F&I Chap. 1.1-1.4: Fundamentals of Visual Analysis
contrast
drastic difference between such elements as color or value when they are presented together
planes
flat surface often implied in the composition
meaning
what a work of art is about
descriptions
-verbal articulation of what is visible in an artwork -includes what you can see, without any interpretation, identification, or analysis (medium, size, shape, orientation, composition, and style)
organic form
3D form made up of unpredictable, irregular planes that suggest the natural world
chroma
degree of purity of a color
iconographic analysis
interprets objects and figures in the artwork as a sign or symbol, often based on religious or historical contexts that would have been understood un it's own time
value
lightness or darkness of a plane or area
mass
volume that has, or gives the illusion of having, weight, density, and bulk, expression that a volume is solid and occupies space
appearance
what a work of art looks like / "form and description" (medium, representation vs. non-objective, degree of naturalism, style or stylized appearance)
collage
work of art assembled by gluing materials, often paper, onto a surface
abstract
imagery that departs from recognizable images from the natural world / forms of the visible world are purposefully simplified, fragmented, or otherwise distorted
bas-relief
sculpture carved with very little depth
actual line
a continuous, uninterrupted line
renaissance
a period of cultural and artistic change in Europe from the fourteenth to the seventeenth century
isometric perspective
a system using diagonal parallel lines to communicate depth
geometric forms
a three dimensional form composed of regular planes and curves (cubes, spheres, cylinders, cones, and pyramids)
light
actual (natural light); Implied (value, modeling, chiaroscuro, stippling, hatching, cross-hatching, color tinting and shading)
shape, form, and mass
actual vs implied, geometric vs. organic, figure vs. ground, positive vs. negative space, relieve, in the round
texture and pattern
actual vs. implied, subversive
naturalistic
an approach that emphasizes observation and accurate imitation of appearnces
negative space
an empty space given shape that it surrounds
axis
an imaginary line showing the center of a shape, volume, or composition
form
an object that can be defined in three dimensions, is real/solid, can be felt with your hands
stylized
any method of standardizing the depiction of forms, usually so as to be repeated without further observation from the real-world model
freestanding
any sculpture that stands separate from walls or other surfaces so that it can be viewed from 360 degree range
facade
any side of a building, usually the front entrance
highlight
area of lightest value in a work with light detailing
composition/design
arrangement of the visual elemts
representational
art that depicts forms found in the visible arold
non-objective
art that does not represent or otherwise refer to the visible world outside itself
trompe l'oeil
art that mimics optical experience so faithfully that it can be mistaken for reality
surrealist
artistic movement in the 1920's and later, its works were inspired by dreams and the subconscious
description
assessment of physical properties (medium, scale, preservation, forms, composition)
elements
basic vocabulary of art - line, form, shape, volume, mass, color, texture, space, time and motion, and value (light/dark)
content/subject matter
bring statement fo event(s) depicted, the story told, or message conveyed (what you know is happening in the work because you have interpreted, identified, or otherwise analyzed the work
high relief
carved panel where the figures project with a. great deal of depth from the background
focal point
center of interest or activity in a work of art often drawing the viewer's attention to the most important element
style
characteristic way in which an artist or group of artists uses visual language to give a work an identifiable form of visual expression
style
characteristic, or number characteristics, that are constant, recurring, or coherent. The sum of these can be associated with a particular artist, group, culture, region or time period / characteristic way in which an artist or group of artists uses visual language to give a work an identifiable form of visual expression
value and space
chiaroscuro, planes, perspective (atmospheric, linear/one-point, isometric/multi-point), foreshortening, relative position, foreground vs. background
shades
color darker in value than its purest state
tint
color lighter in value than its purest state
pigment
color material used in paints. Often made from finely ground materials
tone
color that is weaker than it's brightest, or most pure, state
analogous colors
colors adjacent to each other on the color wheel
secondary colors
colors mixed from two primary colors -orange (red and yellow) -green (yellow and blue) -violet (red and blue)
complementary colors
colors opposite one another on the color wheel
additive
colors produced from light
subtractive color
colors produced from pigment
Visual Anomalies:
colors that are complementary of each other that, when placed side by side, intensify the other
Tertiary Colors
colors that can be mixed from a secondary and a primary color -red-violet (red and violet)
composition
combination of visual elements
period style
common traits from a particular historical era
principles of design
composition is influenced by ___
Biographical Analysis
considers whether the artist's personal experiences and opinions may have affected the making or meaning of the artwork in some way
perspective
creation of the illusion of depth in a 2D image by using mathematical principles
film noir
dark tones in detective movies to create the ambiance of myster
core shadow
darkness created by an object blocking a space from the light source
saturation
degree of purity of a color
temperature
description of color based on our associations with warmth of coolness
space
distance between identifiable points or lanes
plane
flat surface, often implied in the composition
emphasis and subordination
focal point
in the ground
freestanding, sculpted work that can be viewed from all sides
hue
general classification of a color; the distinctive characteristics of a color as seen in the visible spectrum such as green or red
art dome
geodesic sphere made of triangular planes that make up the surface (understand how light impacts objects)
Fauves
group of early 20th century French artists whose paintings used vivid colors
two dimensional
having height and width
three-dimensional
having height, width, and depth
monochromatic
having one or more values of one color
scale and proportion
hierarchical, distorted, canon of proportions
color
hue, value, chroma/saturation, tone, tint, shade, primary, secondary, tertiary, complementary, analogous, pointillism
subject matter
identification of subject or symbolism (iconography, context)
time and motion
implied vs. actual, kinetic art, circumnavigation
shape lower
in the picture plane appears to be closer
contextual analysis
integration with larger context (physical, historical, cultural, stylistic, etc.)
pointillism
late 19th century painting style using short strokes or points of difference colors that optically combine to form new perceived colors
impressionism
late nineteenth century painting style conveying the impression of the effects of light
implied line
line not actually drawn but suggested by elements in a work
visual elements
line, shape (2D), mass (3D), vape and space, texture, light and color, time and motion
multiple-point perspective
looking at an object from a position other than ground level, we need points away from the horizon line and other variations on perspective
contextual analysis
looks at the making and viewing of the work in it's context (historical, religious, political, economic, social, and so on) ; it studies the content that the artwork itself represents
neutrals
made by mixing complementary hues; there is an absence of color -Blacks, whites, and grays, and dull gray-browns)
medium
material on or from which an artist chooses to make a work of art
chiaroscuro
method of applying value to a 2d piece of artwork to create the illusion of a 3d object
pattern and rhythm
motif, repetition(simple, progressive, alternating)
matrix
origination of point, such as a woodblock from which a print is derived
composition
overall design or organization of a work / combination of visual elements
foreground
part of a work depicted as nearest to the viewer
background
part of a work depicted furthest from the viewer's space, often behind the main subject matter
one point perspective
perspective system with a single vanishing point on the horizon
Three point perspective
perspective system with two vanishing points on the horizon and one not on the horizon
orthogonal
perspective systems, imaginary sight lines extending from forms to the vanishing point
foreshortening
perspective technique that depicts a form at a very oblique (often dramatic) angle to the viewer in order
vanishing point
point in a work of art at which imaginary sight lines appear to converge, suggesting depth
emphasis
principle of drawing attention to particular content in a work
woodcut
print created from an incised piece of wood
tenebrism
profoundly pronounced chiaroscuro, where there are violent contrasts of light and dark, and where darkness becomes a dominating feature of the image
relief
raised form on largely flat background (design on a coin is a relief)
palette
range of colors used by an artist
line
regular vs. irregular, actual (contour, outline), vs. implied, (sight lights, gesture), directional communicative
value
relative lightness or darkness of a plane or area
formal analysis
result of close looking, is an analysis of art's compositional elements to offer an interpretation of work's meaning (names formal elements to be discussed, describes their use in the artwork, discusses the effects of their use on viewer/to create meaning)
volume
space filled or enclosed by a three-dimensional figure or object, amount of space a form occupies
regional style
stylistic traits particular to a geographical region
individual style
stylistic traits particular to a specific artist
binder
substance that makes pigments adhere to a surface
ground
surface or background onto which an artist paints or draws
texture
surface quality of a work (fine/course, detailed/not detailed)
linear perspective
system using converging imaginary sight lines to create the illusion of depth
fresco
technique where the artist paints onto freshly applied plaster
wavelength
term from physics that measures light as the distance between two corresponding points on a wave of energy
relative placement
the arrangement of shapes or lines to form a visual relationship to each other in a design
context
the circumstances surrounding the making, viewing, and interpreting the art; the varied connections of art ro the world
subject matter (content)
the event's depicted, story told, or message being conveyed
iconography
the identification, description, and interpretation of subject matter in art; the isolation of specific elements that allow for the identification of subject matter/content (how you know)
media/medium
the material on or from which an artist chooses to make a work of art Oil paint on canvas, marble, engraving, video, or architecture
color
the optical effect caused when reflected white light of the spectrum is divided into separate wavelengths
composition
the organization of forms (lines, shapes, colors, etc.)
design/composition
the placement or organization of visual elements in a work of art
rhythm
the regular or ordered repetition of elements in a work
color intensity
the relative clarity of color in its purest raw form, demonstrated through luminous or muted variations
formal analysis
the result of close looking, is an analysis of art's compositional elements to offer interpretation of work's meaning
primary colors
three basic colors from which all others are derived Red, yellow, and blue
context and iconography
tools used to identify the subject matter, based on visual, historical, or other information
cultural style
traits commun to art by a cultural group
school style
traits shared among like-minded individuals
prism
transparent triangular length of material that can be used to disperse light to reveal the range of color present in the visible spectrum
cubism
twentieth-century art movement that favored a new perspective emphasizing geometric forms
shape
two dimension area, the boundaries of which are defined by line or suggested by changes in color or value
principles of design
unity, variety, and balance, scale and proportion, contract, emphasis and subordination, pattern and rhythm
stela
upright stone slab decorated with inscriptions or pictorial relief carvings
hatching
use of non-overlapping parallel lines to convey darkness or lightness
contrast
use of opposites to create effect
cross-hatching
use of overlapping parallel lines to convey darkness or lightness
atmospheric perspective
use of shades of color and clarity to create the illusion of depth. Closer objects have warmer tones and clear outlines, while objects set further away are cooler and became hazy / mimics out visual perceptions of color, clarity, and form at a distance
stylized
used for representational art where methods for depicting forms have become standardized, and can be repeated without further observation of the real-world model
two point perspective
vanishing point is not directly in front of the viewer, or if the objects in the work are not all parallel
formal analysis
visual analysis of formal structure (composition, style, meaning)
unity and variety
visual vs. conceptual, gestalt unity
balance
visual weight, symmetrical vs. asymmetrical, radial
