GED 3 Art Appreciation & General Education – Review Vocabulary

A vocabulary set covering essential terms, artists, movements, elements, and concepts from the Art Appreciation lecture notes to aid exam review.

Representational Art

Artworks whose subjects are easily recognized due to clear identification of real-world objects or figures.

Non-Representational Art

Art that does not depict recognizable subjects; focuses on forms, colors, and textures themselves.

Art is Universal

The assumption that art transcends generations and nations, holding meaning for all cultures.

Art as Personal Experience

View that art is the actual act of accomplishing something based on an individual’s lived moments.

Aesthetic Function (of Art)

Role of art concerned with beauty and pleasing visual images communicating through persuasive forms and words.

Cultural Function (of Art)

Function in which art transmits, shapes, or preserves a society’s beliefs, customs, and traditions.

Social Function (of Art)

Art used for cooperation, unity, or sympathetic causes within the community.

Utilitarian Function (of Art)

Function where art objects also serve practical, everyday purposes, e.g., food containers or shelter.

Primary Colors

Red, yellow, and blue; base hues that create all other colors when mixed.

Secondary Colors

Orange, green, and purple; produced by mixing two primary colors.

Tertiary Colors

Hues created by mixing a primary color with a neighboring secondary color.

Complementary Colors

Pairs of hues opposite each other on the color wheel that create high contrast (e.g., red–green).

Neutral Colors

Black, white, gray, and sometimes brown; colors with little to no hue intensity.

Warm (Hot) Colors

Red, orange, and yellow; convey energy and warmth.

Cool Colors

Blue, green, and purple; evoke calmness or coldness.

Horizontal Line

Line orientation suggesting quietness, rest, or relaxation in composition.

Vertical Line

Line suggesting strength, power, and authority.

Diagonal Line

Line conveying movement, tension, or activity.

Curved Line

Soft, flowing line that can suggest gracefulness or rhythm.

Shape

A two-dimensional area enclosed by a line, having height and width only.

Form

Three-dimensional quality of an object including height, width, and depth.

Space (Art Element)

Area around, within, or between components of a piece impacting composition.

Texture

Surface quality—actual or implied—determining how a material looks or feels.

Value (Art)

Lightness or darkness of a color indicating shading and depth.

Balance (Art Principle)

Distribution of visual weight to achieve stability in a composition.

Emphasis (Art Principle)

Technique of making a part of an artwork stand out to draw viewer attention.

Rhythm (Art Principle)

Visual beat produced by pattern or repetition of elements.

Unity (Art Principle)

Sense of wholeness achieved by consistent use of elements throughout a design.

Pattern

Repetition of line, form, color, texture, or motif across a work.

Leonardo da Vinci

Renaissance polymath; painted Mona Lisa and The Last Supper.

Mona Lisa

Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic portrait famed for enigmatic smile.

Vincent van Gogh

Post-Impressionist Dutch painter known for expressive brushwork; painted The Starry Night.

The Starry Night

Van Gogh’s swirling night-sky painting symbolizing emotion and turbulence.

Pablo Picasso

Spanish painter and sculptor; co-founded Cubism; known for complex full name.

Cubism

Art movement breaking subjects into geometric forms viewed from multiple angles.

Claude Monet

French Impressionist who said, “We live in a rainbow of chaos.”

Juan Luna

Filipino painter of Spoliarium, the Philippines’ most prized painting.

Guillermo Tolentino

Filipino sculptor of the Bonifacio monument and UP Oblation.

Spoliarium

Juan Luna’s massive 1884 painting depicting fallen gladiators; national treasure.

Psychology of Color – Red

Associated with physical energy and stimulation; can imply passion or urgency.

Psychology of Color – Yellow

Linked to emotions and optimism; negative connotations include fear or strain.

Psychology of Color – Blue

Represents intellect, trust, and calmness.

Psychology of Color – Green

Symbolizes balance, harmony, and nature.

White (Positive Trait)

Connotes hygiene, purity, and simplicity in color psychology.

Monochromatic Scheme

Color palette using different tints and shades of a single hue.

Analogous Colors

Colors adjacent on the wheel that blend harmoniously.

Hornbostel-Sachs System

International classification categorizing instruments by sound-producing method.

Folk Song

Traditional secular music of a community, e.g., “Bahay Kubo.”

Dynamics (Music)

Element describing loudness or softness of a sound.

Rondalla

Philippine ensemble of stringed instruments played with plectra.

Brass Band

Street or marching ensemble of brass and percussion instruments.

Musikong Bumbong

Filipino marching band using bamboo aerophones.

Pangkat Kawayan

‘Bamboo Orchestra’ employing bamboo xylophones, marimba, and other bamboo instruments.

Shape – Geometric / Organic

Geometric shapes are regular like circles & squares; organic shapes are irregular and natural.

Ginamat Textile

Kalinga/Bontoc cloth with red stripes, geometric motifs, and nature symbols.

Bul-ul

Ifugao wooden rice-god carving symbolizing guardianship over harvest.

Inabel & Burnay

Ilocos woven cloth (inabel) and clay jars (burnay) representing local crafts.

Pahiyas Festival

Quezon celebration honoring San Isidro Labrador with decorated houses.

Barong & Balisong

Traditional embroidered shirt and folding knife common in Taal, Batangas.

Manunggul Jar

Secondary burial jar from Palawan signifying early belief in afterlife.

Concerto Grosso

Baroque composition featuring small group of soloists against orchestra.

Oratorio

Large-scale musical piece for orchestra & voices with sacred narrative, no staging.

Madrigal

Renaissance secular polyphonic vocal music set to poetic text.

Kyrie

Mass section meaning “Lord have mercy.”

Troubadour

Medieval traveling poet-musicians who performed monophonic songs.

Encaustic Painting

Technique using heated wax mixed with pigment applied to a surface.

Fresco

Painting water-based pigments on freshly laid plaster.

Ancient Art

Earliest art period including cave paintings depicting animals.

Classical Art

Greco-Roman period valuing naturalistic proportion and ideal form.

Pyramids of Giza

Egyptian monumental tombs built for pharaohs’ afterlife comfort.

Architecture

Art and technique of designing and constructing buildings distinct from mere construction.

Contemporary Period (Philippines)

Era reflecting present culture and society in artistic expressions.

Spanish Tradition (Philippine Art)

Artistic influence using works to propagate Catholic faith.

Technique (Art)

The manner in which an artist manipulates materials to achieve desired effects.

Medium (Art)

Substance or material out of which an artwork is made.

Combined Arts

Art forms integrating multiple media, e.g., film or performance art.

Practical Arts

Arts serving functional purposes, such as furniture design.

Sculptor

Artist working with metal, wood, stone, clay, or glass to create three-dimensional works.

Musician

Artist who uses sound and instruments—including the voice—to create music.

Theatre Artist

Practitioner integrating visual, musical, dance, and staging elements into unified performance.

Digital Tagalog

Interactive contemporary artwork by Lani Maestro and Poklong Anading engaging viewer participation.

Site-Specific Art

Artwork designed for a particular location, integral to its meaning.

Interactive Art

Art that requires audience participation to complete or influence the work.

Visual Arts

Art forms perceived primarily through sight such as painting, sculpture, and graphics.

Three-Dimensional Art

Art possessing length, width, and depth—adding space or volume to form.