Visual Elements and Artistic Media Flashcards
Visual Elements
Line
Shape
Color
Texture
Composition
Indicate motion or action, story mood (e.g., calm vs. agitated), Elements aspects of plot (e.g., real vs. dreamed), and character (e.g., fragile vs. strong
line
Indicate characters’ emotions and personalities, story mood, and aspects of setting (e.g., lush
color
Indicate what is most important by relative size.
Emphasize contrast by juxtaposing large and small objects.
Size
Intensify a sense of character or setting by indicating the feel of objects or surroundings.
Texture
Focus the eye on what is most important (usually in the center).
Indicate a character’s perspective (how the character sees the world).
Composition
Artistic Media
Pen and Ink
Pastel
Graphite inks
Colored Pencils
Wax crayons
Collage
Woodcuts
photographs
Oil paints and Gouache
Watercolors
Help define outlines and distinguish figure from ground in books for the Media very young; underscore the simplicity of some stories by simplicity of line and absence of color; help explain complicated scientific and technological concepts through precise, detailed drawings
Pen and ink
Contribute to the creation of strong emotions and lush settings with saturated colors
Pastel
Help create a lighter mood due to transparency of the medium
Colored pencils
Focus attention on characters, mood, and actions due to absence of color
Graphite pencil
Lend a childlike perspective by using an artistic medium popular with children
Wax crayons
Contribute to settings and characterization through use of objects with tactile feel; lend a sense of reality through the use of real world objects
collages
Help establish outdoor settings with rough-hewn look; lend a sense of character strength through bold lines
woodcuts
Create a sense of the real world with contemporary photographs; create a sense of the past with period photographs
Photographs
