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.