This page contains some important vocabulary which will help you to work on your IB Research Workbooks.
Elements of Art & Principles of Design
PROPORTION: To put in proper relation with something else.
LINE: A mark with length and direction, created by a point that moves across a surface.
SHAPE: 2-Dimensional objects (circle, square, triangle)
FORM: 3-Dimensional objects ( cone, cube, cylinder, sphere)
THUMBNAIL SKETCH: a small, quick drawing used to get your ideas on paper
CONSTRUCTION LINES: rough line drawings used to give an object mass and volume
LINE-OF-ACTION: designates the movement or action of a character in a drawing
POSITIVE SPACE: area an object occupies.
NEGATIVE SPACE: area around an object.
VALUE: lightness or darkness of an color
CROSSHATCH: multiple perpendicular lines that add value to an object
SMUDGING: using an object to blend values. (not your finger)
COMPOSITION: way of arranging a drawing or painting so it is interesting to look at and equally balanced.
GOLDEN RULE OF THIRDS: a way of breaking down a composition mathematically, focusing on thirds.
BACKGROUND: area within a composition that appears further away from the viewer. Objects appear smaller with less detail.
MIDDLE GROUND: part of a composition that appear between the foreground and back ground.
FOREGROUND: in a scene or artwork , the part that seems closest to you. Objects appear larger and more detailed.
SYMMETRY: both sides of a center line are exactly or nearly the same, like a mirror.
ASYMMETRY: two sides of a composition are different yet balanced
HUE : common name of a color ( i.e. blue, green, etc)
PIGMENT : gives paint it's color.
SPECTRUM : all the colors in the color wheel
PRIMARY : red, blue & yellow
SECONDARY : green, orange & violet ( mix primary colors)
TERTIARY (INTERMEDIATE) : red-orange, yellow-orange, blue green, etc.
ADVANCING COLORS : colors that appear to come towards you (warm colors)
WARM COLORS : red, orange & yellow
COOL COLORS : blue ,violet & green
RECEDING COLORS : colors that appear to be in the background
TRIADIC : colors that create a triangle on the color wheel
ANALOGOUS :colors that are next to each other on the color wheel
COMPLEMENTARY : colors that are directly across from each other on the color wheel
INTENSITY : brightness or dullness of a color
OPAQUE : colors that you can't see through
TRANSPARENT : colors that you can see through
VALUE : darkness or a lightness of a color
TINT : color and white
TONE : color and grey
SHADE : color and black
MONOCHROMATIC : a single color and it's tints and shades
PALETTE : colors you paint with or the thing that you put the colors on
MOOD : emotion portrayed within an artwork
VERTICAL : top - to - bottom. This can refer to the placement of objects within a composition or the composition itself.
HORIZONTAL : left - to -right. This can refer to the placement of objects within a composition or the composition itself.
AESTHETICS: To experience a feeling or response to art.