Art I Vocabulary, Semester 1
- Abstract: May make reference to something representational, but the goal is not to accurately represent an image in a realistic way. The focus instead, may be on color, shape, brushstrokes, texture, and idea, etc…
- Actual Texture: Physical quality of a surface.
- Background: In a drawing or painting, the space behind the main subject matter.
- Burnishing: When working with colored pencil—using a white color or colorless blending on top of another color to create a smooth, waxy surface.
- Composition: The arrangement of elements on a picture plane.
- Contour line drawing: Style of drawing that relies on line to define a form, often moving from the exterior of the form to the interior.
- Contrast: Comparison of elements in a design (light and dark, bright, dull, busy and restful).
- Cool Colors: Blues, greens, purples. Often thought to be soothing colors.
- Cross-hatching: Overlapping fine lines used to create value.
- Critique: Dialogue/Discussion revolving around an artwork intended to: complement, give constructive feedback, inquire…
- Drawing from imagination: Drawing ideas or images that you created in your own thoughts.
- Drawing from observation: Drawing images that you are looking at.
- Ebony pencil: A brand name for a drawing pencil we use in class. This is a soft pencil that allows for dark, rich values.
- Form: A three dimensional object (a sphere, a vase, a sculpture)
- Gradation: Blending in such a way that you move seamlessly between values and/or colors.
- Graphite: Another name for pencil lead.
- Hatching: Fine lines used to create value.
- Implied Texture: Visually created quality of a surface. For instance, an artist may render a surface so that it appears to be rough, but in fact it is smooth.
- Impressed line: Technique by which you use a blunt object to draw into a paper, compressing the surface. As a result, these areas retain the color of the paper, even when coloring on top of it.
- Kneadable eraser: Drawing eraser with the consistency of chewing gum. This type of eraser works well when creating subtle highlights.
- Layering: (In colored pencil) Slowing building up the surface of color such that you create rich values, and/or new colors.
- Line: Continuous mark that causes your eye to follow its path.
- Negative space: Unoccupied area. Negative space is often just as important in an art work as the positive space.
- Non-objective: Composition of elements that have no intention of making reference to any actual object or realistic subject matter.
- Overlapping: When one element covers another.
- Portrait: An image of a person.
- Positive space: Occupied area.
- Proportion: Establishing proper size relationships between elements.
- Representational: Recognizable subject matter.
- Realistic: Representational, photo-like subject matter.
- Sculpture: A three-dimensional work of art.
- Self-portrait: An image of yourself.
- Shape: A two-dimensional area surrounded by a line.
- Sketching: A quick drawing or rendering.
- Sgraffito: A form of decoration made by scratching through a surface to reveal a lower layer of contrasting colors.
- Texture: Actual quality of a surface.
- Thumbnail sketch: sketch used to help plan or brainstorm ideas for a project.
- Tortillion: Otherwise known as a blending stump, this tool made of rolled up newsprint paper is used to help shade, draw and even out textures.
- Value: The range of dark and light in a color.
- Value scale: A series of spaces filled with the tints and shades of one color, starting with white or the lightest tint on one end, and gradually changing into the darkest shade or black on the other.