English Visual Terms
Angle
Slant, or way of looking at or presenting something.
Composition
The arrangement of the parts of a work of art as to firm a unified, harmonious whole.
Background
The distant part of a landscape; surroundings, especially those behind something, and providing harmony and contrast.
Perspective
The illusion of creating dimensional views of objects; creating depth through intersecting lines and by carefully spacing objects
Contrast
The juxtaposition of opposing elements.
Line
The linear marks made with a pen or brush, or the edge created when two shapes meet; often communicates emotion and states of mind through its character and direction.
Dominant image
The overall mood/feeling/idea associated with the visual
Foreground
The part of a scene, landscape, etc. that is near the viewer.
Scale
The size or apparent size of an object seen in relation to the object, people, etc.
Proportion
The size relationship of parts to a whole and to one another.
Font
The size, type, etc. of text.
Focus
The state or quality of having or producing clear visual definition; often used to create a focal point.
Panel
A single section of a comic, showing one moment in a story being told.
Frame
A technique used to make an image more aesthetically pleasing, and to keep the focus on the object or subject.
Colour
Also called hue; helps create mood and can provide contrast
Symbol
An object representing a feeling, idea, etc.
Lighting
Illumination, can often establish food or serve a symbolic purpose
Shadow
Light and darkness used to visually define objects.
Focal point
What your eye is drawn to; the main element in a composition
Asymmetrical balance
When an object or objects are not equally distributed on each side of a central axis, but the total weight is balanced left and right.
Radial balance
When an object or objects are the same on the left and right sides of a central axis
Symmetrical balance
When elements move out evenly from a central point.