Visual Arts Flashcards

Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Colors

  • Primary Colors: Red, Blue, Yellow
  • Secondary Colors: Orange, Green, Purple
  • Tertiary Colors: Red-Orange, Yellow-Orange, Yellow-Green, Blue-Green, Blue-Violet, Red-Violet

Element of Color

  • Definition: Color is derived from reflected light.
    • Used to express mood.
    • Used for symbolism.
    • Used to create visual interest.
  • Tint: A color mixed with white to make it lighter.
  • Shade: A color mixed with black to make it darker.
  • Complementary Colors: Colors opposite each other on the color wheel.
    • Red and Green
    • Blue and Orange
    • Yellow and Violet
  • Analogous Colors: Colors next to each other on the color wheel.
    • Blue, Blue-Green, Green
    • Red, Red-Orange, Orange
  • Polychromatic: Artwork that uses many different colors.
  • Monochromatic: Artwork made using only one color and its tints and shades.

Element of Value

  • Definition: Value refers to the lightness or darkness of a color or tone.
  • Gradation Scale: A scale showing a gradual transition from light to dark values.
  • Five Basic Components of Value:
    • Highlight
    • Light
    • Midtone
    • Core Shadow
    • Cast Shadow

Element of Line

  • Definition: A mark made by a tool.
    • Often used to define shapes.
    • Often used to define contours.
    • Often used to create outlines.
  • Line Quality: Refers to the thickness, thinness, darkness, or lightness of a line.
  • Five Kinds of Line:
    • Horizontal
    • Vertical
    • Diagonal
    • Curved
    • Zigzag

Element of Shape

  • Definition: A flat, enclosed area defined by lines, textures, or colors.
  • Two Basic Types of Shapes:
    • Geometric
    • Organic

Element of Form

  • Definition: A three-dimensional object that has depth, width, and height.

Element of Texture

  • Definition: The way a surface feels or looks like it would feel.
  • Two Types of Texture:
    • Real (actual)
    • Implied (visual)

Principles of Design

  • Definition: The rules or guidelines that artists use to organize the elements of art in a work.
  • Principle of Unity: The feeling that all parts of the artwork belong together and create a harmonious whole.
  • Principle of Balance: The distribution of visual weight in a work of art.
    • Symmetrical
    • Asymmetrical
    • Radial
  • Creating Space in a Drawing:
    • Overlapping
    • Size Variation
    • Atmospheric Perspective

Element of Space

  • Definition: The area around, between, and within objects.

Feldman's Formal Art Criticism Method

  • Four steps:
    • Description
    • Analysis
    • Interpretation
    • Judgment

Collage

  • Definition: A work of art made by assembling different materials like paper, photos, and fabric onto a surface.

Watercolor Techniques

  • Graded Wash: A watercolor technique where the color gradually changes from dark to light.
  • Dry Brush Technique: Uses a small amount of paint and a dry brush to create texture or fine details.

Colored Pencil Technique

  • Burnishing: Applying heavy layers of colored pencil to create a smooth, shiny surface.

Perspective

  • One-Point Perspective: A drawing method that shows objects receding to a single vanishing point on the horizon line.
  • Atmospheric Perspective: A technique that uses color and clarity to show depth.
    • Distant objects appear lighter.
    • Distant objects appear less detailed.

Cross-Contour Lines

  • Cross-contour lines follow the form of an object.