Visual Elements of Art

Ch 2-5

Line

the path made by moving point: the side-by-side placement of an infinite number of points

Actual Line

lines that are physically present in a work of art. They are concrete and have describable characteristics including measure and type

The measure of line

its length and width

the type of line

its characteristics: straight, curved, vertical, horizontal, diagonal, zigzag, arc, spiral, etc

Implied line

refers to the sense of line created by the perceptual tendency to connect a series of points; a discontinuous line that the viewer perceives as being continuous.

Psychological line

suggests a conceptual connection - an invisible linear path between or among elements or characters in composition

Outline

a concrete mark that defines the boundary or outer edge of an object or a figure. Outlines are actual lines

contour line

an edge that is perceived where a three-dimensional form curves away form the viewer. Edges are perceived because the object differs from the background in value (lighter v darker). Not an actual line.

Line and Value

by altering the measure or density of lines, gradations in value can be perceived.

Crosshatching

dense patterns of crisscrossed lines, stippling - a more or less dense pattern of dots and hatching - closely space parallel lines all achieve similar effects

Shape

an area within a composition that has boundaries that separate it from its surroundings

Form

a shape defined in three-dimensional

Volume

the amount of space in an enclosed three-dimensional area or in an empty three-dimentional object.

Mass/Bulk

the amount of force required to move an object. Three-dimensional forms that occupy three-dimensional space have actual mass that is measurable. Objects depicted on a two-dimensional surface may convey a sense of mass even though they do not posses it, we say such objects have implied mass

Geometric shapes

shapes derived from mathematical formulas that are rendered with great precisions. Shapes with straight edges and angular corners are described as rectilinear; shapes with curving edges are described as curvilinear

Organic shapes

shapes derived from nature

Positive and Negative shapes - Figure and Ground

in a two-dimentional composition, a shape is referred to as a figure and the empty area surrounding it is referred to as ground. The figure is regarded as positive shape in a composition and the ground is regarded as negative shape

Figure-ground reversal

the tendency of the eye and brain to shift focus when figure and ground are ambiguous

Value

the lightness or darkness of a color. Yellow is the lightest color on the color wheel and violet is the darkest. Green-blue-violet colors are considered cool and yellow/orange/red are considered warm. Warm colors seem to advance toward the picture plane and cool colors seem to recede.

Value contrast

the degrees of difference between shades of gray. High value contest results in clarity and sharpness. Low value contrast results in lack of clarity

Value Range

a low key palette moves towards the black end of the spectrum. A high key palette moves towards the white end of the spectrum

Value pattern

describes the variation of light and dark within a work of art and the ways in which they are arranged within a composition

Chiaroscuro

is a value pattern defined by a gradual progression from light to dark through a successive gradation of tones across a curved surface.

Tenebrism

is a value pattern characterized by abrupt and dramatic juxtapositions of light and dark

highlighting

the placement of patches of white light

Color

the optical effect caused when reflected white light of the spectrum is divided into operate wavelengths. The wavelength of light determines its color or hue. Red has the longest wavelength. Violet has the shortest. The properties of colors are hue, value, and intensity.

Intensity/Saturation

the degree of purity of a color/hue measured by its brightness. Saturation decreases when another hue or black, white or gray are added.

Tint

the lightness of a color as determined by the extent of its mixture with whites

Shade

the darkness of a color determined by the extent of its mixture with black

Color Schemes

planned combinations of color

Analogous colors

colors that lie next to each another on the color wheel and share characteristics of hue as a result of the mixture of adjacent hues. Placed next to each other, effect is calming

Complementary colors

colors that are opposite one another on the color wheel. Do not share characteristics of hue and are as inline as possible. Effect is jarring

Local color

the hue of an object created by the color its surface reflects under normal lighting conditions. Color that is natural rather than symbolic for the depicted objects

Optical color

the perception of the color of an object, which may vary markedly according to atmospheric conditions

Actual Texture

the surface character of materials as experienced by the sense of touch. Tactile. Typically discuss the surface texture of painting only when it is palpable or unusual, as when a think impasto is used or when an unusual material is added to the surface.

Visual Texture

simulated texture in a work of art. The use of line, color, or other visual elements to create the illusion of various textures in flat drawings and paintings

Subversive texture

the texture that is chosen or created by artist to foil or undermine out ideas about the objects they depict. Compels viewer to look again at the object and to think about it more deeply

overlapping

when nearby objects overlap more distant ones to create the perceptual illusion that one is in front of another

relative size

the size of a figure or object in relation to other figures or objects or the setting

Atmospheric Perspective

the illusion of depth created by techniques such as texture gradients, brightness gradients, and the manipulation of warm and cool colors. A gradient is a progressive change.

Texture Gradient

the relative degree of roughness in the rendering of nearby and distant objects used to create an illusion of depth in two-dimentional works. Nearby objects are usually rendered with more retailed and rougher surfaces than distant ones

Brightness Gradient

the relative degree of intensity in the rendering of nearby and distant objects used to create an illusion of depth in two-dimentional works

Linear Perspective

a system of organizing space in two-dimentional works of art in which lines that are, (in reality) parallel and horizontal are represented as covering diagonals. The method is based on foreshortening, in which the space between the lines grows smaller with distance, just as objects appear to grow smaller with distance.

Actual motion

the passage of a figure or object from one place to another. Can be captured through kinetic art (mobiles for example) or photography that captures motion through the use of stopped time.

Implied Motion

the impression that motion has occurred/time has passed created through the use of visual elements, commotion or content

Illusion of Motion

the impression that motion is n the process of occurring created through the use of repletion, overlap and blurring.