The Modes of Representation Flashcards
representational
art that represents something real or depicts things that can be recognized from life
realism (realistic)
the precise, detailed, and accurate representation in art of the visual appearance of scenes and objects; seeks to imitate visible reality as close as possible (depicts ordinary and everyday subject matter and does not always display photographic precision)
naturalism (naturalistic)
often used interchangeable with realism; seeks to faithfully represent the actual appearance of things, with the least degree of distortion or subjective interpretation; refers to fidelity, not so much as appearance, but to the being of something (prehistoric art)
illusionism (illusionistic)
this art is so convincing in its realism, that it may be mistaken for the real thing; related concepts include photorealism, trompe loeil (fool the eye); this art gives the “illusion” of reality, or a convincing imitation of the actual appearance
idealism (idealized)
representative images are depicted according to a concept of perfection rather than real life (for example, human figures are young, good looking athletic, etc)
romanticism (romanticized)
representational art in which the subject is depicted in a nostalgic, emotional, fanciful, or other mysterious way
abstract (abstracted)
when artists interpret subjects (figures, objects, scenes) in a way that is unlike their natural appearance; the subject is distorted in color, shape, proportion, etc (Picasso)
stylized
representational art that depicts certain features as nonorganic surface elements rather than realistically; representation according to a given style or convention (Egyptian art)
non-objective (none representational, pure abstraction)
when artists express themselves not by using recognizable objects from real life, but by using compositional elements such as line, shape, color, texture, or value (splatter painting-Jackson Pollock); these works contain no recognizable subject matter - the subject matter consists of lines, forms, shapes, etc; note - there is still subject matter and meaning in nonobjective art
Why is it important to know about the elements of design?
They help us to understand art and artist’s intentions, and they help us to effectively communicate about art by developing a specific vocabulary to use.
Do all elements of design apply to every artwork?
no
line
an uninterrupted actual mark or implied direction going from one point to another; the path of a moving point through space
What is the quality of the line?
the expressive nature of the line; personality
What are some examples of the personality of a line?
bold, thin, wavy
How can lines differ?
in length, width, direction, texture, etc
What is the psychology of a line?
lines in art may have psychological effects on the viewer
What do horizontal lines imply?
calm, rest, and quiet
What do vertical lines imply?
power and strength and/or potential energy
What do we know about diagonal lines?
they are unbalanced and dramatic
What do we know about zig zag lines?
these are a combination of diagonal lines that connect at points; they create excitement and intense movement
What do diagonal lines imply?
movement, action, and motion
What do zig zag lines convey?
confusion and nervousness, as they change direction quickly and frequently; they can also imply danger and destruction
What do we know about curved lines?
they sweep and turn gracefully between end points; they express fluid movement; they can be calm or dynamic depending on how much they curve
actual lines
actual lines in an artwork; they are visible
Give some examples of actual lines.
outlines, contour lines, hatching
implied lines
lines that are indicated indirectly - suggested; they aren’t seen in the usual way; they may be created by points that the viewer’s eyes automatically connect
Give some examples of how implied lines may be impied.
they may be implied by the edges of two shapes where one shape begins and another shape ends, or they may be implied by the arrangement of objects in a work (pyramid configuration); they may also be implied by lines of sight/eye line - it is a natural tendency for us to follow these
broken lines
also considered to be implied lines
shape
a two dimensional area (flat) with a recognizable boundary; an enclosed area defined by elements, such as line, color, texture
organic shapes
are made by nature and are irregular, uneven, and free form (a leaf)
geometric shapes
precise and man made; they can be described using mathematical formulas (a triangle, square, circle)
form
refers to objects having three dimensions (width, length, and depth); these also may be organic or geometric; form can be viewed in 2D (figure painted on a surface) or 3D (statue)
texture
the quality of surface in regard to how it feels to the touch
simulated (visual/implied) texture
the illusion of roughness or smoothness of a surface; you can only see it
Give an example of simulated texture.
trompe loeil (or “fool the eye”) texture, Photorealist paintings
actual (tactile) texture
the physical roughness or smoothness of a surface
Give an example of actual texture.
Meret Oppenheim’s Fur Lined Tea Cup
color
has many psychological effects on the viewer
hue
a color’s name; identifies color, for example, red
value
refers to a color’s lightness or darkness; for example, yellow is lighter in value than blue
intensity
brightness or dullness of a hue
tint
add white to a hue
shade
add black to a hue
the color wheel
a way of organizing colors according to how they are made
primary colors
elemental hues from which all other colors are derived (red, yellow, blue)
secondary colors
made by mixing two primary colors in equal amounts (green, orange, violet)
tertiary colors
made by mixing one primary and one secondary color in equal amounts
complementary colors
colors are opposite each other on the color wheel; when placed side by side, they enhance each other, create optical effects (example: violet and yellow)
analogous colors
colors are related to, or next to each other on the color wheel
warm colors
red, yellow, orange; advance toward the viewer (fire, sunshine)
cool colors
blue, green, violet; recede away from the viewer (ice, water, snow, grass)
neutral colors
black, white, gray, sometimes brown
monochromatic
artwork done in one color; one color + black and white; one color + tint and shade
mono
one
chroma
color
optical color
when artists reproduce the colors of their subject matter as they see them or in nature
arbitrary color
when artists choose color arbitrarily, by personal preference, for example, to express feelings; the subject matter’s colors are not as they appear to the eye, in nature
value
lightness or darkness of a color; effects of light on an object
light source
direction light originates from in an artwork
cast shadow
shadow created by the blocking of light by an object
modeling
when an artist uses value (shading) to make an object look 3D (not flat); example - Mona Lisa’s face
What was modeling called in the Italian Renaissance?
chiaroscuro
space
the appearance (or not) of depth on a two dimensional surface; receding into space; an artwork may be flat or deep
linear perspective
a mathematical system for showing depth
What are the three elements of linear perspective?
horizon lines, vanishing point, converging lines (orthagonal)
Where do lines converge?
at a point in the distance
Who invented linear perspective and why?
Filippo Brunelleschi (15th C Italy) as a means of rendering buildings seen receding away at an angle on the picture plane; may use one vanishing point or multiple vanishing points
intuitive perspective
a method of giving the impression of depth by visual not by the use of an overall program or system
Give an example of intuitive perspective.
Diagonal lines appear to converge but do not meet at a certain point, objects are made smaller as they appear to recede into the distance
atmospheric or aerial perspective
the illusion of space is achieved by simulating the way we perceive color and surface textures of objects; further away = paler, less detail and texture
division of the picture plane
another way that artists show space/depth on a flat surface
What is the picture plane?
the surface of a painting or drawing
How is the picture plane divided?
into three horizontal strips (thirds): foreground, middle ground, and background
What is the foreground of the picture plane?
contains objects which seem nearest to us; generally lowest third of a painting or drawing
What is the middle ground of the picture plane?
contains objects in between the foreground and background; middle ground
What is the background of the picture plane?
objects which appear furthest away from viewer; upper third
placement
used to show where in space an object is
overlapping
is also used when forms in front overlap those behind
foreshortening
making an object seem to recede into space by shortening the lines of perspective or dimension of depth
Give an example of foreshortening.
Andrea Mantegna’s Christo Morto
Negative and positive space are also sometimes referred to as what?
positive and negative shape
positive space
the space that the main object occupies in a work of art (figure)
negative space
the space not occupied by/around the main object (ground)
closed compositions
are self contained; the subject matter is contained within the borders and nothing can penetrate
open compositions
allow space to access/enter them
Give an example of an open composition.
the artist shows a slice of an entire scene and invites us to imagine what is not known or outside the boundaries
What do the principles of design do?
they build upon, use, and apply the elements of design
What must you use to use the principles of design?
a higher level of thinking (application)
When using the elements of composition, what do you do?
you simply respond to what you see
Give an example of using the elements of composition using the lower, basic knowledge level of thinking.
does the work contain mainly warm, cool, or neutral colors
Give an example of using the elements of composition using the higher level of thinking and the principles of design.
how do the elements work in the composition; how is the artwork balanced?
unity
when the visual elements work together as a unit
What happens when an artwork doesn’t have unity?
it appears to be a collection of parts
What are the three techniques through which unity can be achieved?
proximity, similarity, and continuation
proximity
artist makes separate objects look unified by placing them close together; grouping of objects - vision moves from one to another
similarity
artist achieves unity by making things similar in color, texture, shape, and/or form
continuation
occurs in an artwork when the viewer’s vision is directed through the work by a line, edges of shapes, or an arrangement of objects; movement of the viewer’s vision in a line
variety
differences within a composition which add visual interest or contrast; when the artist uses a variety of colors, lines, textures, shapes in an artwork
dominance
sometimes called emphasis; when one element appears to be more important; attracts more attention than anything else in the composition
What is the most dominant element called?
focal point
What are the four things that help you find the focal point of a piece?
color, contrast/differences from everything else, location (placement, sometimes the focal point is the direct center of the composition, lines direct the eye to it (implied lines)
What are other elements considered to be?
subordinate elements
Can there be an absence of a focal point?
yes
What is rhythm and movement?
a sense of flow or visual rhythmic movements in an artwork
What does rhythm and movement result from?
reoccurring visual elements like lines and shapes, or repeated positive shapes/space separated by negative space
pattern
visual repetition of motifs
balance
the equal distribution of visual weight or eye attraction on either side of a composition’s center
visual weight
determined by an object’s size, value, texture, distance from the center
What are the four types of symmetry?
symmetrical, approximate, asymmetry, radial
symmetrical
looks exactly the same on each side; identical elements distributed on either side of a vertical axis in the center of the composition
approximate symmetry
two sides are similar enough to imply a vertical central axis, and varied just enough to challenge you to identify the differences
asymmetry
artist achieves the feeling of equally distributed visual weight with figures and objects that are different - it can still be balanced
radial
results from the repetitive placement of two or more identical or very similar elements around a central point (fulcrum); the elements of design come out (radiate) from a central point (fulcrum); this occurs frequently in nature (growth patterns), architecture (domes) or manufactured items (wheels)
proportion
size relationships of one part to another or parts to the whole
What is proportion usually judged according to?
body size (life size, miniature, oversized, enormous)
scale
size as measured against a standard reference; size of the object in relation to the environment it is in
What is another way to describe scale?
the size of one object in relation to another
hieratic scale
disregards the actual size of objects in order to indicate rank or importance; more important people are larger
Give an example of the hieratic scale.
Size = power (ancient Egyptian art)
canon proportions
fixed rules for size relationships in the human body; a system to determine relative sizes (parts of the human form)
Give an example of canon proportions.
the average human adult is 7.5 heads tall; Egyptian and Greek art had their own
exaggeration and distortion
deviations from expected, normal proportions
media
refers to the materials used to make art, such as oil on canvas, charcoal, marble, etc
subtractive methods
these involve the reduction of an original mass, including a block of marble, plaster, wood, etc; the original material is carved or chiseled into a work of art
additive methods
these involve putting together materials to make an artwork; this may occur through modeling, or building up the surface of a form of a pliable material; using this method, a material such as clay may be applied to an armature, or framework
