Question | Answer |
The diminishing of color intensity and duller hues to give the illusion of distance. | aerial perspective |
In drawing and painting, a full-size preliminary drawing from which the final work is made. | cartoon |
Lines that define the outer edges of forms and surfaces within a form such as shapes or wrinkles and folds. | contour line |
A principle of design that refers to differences between elements such as color, texture, value, and shape. | contrast |
In linear perspective, lines that represent the parallel edges of an object. | converging lines |
Shading created by crossed parallel lines. | cross-hatching |
The plan the artist uses to organize the art elements (line, shape, form, space, etc.) in a work of art to achieve a unified composition. | design |
An oval shape produced by drawing an elongated circle so that it appears to be viewed from an angle. A foreshortened circle that is longer in one dimension than it is in the other. | ellipse |
A horizontally drawn line that is even with the viewer's eye. In landscape scenes it can be the actual horizon line. | eye level |
The area of a picture that appears to be closest to the viewer. | foreground |
A method of applying perspective to an object or figure so that it seems to recede in space by shortening the depth dimension, making the form appear three-dimensional. | foreshortening |
A quick drawing that captures the gestures and movements of the body. | gesture drawing |
The treated surface on which a painting or drawing is made. | ground |
Shading using closely spaced, parallel lines; used to suggest light and shadow. | hatching |
The area on a form that reflects the most light. | highlight |
The line at which sky and earth meet. | horizon line |
Lines that are indicated indirectly in artworks at edges where two shapes meet, where a from ends and the space around it begins, or by positioning several objects or figures in a row. | implied line |
An element of art that is used to define space, contours, and outlines, or suggest mass and volume. | line |
A technique of creating the illusion of depth on a flat surface. | linear perspective |
The materials, such as oil watercolor, etc., used to create an artwork; or a category of art such as drawing, painting, or sculpture. | medium |
The intermediate zone of space, between foreground and background, in a work. | middle ground |
An artwork made with more than one art medium. | mixed media |
A principle of design associated with rhythm, referring to the arrangement of parts in an artwork to create a sense of motion. | movement |
Drawing made from direct observation of a subject, rather than from memory. | observational drawing |
A way to show three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface, using one vanishing point. | one-point perspective |
Free forms, or shapes and forms that represent living things having irregular edges, as distinguished from geometric shapes. | organic shapes |
A technique used to create the illusion of depth by placing one object in front of another. | overlapping |
The representation of three-dimensional objects on a flat surface to produce the same impression of distance and relative size as that received by the human eye. | perspective |
The actual two-dimensional surface on which a drawing is made. | picture plane |
A collection of an artist's work. | portfolio |
In pictures, positive shapes are the figures and negative shapes make up the ground. | positive and negative shapes |
The use of the same visual elements over and over in a composition. | repetition |
The relative size or weight of an object compared to a constant size or weight. | scale |
Using art media to create darkened areas (shadows) that give the illusion of space and depth. | shading |
The act of taking an object's measure by sight to determine its size in a drawing, or to determine its size relative to another object. Also, the act of measuring angles. | sighting |
An element of art that indicates areas between, around, above, below, or within something. | space |
An arrangement of nonmoving objects that are subject matter for a work of art. | still life |
A technique that uses patterns of dots to create values and value gradation. | stippling |
An image that stands for something more than its own literal meaning. | symbol |
An element of design. The surface quality of an artwork usually perceived through the sense of touch. However, texture can also be implied, perceived visually though not felt through touch. | texture |
Having height, width and depth. | three-dimensional |
Small, quick sketches that record ideas an information for a final work of art. | thumbnail sketches |
In art, the lightness and darkness of a color. | tone |
Having height and width. | two-dimensional |
A way to show three-dimensional objects on a two dimensional surface, using two vanishing points and two sets of converging lines to represent forms. | two-point perspective |
The range from white through gray to black, modified gradually. | value scale |
In linear perspective, the point on the horizon line at which all the receding parallel lines converge. | vanishing point |
A device that works as a "window" through which subject matter is pictured. | viewfinder |
The quality of a three-dimensional object that occupies a certain amount of space. | volume |
A transparent layer of color applied to a surface allowing underlying lines, shapes, and colors to show through. | wash |