Art Glossary

Additive - Art where you add on 3-D elements.

Asymmetry - A composition where there are not the same things on both sides.

Atmospheric Light - When objects in the distance are faint, blurred, and bluish in color.

Background - The objects in the back of an image.

Back stitch - sewing one stitch backward on the front side and two stitches forward on the reverse side to form a solid line

Balance and Rhythm - The way in which objects are arranged in art, either Symmetrical or asymmetrical.

Composition - Arrangement of lines, shapes, colors, etc. in an art piece

Embroidery - Making decorative stitches with a needle.

Foreground - The objects in front of an image.

Form and Function - Form is the look of an object and function is how it works.

Icon - A sign or symbol to represent an idea.

Imagination - Ideas used for art that come from one's brain - not observation.

Media - Art materials.

Middle ground - The objects in the middle of an image.

Negative Space - The space around the main shape of an image

Ornament - Decoration often added to architecture and other designs.

Overlap - Something that is laid on top of another thing.

Pattern - A design that repeats

Perspective - Objects in the distance seem small while closer ones are larger.

Process - A task done step by step - a series of actions that come to eventual end.

Positive Space - The main shape of an image.

Proportion, Scale - The size of one thing in relation to another

Rhythm - Shapes that suggest patterns and movements much like music.

Scoring - Pressing straight and curved lines into paper to make them more easily bendable

Silhouette - The outlined shape of an object.

Stylized - The unique style in which a particular type of art is made.

Symmetry - A composition where there are the same things on both sides

Subtractive - Art where you take away 3-D elements.

Technique - The way in which a particular kind of art is made.

Texture - The way something feels

Three-Dimensional - Something with multiple sides and dimensions.

Two-Dimensional - Something that is flat.

Volume - Something with weight and mass.

Line

Contour Drawing - An outline drawing, including interior lines.

Gesture Drawing- A quick and loose type of drawing often of a figure.

Cropping - When an images is cuts off the side of a composition.

Diagonal - Lines that are at a slant.

Horizontal - Lines that run from left to right.

Intersecting - Lines that cross each other

Line Quality - Various types of lines such as thick, thin, dark and light

Observation - Drawing involving careful examination.

Parallel - Lines that run side by side each other - they do not intersect.

Shading (also Gradation, Tone, Value) - Dark to light variations of any given color

Sketch - A quick and loose drawing with erratic and scratchy lines.

Straight and Curved Lines - The two main types of lines - in drawing as it is in writing.

Vertical - Lines that run from up to down.

Color

Analogous - Colors next to each other on the color wheel

Color Palette - A set of colors used in artwork.

Color Wheel - A round chart showing color relationships

Cool Colors - Blue, Green and Purple

Complimentary Colors - Colors opposite each other on the color wheel: Red and Green, Blue and orange, Yellow and Purple

Hue - Another word for color.

Hot Colors - Red, Orange, Yellow and Purple

Monochrome - One color and its many shades.

Neutral colors - Black, White, Browns

Painting Palette - A surface used to mix paint

Primary Colors - Red, Blue, Yellow - from which all other Colors are made

Secondary Colors - Green, Orange, Purple

Shade - Black

Shading Colors - Artist mainly use blue and purple.

Tertiary Colors - Colors in between Primary and Secondary colors

Tint - White

Genres

Abstract - Non-representational art, of non-recognizable objects, made up of simply lines, shapes and colors.

Art Collective - A group of artists that make art collaboratively.

Assemblage - Artwork composed of a combination of 3-D materials put together in one art piece.

Collage - Artwork involving cutting, tearing and pasting.

Conceptual Art – Art based n an idea or art about art making itself.

Functional Art - Art that can also be used for everyday activities.

Installation - Art that transforms a physical space such as a room.

Kinetic Art - Art that involves movement.

Landscape - An image of the environment - of a place.

Mixed Media - Artwork involving a combination of materials.

Painting - Artwork involving paint.

Portrait - An image of a person.

Printmaking - Artwork that involves making multiples of one image.

Representational - Art that is meant to look like a recognizable person, place or object.

Sculpture - Art that can be seen from all sides and takes up space.

Still Life - An image of inanimate objects.