Definitions
Alphabet
a set of visual symbols or characters used to represent elementary sounds of a spoken language
Illuminator
illustrator, artist
Half-unicals
6th century AD written in monastery in S. Italy, shows emergence of ascenders and decenders
Unicals
8th century AD from Gospel of St. Matthew, rounded strokes made using pen in straight, horizontal position
Art Nouveau
(New Art )Return to unify all art forms, collection of a lot of styles—advocated a unity in all forms of art, was by far the most important modern art movement at the turn of the century. It was never a homogeneous approach but instead a collection of related styles. Transitional period where asian and Japanese influenced European art/design. Unstructured, natural using plant like images. Became the bridge between victorian era (cluttered, too much) and modernism (simplicity, form and function)
Interlace
A two-dimensional decoration formed by a number of ribbons or straps woven into a complex, usually a symmetrical design
Broadsheet
BOTH sides printed
Petroglyphs
Carved, scratched, painted signs or simple figures on rock/stone
Logograms
Chinese characters are graphic signs (logograms) that represent an entire word
Capitalis Rustica
Contrast of vertical w/elliptical rounded/arch allowed more text to be written within line measure
Gesamkulter
Creating a formal visual language of harmony and balance (neo-classicism from Roman and Greek influence) WITH "sachlichkeit" (common sense objectivity) Pragmatic emphasis on technology, manufacturing with form and function.
Pictographs
Elementary pictures or sketches to represent things depicted
Futurism
FUTURISTS/ism embraced war to define its attitudes, energy, reality. Welcomed the speed in which industry was moving. Pushed art and design toward abstraction, and new attitudes toward pictorial space. Harmony was rejected because contradicted the leaps and bursts that run through a page
The Illuminated Manuscript
Gold leaf, hammered and glued on pages to give sensation of light
Cartouche
Identification for an important person
Colophon
Imprinted on back of publication, usually displays/lists where printed, date of publication, printer's trademark.
Incunabula
Latin for "cradle" Term is used to associate The birth period of printing timeframe, all that was happening before 1500
Codex format
Manuscript laid out in page format called "signatures" of 2, 4, 8, 16 etc. resulting in manuscripts appearing as______, instead of scrolls.
Cuneiform
Sharp pointed, wedge (triangular) shaped writing stylus used to carve into clay, pictographs evolved into the abstract sign writing.
Broadside
Single side leaf sheet printing
Capitalis Quadrata
Square capital-thick and thin strokes
Ideographs
Symbols to represent ideas or concepts
Rebus
Using pictures for sounds to write/communicate desired word/meaning or phrase;Words and syllables are represented by pictures of objects and by symbols whose names are similar to the word or syllable to be communicated.
Diminuendo
a graphic principle of using decreasing scale of information, large capitals in first line of type, smaller text on second line, and so on.
Scriptorium
a writing room
Typography
created a sequential and repeatable ordering of information and space.
Scrittori
head of department, well educated scholar, controlled everything in the production of manuscript--today it would be art director
Copisti
letterer
Xylography
technical term for RELIEF printing from raised surface-originated from Asia
Ligature
the combination of 2 or more letterforms to create a third letterform to represent a word, symbol or meaning in text
Trademark
typographic and graphic mark that defines goods or services over another
Collage
using BOTH PHOTOS AND PAPER to create composition, meaning, viewpoint
Montage
using JUST PHOTOS (2 or more) to create composition, meaning, viewpoint
