art quiz 5

distorted scale

An artist may deliberately distort scale to create an abnormal or supernatural effect

contrast

artists look to create effects of contrast by positioning elements next to one another that are very different

asymmetrical balance

balance is achieved between elements of different visual ways -visual weight: this applies when elements in the left and right sides are not the same

human proportion

carefully chosen proportion can make an art object seem pleasing to the eye - this goes for the human body too - the ancient egyptians used the palm of their hand as a unit of measurement - the ancient greeks sought an ideal beauty in the principle of proportion - real human bodies do not have exactly these proportions, but when the ratio 1:1:618

rhythm

gives structure to the experience of looking - guides our eyes from one point to another in a work of art - there is rhythm when there are at least two points of reference in an artwork - the intervals between elements provide points of reference for more complex rhythms

symmetrical balance

if a work can be cut in half and each side looks exactly the same - near perfect. symmetry exists in the human body - ex. the white house

radial balance

is achieved when all elements in a work of art euidistant from a central point and repeat in a symmetrical way from side to side and top to bottom - can imply circular and repeating elements - sometimes used in religious symbols

line

is an effective way to focus a viewers attention in an artwork

Unity

provides an artwork with its cohesiveness and helps communicate its visual idea -an appearance if oneness or wholeness - artists are comcerned with three kinds of unity: compositional, comceptual, and gestalt

conceptual unity

refers to the cohesive expression of ideas within a work of art - the expression of ideas may not look organized but and artist can still communicate them effectively by selecting images that conjure up a single notion - artists bring their own intentions, experiences and reactions to their work - these ideas- conscious and unconscious can also contribute to the conceptual unity of a work

hierarchical scale

refers to the deliberate use of relative size in a work of art, in order to communicate differences in importance - larger= more important - smaller= less important

progressive rhythm

repetition that regularly increases or decreases in frequency - can make the eye move faster or slower across the surface of the work

the golden section

the golden section is a proportional ratio of 1:1:618. which occurs in many natural objects

placement

the placement of elements within a composition controls rythm and creates multiple focal points

alternating rhythm

- artists can intertwine multiple rhythms until they become quite complex - alternation of rhythms can add unpredictability and visual excitement

simple repetitive rhythm

A repeating "pulse" of similar elements sets up a visual rhythm that a viewer can anticipate - such regularity communicates reassurance - the design of buildings is often intended to reassure us about the stability and durability of the structure - for this reason architectural designs often incorporate simple repetition

variety

a collection of ideas, elements or materials that are fused together into one design - variety is about uniqueness and diversity - artists use multiplicity of values, textures, colors and so on to intensify the impact of a work - variety can invigorate a design - the artists way of giving a work of art a jolt

unity: compositional

an artist creates compositional unity by organizing all the visual aspects of a work - too much similarity of a shape, color, line or any single element of principle of art= monotonous and/or make us lose interest - too much variety can lead to a lack of structure and the a sense of a central idea

scale

artists and designers make conscious choices about the scale of their work when they consider the message they want to put across - a small scale work implies intimacy - large scale works can be experienced by groups of viewers and usually communicate big ideas directed at a large audience -practical considerations can affect an artists decision about scale

proportion

the relationships between the sizes of diff. parts of a work make up its proportions - by controlling these size relationships, an artist can enhance the expressive and descriptive characteristics of the work

focal point

the specific part of an area of emphasis to which the artist draws our eye

repetition

the use of repetition usually results in the creation of a pattern - creates unity by repeatedly using a similar shape, value, color or other elements - religion of a pattern can impose order on the composition - alternating patterns make a work more lively

gestalt unity

the whole seems greater than the sum of its parts

balance

usual or actual weights are distributed in such a way that they achieve many - just as real objects have physical weight, parts of a work of art can have visual weight or impact - if the amount of the visual weight does not have a reasonable counterweight on the opposite side, the work may appear to be unsuccessful or unfinished - if there are reasonable visual counterweights the work seems complete and balance has been achieved

scale and meaning

usually a monumental scale indicates heroism or other epic virtues ex. war monuments

Emphasis and Subordination

when an artist emphasis different elements in a work of art, he or she creates visual relationships and connects between them - the opposite of emphasis is subordination