Graphic Design Stylebook
jessica martinez
Pictograph A symbol that conveys the meaning of something simply through a picture.
Illuminated Manuscipt
The image above is from the Olympics and is a modern example of pictographs because the images presented convey different Olympic sports .
Text that is accompanied by elaborate decoration. The term gets it’s name from the gold and silver that is commonly used in these manuscripts.
Tenebrism
From the Italian tenebroso ("murky"), is a style of painting that involves very dark and very light contrasts, with darkness being the dominating feature in the piece.
Drop Cap
A Drop Cap is when the first letter of a manuscipt is significantly larger than the other letters or words. These are often ornamentaly decorated, but, like this modern example above, that is sometimes not the case, but the concept remains the same.
Pointed Arch
The pointed arch is one of the characteristic architectural features of the Gothic Period. Architects discovered that by adding these arches to buildings, the structure and foundation became amazingly strong.
Rococo
Rococo is characterized as being extremely elaborate and ornamental. The image above demonstrates that rooms were often used as full canvases. The entire room would be a work of elaborate and detailed art.
Petroglyph
Petroglyphs are pictograph and logogram rock engravings. These were often used in ancient times as early forms of communication. In this modern adaptation, the artist incorporated many ancient petrogylphs to create a crowded scene.
Flying Buttresses
Flying buttresses are arched supports jutting out from the wall in which it is supporting This was a common architectural element in the Gothic Era.
Rose Window
The rose window is an element from Medieval era architecture. It was a circular window with a design similar to that of a rose, usually adorned with stained glass.
Flourishes
Flourishes are ornamental flowing curves jutting out of typographical characters. This modern adaptation is an example of vector graphic flourishes often used in modern typographical graphic design.
Carpet Pages
Carpet pages are a characteristic feature of Insular illuminated manuscripts. They are pages of mainly geometrical ornamentation, and resemble the features of a carpet.
Egyptian
Egyptian art is based on symbolism utilyzing prtroglyphs, heirarchy and pictographsto represent and reinforce the images.
Ribbed Vault
Type of architecture that resembles a groined vault but has ribbed arches. This is a common form of architecture in the Gothic Period.
Woodcut
A relief printing artistic technique in printmaking in which an image is carved into the surface of a block of wood, with the printing parts remaining level with the surface while the non-printing parts are removed. These areas show up lighter.
Moveable Type
Movable type is the system of printing and typography that uses movable components to reproduce the elements of a document (usually individual letters or punctuation).
Islamic Art
Islamic art is characterized by symbolism and a bright variety of colors. There isn’t much detail in the pieces, and the attention is focused on the message or story of the piece.
Renaissance
Renaissance art is characterized as being realistic and “flowy�. The colors are often subtle and the detail is often lifelike and involves people or portraits. Baby angels also are often seen in Renaissance art.
Mesoamerican
Mesoamerican art is the art of the Aztecs, Mayans, Toltecs, and various other indian cultures. The artwork often portrays humans as animals with an animal head or body. The art sometimes depicts these beings as gods.
Tympanum
The semicurcular or traingular area enclosed by the arch above the lintel of an arched entranceway. These areas are often decorated with detailed scenes of people or animals.
Baroque
Baroque art is extremely detailed, realistic and sensual. Baroque works of art whether they be large or small scale, involve beautiful movement and are characterized by flowing lines and attention to the human anatomy.
Rune Stone
A raised stone with a runic inscription. Like the example above, these rune stones were often colored, but many of them have lost their color due to wear. Many of these are from the Viking era and depict scenes of battles, viking ships and involve interlaced detail.
Rune Stone
A decorative element found especially in early Medieval art.
Hieratic Scale
Hieratic Scale refers to the use of levels when attempting to emphasize something’s importance. Egyptian art utilized this tool when displaying the power of a pharoh or queen or emphasizing symbolism.