Principles of Arts Flashcards
It is the distribution of the visual elements in view of their placement in relation to each other.
Balance
3 Forms of Balance
- Symmetrical
- Asymmetrical
- Radial
It is where elements used on one side are reflected to the other.
Symmetrical
It is where one-half composition does not mirror to the other.
Asymmetrical
It is where all parts of the composition radiate outward from a focal point.
Radial
Example of Symmetrical Balance
Jan van Eyck, “The Adoration of the Lamb” (1432)
Example of Asymmetrical Balance
Paul Cezanne, “Curtain, Jug, and Fruit” (1894)
Example of Radial Balance
Medicine Buddha with Prajnaparamita Goddess
It is the comparison of dimensions or distribution of forms.
Proportion
3 Forms of Proportion
- Natural
- Exaggerated
- Idealized
It relates to the realistic size of the visual elements in the artwork, especially in figurative artworks.
Nature
It refers to the unusual size relations of visual elements, deliberately exaggerating the immensity or minuteness of an object.
Exaggerated
The most common to those that follow canons of perfection, the size-relations of elements or objects, which achieve the most ideal-size relations.
Idealized
Example of Natural Proportion
Georges-Pierre Seurat, “Bathers at Asnieres” (1884)
Example of Exaggerated Proportion
Coosje van Bruggen, “Spoonbridge and Cherry” (1985)
Example of Idealized Proportion
Leonardo da Vinci, “Vitruvian Man” (1490)
It allows the attention of the viewer of a focal points, accentuating or drawing attention to these elements or objects.
Emphasis
The disparity between the elements that figure into the composition.
Contrast
Example of Emphasis and Contrast
Pieter Paul Rubens and Frans Snyders, “Prometheus Bound”
It is the coherence of the artwork or it makes the elements stick together.
Unity
It aims to retain the interest by allowing patches or areas that both excite and allow the eye to rest.
Variety
Example of Unity and Variety
Wassily Kandinsky, “Several Circles” (1926)
It is related to unity and variety, in which the elements achieve a sense of flow and interconnectedness.
Harmony
Example of Harmony
Georgia O’Keeffe, “Two Calla Lilies on Pink” (1928)
It is the direction of the viewing eye as it goes through the artwork, often guided by areas or elements that are emphasized.
Movement
4 focal points of Movement
- Lines
- Edges
- Shape
- Color
Example of Movement
Vincent van Gogh, “Starry Night”
These are recurring motifs and designs separated by intervals, creating implied movement.
Rhythm
4 types of Rhythm
- Regular
- Alternating
- Eccentric
- Progressive
It is symmetrically repeated parts separated by equal intervals in between.
Regular Rhythm
It has different components separated by set intervals.
Alternating Rhythm
It is irregular but the beats still connect.
Eccentric
It has visual beats that moves from fast to slow and vice versa.
Progressive Rhythm
Example of Regular Rhythm
Jasper Johns, “Three Flags”
Example of Alternating Rhythm
M.C. Escher, “Lizard”
Example of Eccentric Rhythm
Rene Magritte, “Golconde”
Example of Progressive Rhythm
Marcel Duchamp, “Nude Descending a Staircase (No. 2)” (1912)
It is a recurring manner of lines, shapes, colors, and other elements and gives a sense of predictability.
Repetition
5 Principles of Arts
- Balance
- Rhythm
- Proportion and Scale
- Unity and Variety
- Repetition and Pattern
6 Principle of Arts
- Balance
- Rhythm
- Proportion and Scale
- Unity and Variety
- Repetition and Pattern
- Emphasis and Contrast
It is the image created out of repetition.
Pattern
Example of Repetition and Pattern
Islamic Mandala
It refers to putting together the elements of arts.
Composition
Latin words and meaning of Composition
cum, with
ponere, to put
It refers to how much an element captures the viewer’s attention.
Visual Weight
It capture the eye more and demand more attention than straight-forward geometric shapes.
Complex Shapes
3 common points in the Ikebana
- Shin
- Soe
- Hikae
It is the highest and placed between the 10 and 15 of the vertical.
Shin
It is in the 45 to the vertical and facing the shin toward the left.
Soe
It is at the 75 from the vertical and the third point.
Hikae
It moves the human eye across the surface of an artwork.
Visual Beats
It is the size of a component in relation to what we consider normal.
Scale
These are scale figures that are named ‘heroic’.
Large-scale figures
It can bore and take away the attention of the viewer.
Uniformity
A line that corresponds to a person’s eye level.
Horizon Level
6 perspective systems
- One-point Perspective
- Two-point Perspective
- Three-point Perspective
- Multiple-point perspective
- Aerial or Atmospheric Perspective
- Isometric
It has a single point on the horizon level where parallel lines appear to recede.
One-point Perspective
It has a vanishing point at both ends of the horizon line.
Two-point Perspective
It has a third point below or above the horizon line.
Three-point Perspective
It has more than three vanishing points and used in complex landscapes and background, where the foreground and background might have different vanishing points.
Multiple-point Perspective
This mimics how distant objects appear blurry and faded while near objects are sharp and clear.
Aerial or Atmospheric Perspective
This perspective system does not create an illusion of depth but represents the three dimensions of length, width, and height as they actually are.
Isometric
They are suggested by the lines in a composition; line direction, angle and intensity, and indicate emotion.
Time and Motion
A contemporary Chinese artist that explored the gunpowder as a medium of art.
Cai Guo-Qiang
