Practice Test 2
A hard-edge painting is most likely to be characterized by a. an even, solid paint application b. blurry color mixed on the painting's surface c. scratchy brush marks clearly separated d. translucent multiple layers of paint
A "Hard-edge" is a term used to refer to paintings such as those of Frank Stella and Ellsworth Kelly in which each area of paint is sharply defined and applied in a smooth way, without visible brushstrokes or other signs of gesture.
Fragile works of sculpture can be displayed most securely by placing the works a. in glass-paneled cases b. on a series of pedestals c. on wall-mounted shelves with sturdier works around them d. in shadow boxes with sign that read "do not touch"
A Although some of the other choices might provide a bit of protection for fragile sculptures, a glass-paneled case that allows viewers to see fragile items but not touch them is the best solution for secure display.
Which of the following artists is an English landscape painter who created a poetic sense of changing atmospheric effects by using tiny applications of local color? a. John Constable b. William Morris c. William Hogarth d. Joshua Reynolds
A Perhaps the best known English landscape painter of his era, John Constable used delicate brushstrokes to convey a sense of changing weather in works such as The Haywain. Constable's use of natural color, stippled with white, is one of the most innovative aspects of his paintings; it was central to his ability to demonstrate shifting atmosphere and changing seasons.
Which of the following digital camera settings can be used to keep colors accurate under a variety of light conditions? a. white balance b. aperture c. ISO speed d. shutter speed
A Different lighting conditions - for example, daylight, incandescent light, fluorescent light - tend to push the colors in a photograph toward a particular hue, so it is important to be able to adjust the camera to keep unwanted tints out of the photo. White balance refers to the way the camera compensates for variations in light to keep colors constant.
Which of the following is the most responsible action to take for an artist whose work requires the use of a specific hazardous product? a. finding a nontoxic product to use and adapting the art-making process as necessary b. reading the product's label and proceeding according to the label directions c. making sure no children are present when using the product d. checking with a qualified toxicologist before using the material
B Although it is preferable for artists of all ages to avoid toxic materials, there are times when a working artist may have to use a toxic material for a specific purpose. In such cases, the most reasonable course of action is for the artist to read all directions and cautions carefully and take the necessary precautions.
The imagery in the work shown above is a typical decorative motif of Islamic architectural mosaics known as a. calligraphy b. an arabesque c. a rosette d. a paisley
B An arabesque is an intricate design of repeated lines, often in the form of plants, whose leafy vines interlace. In Islam, these designs constitute an infinite pattern that extends beyond the material world, symbolizing the limitless nature of creating and conveying a sense of spirituality.
Which of the following terms refers to pottery that has not been bisque fired? a. raku b. greenware c. terracotta d. stoneware
B Bisque firing refers to preliminary firing that is done to harden the piece prior to glazing and glaze firing. Greenware is a term referring to any pottery that has not been bisque fired.
Which of the following is most characteristic of gesture drawing? a. an outline b. action and movement c. gradual shading d. carefully observed details
B Gesture drawing refers to quick, expressive representation, usually of figures, which is intended to convey the essential movement of the figure. Action and movement are the essence of gesture drawing.
The 19th century photographic process used to create a daguerreotype was notable for its a. quick exposure time b. ability to capture sharp detail c. capacity to be reproduced multiple times d. use of paper negatives
B The frist commercially successful photographic process, the daguerreotype was developed in France in the early 19th century by Louis-Jacques-Mande Daguerre. Each image was a direct positive made in the camera on a silver-plated copper plate. Since the image was made directly on the silvered surface, it was very fragile and could not be reproduced; it also required a somewhat lengthy exposed period. Despite such drawbacks, the daguerreotype quickly became a popular medium, especially for portraiture, largely because of its ability to capture crisp, accurate detail.
A triad on a color wheel can be described as a. three analogous colors b. three colors equally spaced apart c. three colors of equal value d. a complementary set
B A triad on a color wheel refers to any three equally spaced colors. The most common triads are the primary colors (Red, yellow and blue) and the secondary colors (purple, green and orange). However any 3 hues that are equidistant from each other constitute a triad.
The layout and design of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China, are intended mainly as a symbolic expression of the a. philosophical principles of feng shui b. metaphysical teachings of the Buddha c. connection between imperial and cosmic orders d. emperor's absolute power overly earthly matters
C A Daoist temple complex constructed sweeten 1406 and 1420, the Temple of Heaven is laid out in a grid of interlocking circles and squares intended to symbolize the connection between Heaven and Earth. Traditionally, this relationship was mediated by the emperor, called the Son of Heaven, who prayed at the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, located in the center of the complex, during important biannual ceremonies.
The contemporary artist Cindy Sherman is best known for her work in which of the following media? a. oil painting b. videography c. photography d. installation
C Although she has experimented at times with videography, Cindy Sherman is best known for her series of conceptual portraits, such as Untitled Film Stills (1977-1980), Centerfolds/Horizontals (1981), and History Portraits (1989-1990). The medium in which she creates these works is photography.
Which of the following terms refers to the process of using thick applications of paint? a. scrumbling b. alla prima b. impasto d. frottage
C Although the other choices refer to various ways of working with 2D images, only impasto refers to thick applications of paint to a surface.
In Michelangelo's sculpture, David's expression is best characterized as a. calm and brave b. youthful and idealized c. tense and watchful d. angry and intense
C For his monumental statue of David, Michelangelo chose not to portray the biblical hero holding the head of the slain Goliath - as both Donatello and Vercocchio had done - but rather to depict him awaiting the fatal encounter. David stands with furrowed brow, veins bulging from his neck, his gaze one of studied concentration as he prepares for Goliath's challenge.
The Pointillist paintings of Georges Seurat are most notable for contains which of the following characteristics? a. an expressionistic use of broad brushstrokes and tactile surface texture b. lively figures created through the use of forceful lines c. static figures and a sense of optical surface movement d. an emotional use of strident colors with a high degree of simplification
C Georges Seurat's Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grade Jatte typifies the dominant aesthetic of his major canvases. The flat, sharply defined figures are so still as to appear almost timeless, while the very surface of the painting seems to shimmer because of the Pointillist technique of using thousands of precisely placed, tiny colored dots.
In storing printmaking supplies, it is important to store which of the following materials separately from the others? a. acetic acid b. rosin powder c. nitric acid d. solvents
C Nitric acid is an oxidizing get that can react with any of the other supplies to cause an explosion or fire.
The term that best describes an artwork that incorporates theatrical elements such as body movement, audience participation, music, and projected images is a. mimesis b. installation art c. performance art d. digital collage
C Performance art differs from painting, sculpture, or even some other forms of experimental media in that it emphasizes art as a participatory event that happens at a particular place and a particular time. It is usually avant-garde or conceptual in scope. Although not all works of performance art include every element listed here, the only kind of art that could incorporate all of them is performance art.
Which of the follows terms refers to Archaic Greek Statues whose poses - rigidly frontal with clenched fists - recall the stance of ancient Egyptian statues? a. caryatids b. telamones c. discoboloi d. kouroi
D "Kouroi" is the term used for Archaic Greek statues of standing male youths. Made primarily from marble, but sometimes form limestone, wood, bronze, or terra-cotta, these life-size Greek statues imitate Egyptian prototypes in that each is posed stiffly, facing directly forward, with clenched fists and an advancing left foot.
Which of the following terms refers to the use of distortion to create the illusion of an object extending into space? a. cantilevering b. contrapposto c. sfumato d. foreshortening
D Foreshortening is the representation of any object on a 2D surface in such a way that the object appears to advance or recede. This is accomplished by representing the perspectival "distortion" of the form.
Which of the following statements accurately describes a JPEG compressed digital photograph a. the JPEG format is used only for color photos b. a JPEG compression alters the proportions of the original image by rearranging data c. a JPEG compression sharpens the details in an image d. the JPEG format compresses file size by selectively discarding data
D JPEG (widely inwoon as .jpg) compression of a digital file is a process through which a file can be made smaller and , therefore, easier to store and transfer. The compression is excited by selectively removing data from the image file. It can be used for black-and-white as well as color files. JPEG compression does not sharpen details or alter proportions.
Which of the following tools is least likely to be used in the process of creating a wood sculpture? a. a rasp b. a gouge c. a lathe d. an extruder
D The question asks for the tool that a wood sculpture would not use. Rasps, gouges, and lathes are all used in working with wood. An extruder is used with malleable materials, such as clay.
In weaving, the vertical and horizontal threads in a loom are called the a. bobbin and quill b. shuttle and paddle c. ply and twist d. warp and weft
D Weaving on a loom involves stringing a series of threads along the loom lengthwise (warp), and wearing threads crosswise (weft), in and out of the lengthwise threads.
The aesthetic philosophy that claims that the value of a work of art is determined by museums and galleries is known as a. capitalism b. conceptualism c. structuralism d. institutionalism
D Institutionalism, also known as the institutional theory of art, is an aesthetic philosophy that stipulates that an object can only be considered art within the framework of the art world, defined primarily - but not exclusively - by museums and galleries. Theorists often cite the example of Marcel Duchamp's Fountain, the urinal submitted to the Society for Independent Artists exhibit in NYC in 1917. By being placed in a gallery, the work's meaning changed: it ceased to be a functional object and became an art object instead. Fountain is now student as an exemplar of the readymade.
In the work above, Ernst anticipated and manipulated which of the following postmodern design principles as a means of converting a sense of the irrational and the illogical? a. gazing b. hybridity c. appropriation d. juxtaposition
D Juxtaposition refers to the use of unrelated images, materials, etc., to create a new image. Although the term has become standard in recent years, Surrealists such as Max Ernst sometimes used much the same process. In L'lmmaculee Conception marquee, Earnst included images that have no apparent connection to each other, such as the rabbit, the weeping statue, and the figures, to create a sense of connection outside the scope of reason.
