Quiz 5

Variety

A collection of ideas, elements, or materials that are fused together into one design About uniqueness and diversity Artists use a multiplicity of values, textures, colors, and so on to intensify the impact of a work Can invigorate a design Is the artist's way of giving a work of art a jolt

Gestalt

A combination of a compositional and conceptual working together

Motif

A design repeated as a unit in a pattern is called a motif Motifs can represent ideas, images, and themes that can be brought together through the use of pattern An artist can create a strong unified design by repeating a motif

Emphasis: Focal point

A focal point is the specific part of an area of emphasis to which the artist draws our eye Artists can use direction, dramatic contrasts, and placement relationships to organize the elements in a work and draw our attention to areas of emphasis and focal points Line is an effective way to focus a viewer's attention in an artwork

Compositional unity

An artist creates compositional unity by organizing all the visual aspects of a work Too much variety can lead to lack of structure and the absence of a central idea

Distorted scale

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

Balance

Visual or actual weights are distributed in such a way that they achieve harmony Just as real objects have physical weight, parts of a work of art can have visual weight, or impact If the amount of 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

Emphasis: Focal point placement

The placement of elements within a composition controls rhythm creates multiple focal points

Proportion

The relationships between the sizes of different 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

Pattern

The use of repetition usually results in the creation of a pattern Artists often create unity by repeatedly using a similar shape, value, color, or other elements Repetition of a pattern- can impose order on the composition Sometimes artists use alternating patterns to make a work more lively

Gestalt unity

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts

Emphasis

When an artist emphasizes different elements in a work of art, he or she creates visual relationships and connections b/w them

Scale and meaning

Usually a monumental scale indicates heroism or other epic virutues War monuments, for example, often feature figures much larger than life-size in order to convey the bravery of the warriors

Conceptual

dealing with specific or multiple ideas

Conceptual unity

refers to the cohesive expression of ideas w/in a work of art The expression of ideas may not look organized, but an artist can still communicate them effectively by selecting images that conjure up a single notion Artists brine their own intentions, experiences, and reactions to their works. These ideas- conscious and unconscious- can also contribute to the conceptual unity of a work

Proportional ratios

"Golden Rectangles' is a technique based on nesting inside each other a succession of rectangles based on the 1:1.618 proportions of the Golden section - The shorter side the outer rectangle becomes the longer side of the smaller rectangle inside it, and so on - The result is an elegant spiral shape

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

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 - 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 artist's decision about scale too - Cost, time it will take to execute the piece, and demands that a specific location may place on the work are all factors

Alternating rhythm

Artists can intertwine multiple rhythms until they become quite complex Alternation of rhythms can add unpredictability and visual excitement

Emphasis: Focal point constrast

Artists look to create effects of contrast by positioning elements next to one another that are very different For example, areas of different value, color, or size

Asymmetrical balance (Informal balance)

Balance is achieved between elements of different visual weight Visual weight/ referential weight This applies when the elements on the left and right sides are not the same, but the combination of elements counters each other

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 the hand as a unit of measurement The ancient Greeks sought an ideal of beauty in the principle of proportion

Hierarchical scale

Hierarchical scale refers to the deliberate use of relative size in work of art, in order to communicate size in a work of art, in order to communicate differences in importance Almost always, larger means more important, and smaller means less important

Symmetrical balance

If a work can be cut in half and each side looks exactly (or nearly exactly) the same - Near-perfect symmetry exists in the human body - Because it is a part of our physical body, symmetry can seem very natural and we can make natural connections to it

- Unity and variety - Emphasis and subordination - Balance - Repetition and rhythm - Scale and proportion

Principles of organization

Unity

Provides an artwork w/ its cohesiveness and helps communicate its visual idea An appearance of oneness or wholeness

Radial symmetry

Radial balance (or symmetry) is achieved when all elements in a work are equidistant for a central point and repeat in a symmetrical way from side to side and top to bottom Can imply circular and repeating elements Used in religious symbols and architecture where repetition plays an important role in the design

Progressive rhythm

Repetition that regularly increases or decreases in frequency Creating a progressive rhythm as the eye moves faster or slower across the surface of the work

Rhythm

Rhythm gives structure to the experience of looking It 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

The golden section

The Golden Section is a proportional rate of 1:1.618, which occurs in many natural objects Real human bodies do not have exactly these proportions, but when the ratio 1:1.618 is applied to making statues, it gives naturalistic results The proportions of Ancient Greek sculptures are often very close to the Golden Section

Repetition

The most commonly used method of creating unity

Subordination

The opposite of emphasis is subordination - Draws attention away from certain areas of a work