Art Concepts and Techniques

Space

The distance around, between, above, below, and within objects.

Observational Drawing

Drawing based on looking carefully at a real subject.

Hue

Another word for color; the actual color, like blue, red, orange, or green.

Primary Colors

Red, blue, and yellow; colors that cannot be made by mixing other colors.

Secondary Colors

Purple, orange, and green; made by mixing two primary colors.

Tertiary Colors

Colors made by mixing one primary color with one secondary color, like red-orange or blue-green.

Intensity

A color's brightness, brilliance, or purity.

Complementary Colors

Colors across from each other on the color wheel, like red/green, yellow/purple, and blue/orange.

Neutral Colors

Grayish or brownish colors made by mixing equal amounts of complementary colors.

Tint

A color made lighter by adding white.

Shade

A color made darker by adding black or a darker hue.

Warm Colors

Red, yellow, orange, and their values; they feel warm or energetic.

Cool Colors

Blue, purple/violet, green, and their values; they feel calm or cool.

Monochromatic Colors

Tints, shades, and tones of one single hue.

Color Wheel

A visual arrangement of colors based on their relationships.

Horizon Line

The line that divides the sky from the ground; also called eye level.

Eye Level Line

Another name for the horizon line.

General to Specific Drawing

A drawing process that starts with big simple shapes and ends with small details.

Step 1 of General to Specific Drawing

Lightly draw the basic shapes of the composition.

Step 2 of General to Specific Drawing

Correct shapes, add general shading, and adjust proportions.

Step 3 of General to Specific Drawing

Add specific details and textures.

Step 4 of General to Specific Drawing

Add more contrast to shading if needed.

Step 5 of General to Specific Drawing

Add final details to complete the artwork.

Pattern

A design created by repeating colors, lines, or shapes.

Symmetry

When one side of something mirrors or balances the other side.

Asymmetry

When one side of something does not mirror or balance the other side.

Depth

The illusion that objects are near or far away in a drawing.

Ways to Show Depth

Use perspective, overlapping, foreground/middleground/background, size, detail, color, and texture.

Overlapping

When objects cover parts of each other to show which one is closer.

Foreground

The area closest to the viewer.

Middleground

The area between the foreground and background.

Background

The area farthest from the viewer.

Size and Depth

Objects closer to the viewer usually appear larger.

Detail and Depth

Objects closer to the viewer usually have more detail.

Color and Depth

Objects closer to the viewer are usually more colorful.

Texture and Depth

Adding texture can help show depth and distance.

Positive Space

The occupied space inside the object or shape.

Occupied Space

Another name for positive space.

Negative Space

The empty or unoccupied space around an object.

Unoccupied Space

Another name for negative space.

Focal Point

The center of interest in a work of art.

Perspective

A technique that creates the illusion of depth on a flat surface.

Linear Perspective

A type of perspective that uses lines to create the illusion of depth.

Vanishing Point

An imaginary point on the horizon line where receding parallel lines meet.

One-Point Perspective

Perspective that uses one vanishing point.

Two-Point Perspective

Perspective that uses two vanishing points.

Functional Art

Art that is useful and has a purpose, like dishes, furniture, bowls, or chairs.

Utilitarian

Meant to be useful or practical.

Two-Dimensional Art

Art with length and width only, like paintings, drawings, photos, and prints.

Three-Dimensional Object

An object with length, width, and thickness/depth.

Medium

The material used to make art, like pencil, acrylic paint, tempera, or clay.

Media

Plural form of medium; multiple art materials.

Paper Mache

A technique using paper soaked in adhesive and formed onto an object.

Portrait

An artwork showing a person, usually with the face as the main subject.

Still Life

An artwork showing objects as the subject, like food, flowers, shells, or plants.

Contour Drawing

A drawing made only with lines that define edges and surface ridges, with no shading.

Value Drawing

A drawing focused on lights and darks.

Opaque

Not allowing light to pass through; not transparent or translucent.

Translucent

Allowing some light to pass through.

Sphere

A 3-D round form like a ball.

Highlight

The brightest area on an object where light hits directly.

Cast Shadow

The shadow an object makes on the surface around it.

Reflected Light

Light that bounces back onto the shadow side of an object.

Transitional Light

Middle values between the highlight and shadow.

Core Shadow

The darkest part of the shadow on the object itself.

Facial Proportions

Approximate placement of facial features using guidelines.

Eye Placement

Eyes are placed approximately halfway down the head.

Nose Placement

The nose is usually placed below the eyes, around halfway between the eyes and chin.

Mouth Placement

The mouth is usually placed between the nose and chin.

Ear Placement

Ears usually line up around the eyebrow/eye area to the bottom of the nose.

Elements of Art

The basic components artists use to create art.

Seven Elements of Art

Line, shape, form, value, texture, color, and space.

Line

A continuous mark made on a surface.

Shape

An enclosed two-dimensional area with length and width.

Form

A three-dimensional shape that has volume, like a cube, sphere, pyramid, or cylinder.

Value

A color's lightness or darkness.

Texture

The way a surface feels or looks like it would feel.

Actual Texture

Texture that can really be felt.

Simulated Texture

Texture that is drawn or painted to look real.

Invented Texture

Texture created from imagination.

Color

An element of art created by reflected light.

Principles of Art

How artists organize the elements of art.

Main Principles of Art

Balance, emphasis, movement, proportion, rhythm, variety, and unity.

Balance

Arranging elements to create stability or equilibrium.

Emphasis

Making something stand out or creating a center of attention.

Movement

Using elements to create action or guide the viewer's eye through the artwork.

Proportion

The size relationship of parts to each other and to the whole artwork.

Rhythm

Repeating elements to create a visual beat or tempo.

Variety

Using different or contrasting elements to make art more interesting.

Unity

The feeling of wholeness or oneness in a work of art.

Composition

The arrangement of elements in an artwork.

Contrast

The difference between light and dark, colors, shapes, or other elements.

Line Example

A pencil mark, wire, rope, or implied edge of a shape.

Shape Example

Circle, square, triangle, or rectangle.

Form Example

Sphere, cube, cylinder, cone, or pyramid.

Value Example

A scale from white to gray to black.

Texture Example

Spiky, slimy, scaly, rough, or soft.

Color Example

Red, blue, yellow, green, orange, or purple.

Space Example

The area around and inside objects in an artwork.

Balance Example

A symmetrical design where both sides feel even.