First Semester Vocabulary - Art 3

Art 3 Vocabulary

Achromatic Colors - white, black, and grays.

Analogous Colors - colors that are closely related in hue, usually found next to each other on the color wheel.

Chroma - the purity of color or its lack of white, black, or grays; a hue's intensity.

Chromatic - having color.

Color - the visual response to the different wavelengths of light, identified as red, green, blue, yellow, etc. The whiter the light, the more true the color will be.

Color Tetrad - any set of four colors that form a square or rectangle within the color wheel.

Color Triad - any three colors in the color wheel that form an equilateral triangle.

Complimentary Colors - two colors directly opposite each other on the color wheel.

Contrast - contrast refers to colors, values, textures, shapes, and other elements which create visual excitement and interest through their oppositions.

High-Key Color - any color which has a value level of middle gray or lighter.

Hue - color; a specific wavelength of light.

Intensity - the saturation, strength, or purity of a color. A vivid color is of high intensity as opposed to a dull color which is of low intensity.

Monochromatic - having only one color or a range of one color's values from white to black.

Primary Color - A fundamental color which cannot be separated into any other colors. When mixed, primary colors can produce all other colors on the color wheel. They are Red, Blue, Yellow.

Secondary Color - a color produced by a mixture of two primary colors.

Split Complimentary - a color and the two colors on either side of its complimentary.

Tertiary Color - color resulting from the mixture of two secondary colors.

Value - the relative lightness or darkness of a color.

Tint - a light value of a color; to add white to a color.

Shade - the dark value of a color; to add black to a color.

First Semester Vocabulary - Art 1 & 2

Art 1 & 2 Vocabulary

Asymmetry - An image that is not similar in appearance when divided vertically or horizontally.

Biomorphic Shape - an irregular shape that resembles the natural curves found in living organism

Composition - an arrangement of all the elements of design which achieves a unified whole.

Craftsmanship - taking time to make sure a project is done well; cleanliness.

Elements of Design: line, shape, color, value, and texture. These are the basic ingredients that an artist uses to produce art.

Geometric Shape - shapes that obey the laws of geometry; triangles, squares, circles, etc.

Hatching - repeated parallel lines used to create value.

Cross-Hatching - more than one set of parallel lines which cross each other at different angles to create value.

Stippling - the process of painting, engraving, or drawing by use of dots or small marks to create values.

Horizon Line - the line where the sky meets the ground.

Negative Space - the empty space around all positive elements in a piece of art.

Perspective - any graphic system used to create the illusion of three-dimensional images on a two-dimensional surface. Types include linear and atmospheric.

Principles of Design: balance, movement, rhythm, contrast, emphasis, proportion and unity.

Symmetry - the exact duplication of appearance on either side of a division line either vertically or horizontally.

Vanishing Point - a point at an infinite distance on the horizon line at which any two or more lines that represent parallel lines will converge.

Contour - the outer edge of forms which implies three dimensions. (Think of it like a coloring book illustration without the color.)

Focal Point - the center of interest.

The GRID System - A useful method of scaling up a drawing on the painting surface using a series of perpendicular grid lines to create rectangles.

Subject Matter - the subject of the artwork, such as landscape, still life, portrait, etc.