art

• Line is an element of art that refers to the continuous mark made on a surface by a moving point, it can be one-dimensional, two-dimensional (like a pencil mark on paper), three-dimensional (e.g. wire), or implied (the edge of a shape or form)
• Shape is a two-dimensional area with a recognisable boundary, while form is a three-dimensional shape with height, width, and depth, also referring to the illusion of volume in a two-dimensional work
• Tonal value refers to the degree of light and dark in an artwork, creating volume and three-dimensional shapes by defining forms through light
• Texture refers to the surface quality or feel of an object, with two main kinds: tactile (actual) texture, which can be felt, and visual (implied) texture, found in two-dimensional artworks
• Primary colors cannot be made by mixing other colors, secondary colors are made by mixing two primary colors, and tertiary colors are between primary and secondary colors on the color wheel
• Analogous colors are groups of three colors next to each other on the color wheel, composite colors are composed of many other colors like brown, and complementary colors are found opposite each other on the color wheel
• Space in two-dimensional artworks is created through perspective, where parallel lines meet at vanishing points, and objects appear smaller as they move further away
• Composition is the arrangement of art elements in an artwork to create a visually pleasing whole, with emphasis on the focal point where the viewer's eye is drawn
• Balance in art refers to the arrangement of elements to create stability, with symmetrical balance, asymmetrical balance, and radial balance as types
• Rhythm and movement in art refer to combining elements to produce a sense of flow or movement, achieved through repetition, alternation, or progression
• Emphasis in art is about developing points of interest to pull the viewer's eye to important parts, often created using color or tone
• Unity and harmony in art result from successfully combining elements to create a pleasing whole, while contrast refers to visual differences creating interesting compositions
• Proportion is the size relationship of parts to a whole and to each other, sometimes altered for effect, and pattern is the repetition of motifs or designs
• Southern Ndebele people originally lived in Mpumalanga, Limpopo since the 1600s and speak Ndebele
• During King Shaka's rule, they had to live in hiding in bushes
• Ndebele women traditionally create elaborate beadwork and paint the walls of their homes with geometric and brightly colored designs
• Traditional Ndebele house designs:

  • Walls made of mud & sealed with dung
  • Roof made from dry grass (thatch)
  • Traditionally round, but nowadays also built in rectangles
• Ndebele women traditionally paint the walls using chicken feathers, with designs in bright, flat colors expressing family prayers, announcements, values, or emotions
• Ndebele painting tradition began in the 1700s, with 5 main colors used: red & dark red, yellow to gold, sky blue, green, and sometimes pink
• Esther Mahlangu, 88 years old artist from Mpumalanga, cannot read or write, learned painting tradition from mother & grandmother, uses traditional tools to paint geometric designs on various surfaces