Basic Design I – Quiz Terms

Amorphous

Forms and shapes that are indeterminate or vaguely defined. “Without Form.”

Analogous Colors

Colors that are closely related in hue; adjacent to each other on the color wheel.

Approximate Symmetry

The appearance of similar, but not exact, imagery (through value, color, shape, etc.) on either side of a central axis.

Asymmetry

Balance within a composition that is achieved through an uneven distribution of parts without any central axis.

Balance

A sense of equilibrium achieved through implied weight, attention, or attraction in a composition, by manipulating the visual elements within an artwork in order to accomplish unity.

Biomorphic Shape

Irregular shape that resembles the freely developed curves found in living organisms.

Calligraphic Line

Lines that possess the flowing rhythmical qualities that appear in elegant, decorative writing.

Cast Shadow

The dark area that occurs on a surface as a result of something being placed between that surface and a light source.

Chiaroscuro

The term to describe the gradual gradation of light and shade in a painting, especially where strong tonal contrasts are used. The extreme use of this is called Tenebrism.

Color Triad

Three colors spaced an equal distance apart on the color forming an equilateral triangle. The twelve-color wheel is made up of a primary triad, a secondary triad, and two intermediate triads.

Complementary Colors

Two colors directly opposite each other on the color wheel. A primary color is the complement of a secondary (red/green, yellow/violet, blue/orange), the mixture of the remaining primary colors.

Composition

The arranging and/or structuring of all the art elements, as organized by the principles of organization, that achieves a unified whole. Often used interchangeably with the term “design.”

Content

The sensory, subjective, psychological, or emotional properties we feel in work of art, as opposed to our perceptions of its descriptive or narrative aspects alone.

Contour Line

The line that defines the outermost limits of an object or a drawn shape. It is sometimes considered to be synonymous with the term “outline;” as such, it indicates an edge that also may be defined by the extremities of values, textures, or colors.

Craftsmanship

The aptitude, skill or quality of workmanship in the use of materials and tools. May also refer to aspects of the care taken in the creation of a work or the presentation of a work.

Cross-Contour Line

A line that crosses and defines the surface undulations between, or up to, the outermost edges of shapes or objects.

Curvilinear

Lines and shapes that stress curves, as opposed to the straight quality found in rectilinear lines and shapes.

Design

The underlying process or underlying plan on which artists base their total work. In a broader sense, design may be considered synonymous with the terms “form” and “composition.”

Dominance

The principle in visual organization where certain elements assume more importance than others in the same composition or design. Some features are emphasized and others are subordinated through value, size, color, texture, etc.

Economy

Distilling the image to its basic essentials for clarity of presentation (i.e. subordinating details within an object for the sake of a better composition).

Elements of Art

Line, shape, value, texture, and color—the basic ingredients the artist uses separately or in combination to produce artistic imagery. Their use produces the visual language of art.

Figure/Ground

The relationship between what the viewer perceives as the object or subject in a work and what is “background.” This is evident in both representational and abstract works.

Form

The total appearance, organization, or inventive arrangement of all the visual elements according to the principles that will develop unity in an artwork.

Geometric Shape

A shape that appears to be related to geometry, such as triangles, rectangles, and circles.

Harmony (harmonious)

The cohesive relationship of visual elements within a composition. Harmony is achieved by repetition of characteristics that are the same or similar in order to create a pleasing interaction.

Hatching

Repeated strokes of an art tool (pen, pencil, charcoal, etc.) producing clustered lines (usually parallel) that creates value. Cross-hatching occurs when similar lines pass over other hatched lines in a different direction, resulting in a darker value.

High-key Color

Any color that has a value level of middle gray or lighter.

Highlight

The portion of an object that, from the observer’s position, receives the greatest amount of direct light, sometimes resulting in a bright reflection.

Hue

Designates the common name of a color (red, yellow, blue) and indicates its position on the spectrum or on the color wheel.

Implied Line

Implied lines are those that dim, fade, or stop and/or disappear where a missing part is implied to continue and is visually completed in the mind of the observer.

Implied Shape

A shape suggested or created by the psychological connection of dots, lines, areas, or their edges, creating the visual appearance of a shape that does not physically exist in the composition.

Intensity

The saturation, strength, or purity of a hue. A vivid color is of a high intensity, a dull or muted color is of a low intensity.

Intermediate Color

A color produced by a mixture of a primary color and a secondary color (i.e. yellow-orange, red-violet, blue-green)

Lightfast

Term applied to pigments that resist fading when exposed to sunlight.

Low-key Color

Any color that has a value level of middle gray or darker.

Medium (or media if plural)

The material(s) and tool(s) used by the artist to create the visual elements perceived by the viewer.

Motif

A designed unit or pattern that is repeated often enough in the total composition to make it a significant or dominant feature.

Movement

The way in which the eye travels or is directed by visual pathways within a work of art.

Negative Areas/Spaces

The unoccupied or “empty” spaces left after the positive elements have been created by the artist. However, when these areas have boundaries, they also function as design shapes in the total structure.

Pattern

In a composition, repeated elements and/or designs that are usually varied, and produce interconnections and obvious directional movements.

Positive Areas/Spaces

The subject—whether recognizable or non-recognizable objects—formed through the combination of art elements (line, shape, value, texture, and color).

Principles of Organization

Seven principles that guide the use of artistic elements (line, shape, color, value, texture) in achieving unity: harmony, variety, balance, proportion, dominance, movement, and economy.

Proportion

The comparative relationship between parts of a whole or various objects in relation to one another.

Rectilinear

Straight lines and shapes that stress rigidity and not curves.

Repetition

The use of the same visual effect a number of times in the same composition. Repetition may produce the dominance of a visual idea, a harmonious compositional relationship, or an obviously planned pattern or rhythmic movement.

Rhythm

The flow or sense of movement achieved by repetition of regulated visual elements or units.

Shadow, Shade, or Shading

The darker value on the surface of an object that gives the illusion that a portion of the object is turned away from, or obscured by, the source of light.

Simultaneous Contrast

A perceptual phenomenon with color in which a relatively small area of one color seems to be altered toward a different hue because of its relationship to the other color surrounding it.

Subject

The persons or things and their activities or actions represented in a descriptive work, or, in abstract works, the visual signs and symbols created by the artist through the elements of art.

Support

Surface or backing used for painting -- canvas, paper, board, etc...-- as opposed to the actual surface or ground (gesso).

Symmetry

The exact duplication of mirrorlike appearances on either side of a central axis.

Technique

The manner and skill with which artists use their tools and materials to achieve an expressive effect.

Tenebrism

A style of painting that exaggerates or emphasizes the effects of chiaroscuro. Larger amounts of dark value are placed close to smaller areas of highly contrasting light values in order to concentrate attention on certain important features.

Texture

The surface character of a material that can be experienced through touch or the illusion of that surface characteristic produced through value, line, shape, and color.

Tooth

The texture, ranging from coarse to fine (smooth), of canvas, paper or wood.

Unity

The result of bringing the elements of art into an appropriate ratio, or a condition in which the components of art (subject, form, and content) are so interdependent that the work seems natural and cohesive.

Variety

Differences achieved by opposing, contrasting, changing, elaborating, or diversifying elements in a composition to add interest.