Term | Definition |
Balance | principle of art concerned with equalizing visual forces |
Symmetrical | A special type of formal balance in which two halves of a balanced composition are identical, a mirror images of each other |
Asymmetrical | Another name for informal balance, in which unlike objects have equal visual weight or eye attractions |
Form | Objects having three dimensions. Like shape, a form has height and width, but also depth. Forms are geometric or free-form |
Shape | A two-dimensional area that is defined in some way. (2D) It is flat. Found in drawings or paintings |
Line | a element of art that is a path of a moving point. A dot that moves. There can be thick, thin, horizontal, or dotted ones |
Color | An element of art derived from reflected light |
Value | The element of art that describes the darkness or lightness range of an object |
Negative | Empty spaces surrounding shapes and forms. Or the empty space within an object. For example, the inside handle of a cup |
Positive | Shapes or forms in two-and three dimensional art. The actual shape itself. |
Movement | The principle of art used to create the look and feeling of action and to guide the viewer’s eyes throughout the work of art |
Texture | Illusion of a three-dimensional surface based on the memory of how things feel. Rough vs. smooth |
Variety | Principle of art concerned with difference or contrast |
Pattern | A two-dimensional decorative visual repetition |
Contrast | Technique for creating a focal point by using differences in elements. (Very dark areas versus very light areas creates a difference of value) |
Primary Colors | Red, Blue, Yellow---The Main colors |
Secondary | Green, Violet, and orange—mix primary colors |
Complementary Colors | Colors across each other on the color wheel—Red/Green, Orange/Blue, Yellow, Violet |
Warm Colors | Colors that pull towards you. Red, yellow, or orange |
Cool Colors | Colors that push away from you. Blue, green, or violet |
Intensity | Saturation or strength of a color. The brightness or dullness of a hue. |
Proportion | Principle of art concerned with the size relationships of one part to another. |
Perspective | A graphic system that creates the illusion of depth and volume on a two-dimensional surface. |
Contour | A line that defines the edges and surface ridges of an object. |
Medium | material used to create a work of art. |
Emphasis | Principle of art that makes one part of a work dominant over other parts. |
Media | Plural of medium |
Shading | The use of light and dark lines to give a feeling of depth and texture. |
Hatching and Cross-Hatching | shading created using crisscrossing lines |
Blending Technique | Technique of shading through smooth, gradual application of tone. |
Stippling | Shading that creates dark values by means of a dot pattern. |
Pigments | finely ground, colored powders that form paint when mixed w/ liquid. |
Binder | A liquid the holds to together the grains of the pigment. |
Solvent | The liquid the controls the thickness or thinness of the paint. |
Organic Shapes | Shapes that are found in nature, free-form shapes. Usually more curvy. Think amoeba. |
Geometric Shapes | Found more in the math world. (Squares, Rectangles, cubes, cones, etc) |
Arcade | A series of arches supported by columns or piers, either attached to a wall or freestanding. |
Balustrade | A railing with supporting balusters (small closely spaced posts). |
Blind arch | An arch with no opening. |
Cantilever | A beam or other projection that is unsupported at one end. |
Fanlight | A semicircular window, usually located above a door. |
Frieze | The horizontal part of a classical entablature just below the cornice, often decorated with carvings. |
Portico | A roofed porch usually supported by columns, often leading to the entrance of the building. |
Turret | A small tower projected on a building. |
Plasticity | ability of clay to stretch. |
Functional Pottery | pottery that has a purpose. (i.e., cup holds water) |
Non-Functional Pottery | pottery that is made for artistic purposes. |
Scoring | to cut, scratch, or roughen up the surface of the clay usually in preparation for joining to pieces of clay using slip. |
Impressing | a decorative technique where hard objects are pressed into clay leaving an impression of the object. |
Sculpture in the Round | a sculpture that is interesting from all sides. |
Blowout | an explosion that occurs in the kiln when too much moisture, uneven moisture, or air has been trapped in the clay during firing. |
Piercing | A decorative technique in which areas of the clay are cut out leaving a design in the clay body. |
Slab | is a piece of clay that is flattened with a rolling pin, or thrown down at an angle of surface to flatten out. |
Knead | to work clay into a uniform mass with your hands. |
Kiln | a furnace for firing clay. |
Bisqueware | Ceramic work that has been fired once in preparation for glazing. |
Coil | long snake-like piece of clay. We used this technique to create pottery by rolling up coils |
Slip | Clay in liquid suspension. A very fluid mixture of clay and water sometimes with colored oxides added. It is used for decorating and joining pieces together. |
Opaque Glaze | Glaze that you cannot see through, completely covers the glaze area. |
Transparent Glaze | Glaze that you can see through after the application process. |
Leatherhard | term that describes clay that has dried to the limit of shrinkage but still has enough moisture to retain its original wet color. the clay body can be handled, trimmed, burnished, and carved without becoming misshapen, no longer in the plastic state. |
Applique | A form of decoration in which pieces of clay are fastened to the surface of a clay vessel by scoring & slipping. A technique common in material design especially quilting but also in metal work. |
Bone Dry | A condition of clay when the clay is very dry and brittle. A stage after leather hard when only chemical (H2O) water is left. |
Incise | Cutting, engraving, or carving into the clay body. |
Mishima | A method of decorating ceramics originating in Korea. Depressions are made in the clay by stamping or incising into plastic clay and filled with an engobe of contrasting colored slip. |
Relief | A decorative technique which carves away the negative spaces leaving the design in relief (raised) on the clay body. |
Sgraffito | A method of decorating (known in the past as graffito) in which a design in created by incising or cutting lines through one layer of colored slip before firing. |
Wedge | to prepare a lump of clay by alternately cutting and pounding it vigorously on a slab until it is in a homogeneous, plastic condition, free from air bubbles. |