Unit 2 Study Guide Vocabulary

• Pigment

  • For painting, the coloring agent.

• Binder

  • The adhering agent for the various media of painting.

• Tempera

  • In painting, pigment bound by egg yolk.

• Fresco

  • A wall painting.
  • Wet fresco involves pigment applied to wet plaster; generally much more enduring than dry fresco.
  • Dry fresco involves pigment applied to a dry wall.

• Oil

  • Artwork where the medium is pigment mixed with linseed oil, varnish, and turpentine.

• Watercolor

  • For painting, pigment bound by a water-soluble adhesive, such as gum Arabic.

• Acrylic

  • In painting, pigment bound by a synthetic plastic substance, allowing it to dry much faster than oils.

• Mixed Media

  • The combination of two or more artistic media in the same work.

Elements of Painting

• Line

  • A continuous marking made by a moving point on a surface; the basic building block of visual design.

• Closed Line

  • Hard and sharp; example: Lichtenstein’s “Hopeless.”

• Open Line

  • Soft and blurry; example: Renoir’s “Bather Arranging Her Hair.”

• Color:

  • Primary: Red, yellow, and blue.
  • Secondary: Green, orange, and purple.
  • Saturation: Purity, vividness, or intensity of a hue.
  • Value / Shading: Lightness or darkness of a hue; the shading mixture in the hue of white or black.
  • Complementary Colors: Opposite each other on the color wheel; e.g., Red & Green, Orange & Blue.

• Texture

  • The surface "feel" of something.

Principles of Composition

• Balance:

  • Equilibrium of opposing visual forces.
  • Symmetrical Balance:
  • Details and regions are arranged on either side of a central axis; example: “Last Supper.”
  • Asymmetrical Balance:
  • No central axis; example: “The Scream.”

• Graduation:

  • Continuum of changes in the details of regions, such as gradual variations in shape, color, value, and shadowing.

• Emphasis:

  • The way a detail or segment of a painting stands out in relation to other forms in the painting.

• Movement & Rhythm:

  • The way a painting controls the movement and pace of our vision.

• Unity:

  • The togetherness, despite contrasts, of details and regions to the whole.

• Proportion:

  • The emphasis achieved by the scaling of sizes of shapes.

• Variety:

  • The contrasts of details and regions.

Shapes and Space

• Perspective:

  • In painting, the illusion of depth.

• Abstract/Nonrepresentational Painting:

  • Painting that has the sensuous as its subject matter.

• Sensa:

  • The qualities of objects or events that stimulate our sense organs, especially the eyes.

• Representational Painting:

  • Painting that has specific objects or events as its primary subject matter.

• 2D:

  • Flat artwork, such as drawings or paintings.

• 3D (Sculpture):

  • Has depth and can be walked around.

• Sunken Relief Sculpture:

  • Sculpture made by carving grooves of various depths into the surface planes, with the surface plane remaining perceptually distinct.

• Low Relief Sculpture:

  • Sculpture with a background plane from which the projections are relatively small.

• High Relief Sculpture:

  • Sculpture with a background plane from which the projections are relatively large.

• Implied Line:

  • A line not actually drawn, but suggested.

• Contour Line:

  • Outlines the edges of shapes.

• Impasto:

  • Thick paint applied so texture stands out.

Types of Artwork

• One-point Perspective:

  • Lines meet at one vanishing point.

• Portrait:

  • Artwork of a person.

• Landscape:

  • Scene of nature.

• Mural:

  • Large painting on a wall.

• Propaganda:

  • Art meant to teach or instruct.

• History Painting:

  • Shows important historical or religious events.

• Didactic:

  • Art meant to teach or instruct.

• In the round:

  • Fully 3D, viewable from all sides.

• Modeling (additive):

  • Building up material (such as clay).

• Subtractive method:

  • Carving away (such as in stone or wood).

• Kinetic Sculpture:

  • Sculpture that moves (via wind or motor).

• Earth Sculpture:

  • Made from land (like dirt or rocks).

• Mixed Media:

  • Uses multiple materials.

Contemporary Art References

• Dismaland:

  • A dark parody of Disneyland.

• Love is in the Bin:

  • Artwork that shredded itself.

• For the Love of God:

  • Skull covered in diamonds.

• Young British Artists (YBA):

  • Group known for controversial art.

Architecture

• Temple:

  • Religious building (Greek/Roman).

• Cathedral:

  • Large Christian church.

• Notre Dame Cathedral:

  • Famous Gothic cathedral.

• Flying Buttress:

  • External supports for tall walls.

• Post and Lintel:

  • Structure consisting of two vertical posts and a horizontal beam.

• Pediment:

  • Triangular top of a building.

• Parthenon:

  • Classic Greek temple.

• Seagram Building:

  • Modern skyscraper.

Iconic Architects and Structures

• Architect: Mies van der Rohe

  • Significant contributions to modern architecture.

• Cantilever:

  • Structure that extends without support underneath.

• Frank Lloyd Wright:

  • Designed organic buildings, including Fallingwater, which is built over a waterfall.

• Guggenheim Museum:

  • Notable for its spiral design.

• Guggenheim Museum Bilbao:

  • Known for its modern sculptural design.

• Fractal Architecture:

  • Architecture featuring repeating patterns.

• Skyscraper:

  • Very tall building; example: Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.

Four Necessities of Architecture

• Structure must be:

  • Functional
  • Stable
  • Meaningful

• Earth-rooted:

  • Blends into the ground.

• Earth-resting:

  • Sits flat on the ground.

• Earth-dominating:

  • Stands out strongly.

• Sky-oriented:

  • Emphasizes height.

Notable Buildings and Designs

• Monticello:

  • Designed by Thomas Jefferson; inspired by classical Roman architecture.

• Trinity Church:

  • Designed by Henry Hobson Richardson; introduced the Richardsonian Romanesque style.

• Wainwright Building:

  • By Louis Sullivan; an early skyscraper design.

• Robie House:

  • Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright; exemplifies prairie style with strong horizontal lines.

• Seagram Building:

  • Designed by Mies van der Rohe; a glass-and-steel skyscraper with minimalist design.

• Vanna Venturi House:

  • Designed by Robert Venturi; a reaction against modern simplicity.

• Vietnam Veterans Memorial:

  • Designed by Maya Lin; known for its minimalist and emotional design.

• Gehry Residence:

  • By Frank Gehry; experimental, deconstructed style.

• Walt Disney Concert Hall:

  • By Frank Gehry; characterized by flowing, sculptural metal forms.

• High Line:

  • An urban park reuse project; demonstrates modern focus on sustainability and public space.

Important Artists

• Frida Kahlo

  • Known for self-portraits combining realism with symbolism and emotion.
  • Themes include pain, identity, and culture.
  • Famous work: "The Two Fridas".

• Rembrandt van Rijn

  • Master of light and shadow (chiaroscuro).
  • Created portraits and biblical scenes focusing on realism and human emotion.
  • Famous work: "The Night Watch".

• Vincent van Gogh

  • Known for his bold color and expressive brushstrokes; emotional, dramatic style.
  • Painted landscapes and everyday scenes.
  • Famous works: "Starry Night," "Sunflowers".