The technique of using light and shadow in painting
Chiaroscuro
He exploited the use of chiaroscuro in his paintings
Leonardo da Vinci
Refers to the gradual blending of light and shadow
Sfumato
He introduced sfumato
Leonardo da Vinci (notably seen in the Mona Lisa)
This artist went a step further with chiaroscuro and exaggerated the use of shadows called “dark manner”
Caravaggio
The dark manner of a painting was what characterized paintings from what period?
Baroque Period
This is another term for “dark manner” or the exaggeration of chiaroscuro
Tenebrism
He was the artist who perfected Tenebrism in his works
Rembrandt
> This is derived from the Latin of “weaving”
Defined as how the surface of a material feels and looks like
Texture
T or F: Texture is not only felt, but seen
True
Seeing texture without touching is also known as?
Visual texture
T or F: A surface’s characteristics depends on the degree to which it is formed together
False (broken into different components)
> This type of texture refers to the real feel and look
Usually seen in 3D works of art
Actual Texture
Presenting texture in paintings by putting thick layers of pigment is called?
Impasto Paintings
Impasto paintings were explicitly seen in whose works?
Van Gogh’s
The technique of pasting real objects (e.g. paper, leaves, strings, etc.) is called?
Collage
The collage technique was first introduced by which 2 artists?
Picasso and Braque
> This type of texture refers to a surface that looks real but is not
Exhibits the skill of the artist to exactly copy reality
The artworks can be mistaken for the real objects as it “fools the eye”
Simulated Texture
T or F: Imitation of reality is the challenge of actual texture
False (simulated)
> This type of texture allows the artist to focus on one aspect of real texture and emphasize it
It modifies the texture of the whole composition
Abstract Texture
T or F: Abstract texture focuses more on decorative and aesthetic effects than imitation
True
T or F: There is still an attempt to fool the eye in abstract texture
False (none)
> This type of texture is a product of the artist’s imagination
Usually seen in abstract artwork
Invented Texture
T or F: Invented texture can never represent something that is real
False (it can)
T or F: Time occurs through motion
False (motion occurs through time)
These can show direct actions in which a movement is perceived immediately or show an intended path for the viewer to follow
Motion
> This type of motion incorporates real movement in art (kinetic art)
Observed in modern sculptures
Can be made mobile by nature (air and water) or through machines with an energy source
Actual Movement
This artist employed changes in air currents for his sculptures to move, he called his works as “mobiles”
Alexander Calder
This type of motion uses a variety of lines with some degree of repetition, changes in position, scaling, object size, and varying proportions that can create the perception of passing time
Implied Movement
Technique of creating optical sensations through repetition and manipulation of color, shape, and lines
Op Art
An example of implied movement was the painting “Nude Descending a Staircase” which was made by whom?
Marcel Duchamp
