Art Fundamentals Chapter 1 A THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
Art
formal expression of a conceived image
or imagined conception in terms of a given medium.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
abstraction The visual effects derived by the simplification and/or rearrangement of the appearance of natural objects, or nonrepresentational work arranged simply to satisfy artists‘ needs for organization or expression.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
abstraction
Abstraction is present in varying degrees in all
works of art, from full representation to complete nonobjectivity.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
aesthetic, aesthetics
The theory of the artistic or the "beautiful"; traditionally a branch of philosophy, but now a compound of the philosophy, psychology, and sociology of art.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
aesthetic, aesthetics Aesthetics is no longer solely confined to determining what is beautiful in art, but attempts to
discover the origins of sensitivity to art forms and the relationship between art and other aspects of culture (such as science, industry, morality, philosophy, and religion).
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
conceptual perception Creative vision derived from the imagination.
What you see is not always what you think!
What you see is not always what you think!
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
content
The expression, essential meaning, significance, or aesthetic value of a work of art.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
content Content refers to the sensory, subjective, psychological, or emotional properties we feel in a work of art, as opposed to our perception of its descriptive aspects alone.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
craftsmanship
Aptitude, skill, or quality workmanship in
the use of tools and materials.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
decorative (art, line, shape, color, etc.)
Ornamenting or enriching but, more importantly in art, emphasizing the twodimensional nature of an artwork or any of its elements. Decorative art emphasizes the essential flatness of a surface.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
descriptive (art)
A type of art that is based upon adherence to actual appearances.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
design The underlying plan on which artists base their total work. In a broader sense, design may be considered synonymous with the term form.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
elements of art
Line, shape, value, texture, and color
The basic ingredients the artist uses separately or in combination to produce artistic imagery.
Their use produces the visual language of art.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS expression I. The manifestation through artistic form of thought, emotion, or quality of meaning. 2. In art, expression is synonymous with the term content. ď Ž
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS form I. The organization or inventive arrangement of all the visual elements according to the principles that will develop unity in the artwork. 2. The total appearance or organization. ď Ž
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS graphic art 1. Two-dimensional art forms, such as drawing, painting, making prints, etc. 2. The two-dimensional use of the elements of art. 3. May also refer to the techniques of printing as used in newspapers, books, magazines, etc. ď Ž
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
medium, media (pi.) The material(s) and tool(s) used by the artist to create the visual elements perceived by the viewer.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
naturalism The approach to art that is essentially a description of things visually experienced. Pure naturalism would contain no personal interpretation introduced by the artist.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
negative area(s) The unoccupied or empty space left after the positive elements have been created by the artist. However, when these areas have boundaries, they also function as design shapes in the total structure.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
nonobjective, nonrepresentational (art) A type of art that is entirely imaginative and not derived from anything visually perceived by the artist. The elements, their organization, and their treatment by the artist are entirely personalized and, consequently, not associated by the observer with any previously experienced natural objects.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
objective (art, shape) A type of art that is based, as near as possible, on physical actuality or optical perception. Such art tends to appear natural or real.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
optical perception A way of seeing in which the mind has no other function than the natural one of providing the visual sensation of object recognition.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
organic unity A condition in which the components of art — that is, subject, form, and content — are so vital and interdependent that they may be likened to a living organism. A work having "organic unity“ is not guaranteed to have "greatness" or unusual merit.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
picture frame The outermost limits or boundary of the picture plane.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
picture plane The actual flat surface on which the artist executes a pictorial image. In some cases, the picture plane acts merely as a transparent plane of reference to establish the illusion of forms existing in a three- dimensional space.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS plane I. An area that is essentially two- dimensional, having height and width. 2. A flat or level surface. 3. A two-dimensional surface having a positive extension and spatial direction or position. ď Ž
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS plastic (art) I. The use of the elements of art to create the illusion of the third dimension on a two-dimensional surface. 2. Three- dimensional art forms, such as architecture, sculpture, ceramics, etc. ď Ž
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
positive area(s) The state in the artwork in which the art elements (shape, line, etc.), or their combination, produce the subject — nonrepresentational or recognizable images.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
realism, Realism (art movement) A style of art that retains the basic impression of visual actuality without going to extremes of detail. In addition, realism attempts to relate and interpret the universal meanings that lie beneath surface appearances.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
Representation (al) (art) A type of art in which the subject is presented through the visual art elements so that the observer is reminded of actual objects.
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space The interval, or measurable distance, between points or images.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
style The specific artistic character and dominant trends of form noted during periods of history and art movements. Style may also refer to artists‘ expressive use of media to give their works individual character.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS subject I. In a descriptive approach to art, subject refers to the persons or things represented, as well as the artists‘ experiences, that serve as inspiration.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS subject 2. In abstract or nonobjective forms of art, subject refers merely to the visual signs used by the artist. In this case, the subject has little to do with anything experienced in the natural environment. ď Ž
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subjective (art, shape, color, etc.) That which is derived from the mind reflecting a personal viewpoint, bias, or emotion.
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technique The manner and skill with which artists use their tools and materials to achieve an expressive effect. The ways of using media can have a strong effect on the aesthetic quality of an artist's total concept.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
three-dimensional Possessing the illusion of dimension of depth, in addition to having the dimensions of height and width.
THE VOCABULARY OF INTRODUCTORY TERMS
two-dimensional Possessing the dimensions of height and width, especially when considering the flat surface, or picture plane.
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unity The result of bringing the elements of art into the appropriate ratio between harmony and variety to achieve a sense of oneness.
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volume A measurable area of defined or occupied space.
Art Fundamentals Chapter 1 Introduction Part 1 End