Art Appreciation Final

8 week course final exam

Optical Perception

Artists reproduce what they perceive in the real world with little exaggeration or creative interpretation.

Conceptual Perception

Artist is inspired by imaginary concepts.

Picture Plane

the flat surface on which the artist works.

Picture Frame

the outermost limit of boundary of the picture plane.

Objective

refers to an image that is based on the physical reality of the object

Subjective

Derived from the mind, instead of physical reality.

Nonobjective

Images are completely imaginative; the image is not derived from anything visually perceived by the artist

Positive Areas

objects or figures represented in a work of art

Negative Areas

are the spaces in, between, and around objects, or the empty areas surrounding the shapes and forms

Media

Materials and tools used by an artist

Drawing materials

divided into 2 categories- dry media and liquid media

Painting materials

Examples: acrylic, tempera, oil paint, and watercolor

Freestanding sculpture

sculpture not attached to a background but surrounded on all sides by space

mixed media

two or more different media in a single work

Subject

what viewers can identify in an image - the people, places, events, or ideas in a work of art

Form

the way the principles of design are used to organize the elements

Content

in the emotional or intellectual meaning of a work of art

Portrait

a work which records the appearance of an actual person or persons

Religious Work

art which represents stories or figures from religious sources

Mythological

depict characters or narrative scenes derived from the myths about the history and origin of a people and their deities and heroes

Landscape

work in which natural or landscape elements predominate

Genre

represents events of everyday life

Still Life

arranging and depicting inanimate objects, such as flowers, fruit, and objects

elements of art

basic ingredients that consist of line, shape, value, color, texture, space, time, and motion

Principles of Design

How the elements of art are arranged, the principles include unity and variety, dominance, and economy, balance, scale, proportion, and movement

Expressive Properties

used to help communicate the artist’s message

Abstraction

the simplification or distortion of natural shapes and forms

Naturalism

a style of representation that is very realistic or lifelike.

Realism

style that is representational, but to a less degree than naturalism

semiabstract

still recognizable, but they are several steps removed from a naturalistic image since all the elements are usually abstracted or simplified to some extent

Objective Abstraction

abstraction based on physical objects

Nonobjective abstraction

no recognizable reference from nature

Cross contour line

line that follows a shapes surface and created 3-dimensionality

Gestural line

line that expresses movement

Calligraphic line

line that suggests grace and motion

Hatching

Using lines to create areas of light and dark. Lines placed a varying distances

Cross hatching

Parallel lines are drawn across one another, creating darker values

Expressive lines

Lines that suggest various moods or elicit different emotional responses

Horizontal Lines

lines that express peace, quiet, stability

Vertical lines

lines that express poise, aspiration, and dignity

Diagonal Lines

lines suggest agitation, movement and instability

curved lines

lines that suggest fluid movement

Implied lines

lines that are not defined, or actually drawn.

Psychological (Psychic Lines)

lines that connect one point to another

Opitcal Art

Art that stimulates the nervous system into thinking it perceives movement

Shape

distinguished from its surroundings by a defined or implied boundary

Actual Shape

positive areas within a clearly defined boundary

Implied shape

shapes that do not actually exist, are suggested by lines, dots, areas, or edges

Objective Shape

Shape that imitates physical actuality

Subjective shape

imaginary shapes

Form

3-dimensional shapes

Emotional Shape

Physical properties manipulated to make elements more expressive

Geometric Shapes

related to geometry, create a sense of order and intellect. Triangles, squares, circles

Biomorphic Shapes

Irregular shapes, resemble the curved nature or living organisms, also organic shapes

Amorphous shape

shape without clear definition

texture

the surface quality or feel of an object

Actual Texture

real texture on a drawing or painting

visual texture

Illusion of a 3-dimensional surface based on the memory of how things feel 

tactile texture

texture experienced through touch

impasto

paint applied so thickly onto the canvas, that is stands out from the surface

papier colle

artist pastes scraps of paper with texture onto the picture surface

Collage

glued paper, ribbons, buttons, photographs, and other objects onto a picture place surface

Assemblage

a technique that involves the grouping of 3-dimensional items in a display 

Simulated texture

Detailed description of an object surface characteristics in any medium 

Dominance

Draws attention to specific locations in a work of art

Focal Point

the first part of the artwork to draw attention to the viewer

isolation

a way of creating dominance in a work of art, by putting one object alone from the others

convergence

when many elements of an artwork point to one items

Economy

getting rid of all nonessential elements that do not contribute to a composition

Unity

Creates a sense of harmony, by stressing the similarities of separate but related parts

Continuation

linking similar parts of a composition on a linear path 

Principles of organization

Guidelines used to organize the different parts of design to clearly communicate the artist feelings and intentions

Contrast

combining art elements to stress the difference between them

Emphasis

Achieved in art through contrast, isolation, placement, and convergence or directional lines

Optical Painting 

and art style particularly popular in the 1960’s in which line and color are manipulated in ways that stimulate the eye into believing it perceives movement

Discordant Colors

Visually disturbing colors that are widely seperated on the color wheel, but not complementary or triadic balance

Visual Weight

weight is distributed so that it appears as though the elements have equilibrium 

visual imbalance

unequal distribution of visual weight, which can create discomfort for the viewer

Four most important types of balance

Symmetrical, Approximate Symmetry, Radial Balance, Asymmetrical

Symmetrical Balance

two halves of a composition are identical

Approximate Symmetry

when two sides of an artwork are similar, but not exact

Radial Balance

elements of design radiate from a central point 

Asymmetrical Balance

Two halves of an artwork are different, yet appear to be in balance

Movement

Give the look and feel of action, and guides the viewers eye through the artwork

Visual Pathways

arranging the elements of art to direct the viewers eyes to the focal point and throughout the composition

Line of Sight

an implied line from the figure’s eyes to a viewed object

Value Pattern

The arrangement and amount of variation in light and dark in a painting or design 

Visual Rhythm

repeating one or several units of a design

Legato

Rhythm characterized by smooth soft transaction of line and shape

Stacato

Rhythm that is abrupt, can imply energy, or make the viewers nervous