1.1-1.5 Art Appreciation

What is the subject of an artwork?

The “what” of a work of art—people, places, things, themes, processes, events, or ideas.

What is content in art?

What the image means or communicates.

What is visual literacy?

The ability to efficiently explain your thoughts and opinions about visual images.

What is symbolism/iconography?

Symbols or images that have meaning or ties to specific groups of people.

What is representational art?

Art that depicts the natural/observable world.

What is abstract art?

Art that does not attempt to accurately represent the natural world.

What is non-representational/non-objective art?

Art that does not represent the natural or objective world.

What is realism?

Representing subjects in a way that resembles real life.

What is photorealism?

Art that is extremely realistic and resembles a photograph.

What is the sublime?

Capturing something so immense or powerful that it is difficult for the imagination to comprehend.

What is naturalism?

Representing subjects as they appear in nature, often with realistic detail.

What is form in art?

The overall arrangement or organization of all the visual elements.

What does abstract art focus more on?

Shape and form.

What does non-representational art focus more on?

Shape and form rather than recognizable objects.

What are the visual elements of art?

Line, shape, value, color, texture, space, time, and motion.

What is line?

The basic and most fundamental element in art.

What is shape?

A two-dimensional area defined by boundaries such as lines, color, or value.

What is value?

The degree of lightness or darkness of a surface or color.

What is texture?

The surface characteristics of materials, experienced through touch or represented visually.

What is space?

The area around, between, or within objects in an artwork.

What are time and motion?

Visual elements used to show or suggest movement and the passage of time.

What are the principles of design?

Unity, variety, emphasis, scale, focal point, balance, rhythm, and proportion.

What is unity?

A sense that the parts of an artwork belong together.

What is variety?

The use of differences to create visual interest.

What is emphasis?

Making a particular part of an artwork stand out.

What is scale?

The size of an object in relation to another object or its surroundings.

What is a focal point?

The main area of interest that attracts the viewer's attention.

What is balance?

The distribution of visual weight within an artwork.

What is rhythm?

Repetition or movement that creates a visual pattern.

What is proportion?

The relationship of the sizes of parts to each other and to the whole.

What can lines show?

Connections and relationships between objects OR divisions/separations between objects.

What can vertical lines suggest?

Height, but also a sense of instability.

What can horizontal lines suggest?

Fortitude/stability, but also a sense of flatness.

What can diagonal lines suggest?

Dynamic energy, but they can also feel overwhelming.

What can the length of a line show?

Distance or movement.

What can the width of a line show?

Weight or fragility.

What is an implied line?

A sense of a line created by perceptual points.

What is a psychological line?

A conceptual connection between elements or characters.

What is an outline?

An actual, concrete line that defines the boundary or outer edge of an object.

What is a contour line?

A perceived edge rather than an actual physical line.

What is hatching?

Lines drawn in succession, one after another, at various intervals.

What is cross-hatching?

Intersecting hatching lines used to create more depth or shading.

What are geometric shapes?

Shapes related to geometry, often appearing structured or human-made.

What are organic shapes?

Shapes related to or inspired by nature.

What is a high-key range?

Values on the grayscale closer to white.

What is a low-key range?

Values on the grayscale closer to black.

What is value contrast?

The degree of difference between shades of gray/light and dark.

What is a value pattern?

The variation of light and dark within a work of art.

What is chiaroscuro?

A value pattern created by a gradual progression from light to dark.

What is tenebrism?

A value pattern characterized by abrupt, dramatic shifts between light and dark.

What is color?

A fundamental aspect of perception of the physical world that can be used to convey abstract ideas.

What is the visible light spectrum?

The range of colors perceived by the naked eye.

What is the color wheel?

A 12-point wheel used to organize color relationships.

What are the primary colors?

Red, blue, and yellow.

What are the secondary colors?

Orange, green, and purple.

What are tertiary colors?

Colors made by combining a primary color with a secondary color.

What is additive color?

Color created by mixing colored light.

What is subtractive color?

Color created by mixing pigments.

What is color temperature?

The sense of warmth or coolness a color gives off.

What are warm colors?

Red, orange, and yellow.

What are cool colors?

Blue, purple, and green.

What are the 3 key perceptual properties of color?

Hue, value, and saturation.

What is hue?

The basic color itself, such as red, blue, or yellow.

What is saturation?

The intensity or purity of a color.

What is a color scheme?

The arrangement of colors in a composition.

What is a monochromatic color scheme?

A color scheme dominated by one color and its variations.

What is an analogous color scheme?

Colors that are close to each other on the color wheel.

What is a complementary color scheme?

Colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel.

What is local color?

The representation of an object's actual/typical color.

What is optical color?

The simulation of the visual effects of different lighting conditions.

What is arbitrary color?

Color that does not accurately reflect visible reality.

What is actual texture?

Texture that can physically be felt through touch.

What are examples of actual texture?

Smooth, hard, rough, raised, etc.

What is impasto?

Thick layers of paint that create a raised appearance.

What is visual texture?

Texture that is visually represented to make the viewer imagine how a surface might look or feel.

What is invented texture?

Visual texture that makes no reference to visible reality.

What is subversive texture?

Texture used to undermine or challenge expectations of familiar reality.

What is pattern?

A design based on repetition or grouping of elements such as line, shape, color, or texture.

What is positive space?

The area occupied by the focal point in 2D art or the entirety of a sculpture in 3D.

What is negative space?

The area not occupied by the focal point in 2D art or everything that is not the sculpture in 3D.

What is the illusion of space?

The suggestion of 3D space on a 2D surface.

What is relative size?

The understanding that objects farther from the viewer appear smaller and objects closer appear larger.

What is overlapping?

Using objects in a composition to emphasize relationships between objects and space.

What is vertical positioning?

Positioning objects strategically to signify depth.

What is atmospheric perspective?

The influence of the atmosphere on the appearance of objects or space.

What is linear perspective?

A formal system used to portray 3D objects and space accurately on a 2D surface.

What are the two important parts of linear perspective?

Vanishing point and horizon line.

What are the types of motion in art?

Actual motion, illusion of motion, optical sensations, implied motion, and implied time.

What are optical sensations?

The illusion of movement in a stationary still image.