Art

• Critique - analyzing a piece of art. Saying what was done well and what could be improved.
• Steps to critique: describe, analyze, interpret, judge/evaluate
• Content - what do I see in the piece? what is the subject? what is the piece about?
• Context - when, where and why was it created? What is the story behind the work of art?
• Knowing the CONTEXT can change the whole meaning of the piece.
• Composition - how is everything arranged in the art piece? how do the elements and principles work together?
• Craftsmanship - how neat is it? does it look like the artist put a lot of time/effort into doing it? is it done well?
• Line - a movement of a point
• a GEOMETRIC shape is man made and mathematical
• an ORGANIC shape is free-form and found in nature
• TEXTURE - shows how something feels or how something looks like it feels
• a SHAPE is a defined area
• SPACE - area between points
• UNITY - makes elements look like they go together
• area / subjects of a painting are POSITIVE space, the area outside the objects is NEGATIVE space
• HUE - another word for color
• FORM - 3D
• SHAPE - 2D
• PATTERN - a predictable repetition
• UNITY - belongs together
• CONTRAST - difference between elements
• MOVEMENT - visual flow
• RHYTHM - repetition of visual movement
• Line


  Element that is a path made by a moving point through space. It is one-dimensional and can vary in width, direction, and length.

  
• Color


  Element perceived by the way light reflects off a surface. There are three properties of : hue (color name), intensity (strength/purity), and value (lightness and darkness). (Van Gogh, Post-Impressionism)

  
• Texture


  Element that describes the surface quality of an object. Artists use both actual ___ (how things feel) and implied ______ (how things look like they feel). (Huang, Contemporary)

  
• Value


  Element referring to lightness and darkness of surface (Braques, Cubism)

  
• Shape


  Element that is flat, enclosed areas that are two-dimensional (length and height). Artists use both geometric and organic shapes. (Matisse, Fauvism)

  
• Space


  Element used to create the illusion of depth within an artwork. It can also refer to the positive and negative ____ between, around, or within objects. (Raphael, Renaissance)

  
• Form


  Element that is three-dimensional (length, width, height) and can be viewed from many angles. _____ have volume and take up space.(Artist Unknown, Greece)

  
• Emphasis


  Principle that is the creation of a focal point in an artwork. It draws the viewer's eye to particular areas of the artwork first. (Altar Mosaic, Byzantine)

  
• Proportion


  Principle that refers to size, location or amount of one element in relation to another (or to the whole) in an artwork. (Church Wall Painting, Medieval)

  
• Movement


  Principle that is how the eye travels through an artwork. Can lead the viewer from one aspect to another within the composition. (Late Renaissance Painting)

  
• Contrast


  Principle that refers to the difference between elements in a composition. This can happen through a variety of elements such as value change, size difference, etc. (Hopper, American Realism)

  
• Unity

  Principle that occurs when all of the elements of a piece combine to make a balanced, harmonious and complete whole. Variety within elements adds interest to the composition. (El Greco, Northern Renaissance)

  
• Balance


  Principle that is the distribution of visual weight in an artwork. The three types are symmetrical (two sides are the same), asymmetrical (two sides are different but visually weighted equally) and radial (design emerges from center point).(Rose Window, Gothic)

  
• Rhythm


  Principle that shows a "visual beat" created with repetition of elements, patterns or movement to create interest and consistency. (Mondrian, De Stijl)

  
• Pattern


  Principle that decorates the artwork with regularly repeated elements such as shapes or color. (Andy Warhol, Pop Art)

  
• Elements of Art

  The building blocks of making art: Line, shape, value, space, color form, texture
• Principle of Design


  The tools to plan and organize elements the elements within an artwork.

  Balance, emphasis, movement, proportion, pattern, contrast, rhythm, and unity,