VISUAL VOCABULARY

ELEMENTS AND PRINCIPLES

Elements of Art- The basic components used by the artist when producing works of art. The elements consist of line, shape / form, color, value, texture, and space. Elements are marked with an asterisk*.

*Line- A mark made by the point of a drawing tool.

*Shape- An enclosed space determined by a line, color or texture.

*Form- A shape that is three-dimensional (height, width and depth) and encloses volume.

*Color- The effect produced when rays of light are reflected from an object. White is when all the rays are reflected and black is when all the rays are absorbed.

*Value- The lightness or darkness of a color or an object.

*Texture- The way something feels or "looks" like it would feel.

Pattern- Repeated lines, shapes, colors, or forms in a work of art.

*Space-The feeling of depth. It refers to the distance or area between, around, above, below, or within things.

Principles of Design- The methods or techniques that artists use to design artworks by controlling the elements of design. The components are balance, emphasis, unity, variety, movement, rhythm and contrast. Principles are marked with two asterisk**.

**Balance- The arrangement of visual elements to create stability in artwork. There are three kinds of balances: symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radial.

**Emphasis- Combining elements to stress the differences between those elements and to create one or more centers of interest in a work.

**Unity - The successful combination of the elements that creates a sense of wholeness in an artwork.

**Variety- The inclusion of differences in the elements of a composition to offset unity and make the work more interesting.

**Movement- Associates with rhythm, referring to the arrangement of parts in an artwork to create a sense of motion to the viewers eyes through the artwork.

**Rhythm - Combining elements to produce the appearance of movement in an artwork.

**Contrast – A combination of elements within an artwork that stresses their differences.

COLOR TERMS

Hue- The name of a color. Ex. Red, Yellow, Orange

Color Scheme- The particular colors used by an artist or designer to create the most effective piece of art work as possible.

Primary Colors- Colors that cannot be made from any other colors. If the colors are pure the primary colors are Magenta (red), Cyan (blue) and Yellow.

Secondary Colors- Colors that are made by mixing two primary colors. Orange, Green & Violet.

Intermediate Colors- Colors that are made by mixing one primary color and one secondary color. YG, BG, BV, RV, RO,YO

Neutral Colors- Black, White and Grey

Complementary Colors- These are two colors that are directly opposite from each other on the color wheel. Red & Green, Blue & Orange, Yellow & Violet.

Split Complementary Colors- This is a color scheme of three colors. Two colors that are analogous and its complement across the color wheel. Red-Orange, Yellow-Orange and the complement of orange which is Blue.

Analogous Colors- These are three or more colors next to each other on the color wheel. A. Warm Colors- Analogous colors that create the feeling of warmth. Yellow, YO, Orange, RO, Red, RV B. Cool Colors-Analogous colors that create the feeling of coolness. Violet, BV, Blue, BG, Green, YG

Achromatic- Without color.

Monochromatic- One (mono) color (chroma) and the different values of that color.

Intensity- The purity or richness of a color (Is the color bright or dull?).

Tints- A tint is created by adding white to a color.

Shades- A shade is created by adding black to a color.

Tone- A tone is created by adding both black and white to a color.

Harmony- A color scheme that does not fit in any other category but is a color scheme.

DRAWING TERMS

Contour line- A line that describes the edges of forms and shapes within forms.

Descriptive lines- Lines that appear in artworks as outlines, contour lines, and as hatching.

Expressive lines- The line quality created by the artists intent to express an idea, mood, or theme.

Hatching- Using closely spaced parallel lines to suggest light and shadow.

Crosshatching- Using crossed parallel lines to suggest light and dark.

Shading- Darkened areas in a work of art that produce form. This includes shade, shadow and highlight.

Still Life- A collection of objects used by artist to draw or paint.

Perspective Drawing- A method of drawing three-dimensional objects (3D) on a two-dimensional (flat) surface so that the objects appear as they would in the real world.

Horizon Line- A line that represents where the earth and the sky meet. It is also the viewer’s eye- level.

Parallel Lines- Lines that are the same distance apart and never meet. In perspective drawing these lines seem to converge at the vanishing point.

Vanishing Point- A point or points on the horizon line where parallel lines seem to converge.

ART VOCABULARY

Aerial Perspective- A method of portraying the effect of distance on a two-dimensional surface by using lighter or duller hues for distant objects.

Artist- A skilled person who creates artwork.

Brayer- A roller used to apply a medium to a surface.

Ceramics/Pottery- Using clay to create functional of decorative objects.

Collage- An artwork created with layers of glued materials.

Façade- The front of a building

Firing- The process of heating pottery in a kiln.

Landscape- A work of art with natural scenery.

Medium- Materials used by the artist to produce a work of art.

Mobile- A balanced construction that moves in space.

Mixed Media- The use of more than one medium in a work of art.

Mural- A large image that is on a wall

Relief- A type of sculpture that is either built up from or carved into a flat surface.

Sculpture- A three-dimensional work of art.