USEFUL TERMINOLOGY TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH

VALUE – How light or dark (the tone) of an object, either in colour or  greyscale

 LOW KEY – Mainly in dark tones with areas of strong tonal contrast

HIGH KEY – Mainly quite light with very minimal areas of tonal contrast

CONTRAST – Difference between dark and light tones (value contrast)

HUE – A colour ie. Where it is positioned around the wheel (The term ‘Hue’ is also used to differentiate a genuine pigment from a  colour ‘like’ that pigment eg. A Cobalt hue may have that colour but not be made from cobalt) More on all of this in the Colour Module.

TINT (verb + noun) – A lighter shade (with white when using opaque media, add more water with transparent paint upon the white or light ground to result in a tint of the hue when painting with transparent media.)

NEUTRALIZE – Using the complimentary colour we can de-saturate the hue, so as to soften the intensity of a colour or hue to create muted schemes, rich greys, etc.

INTENSITY, CHROMA, SATURATION The strength of the colour (the more we add its compliment and / or white or black (don’t even think about it!!!) to it, the more we decrease this chroma, saturation or intensity. Just trying to be funny… there are actually some situations where it can be valid to darken or neutralize a colour with black.  In general, to assure a clean, pure and ‘well related’ neutral tone, a complimentary is used.

COMPLIMENTARY– Opposite colours on the colour wheel, are said to create a more active or dynamic feel when used together.(a colour also casts its compliment optically, you will see practical demonstrations of this in the Practical Modules).

HARMONIOUS  - Colours that sit near each other on the wheel, create unity, and a more settled feel, Also referred to as analogous colours (or an analogous scheme if in a group.)

Some authors refer to ‘colour harmonies’ in the same way that I would refer to colour relationships, eg. A triadic harmony. I prefer to keep the harmonious term for analogous schemes, although the use of the word ‘harmonious’ in all other areas of life refers to all things that don’t clash.

TRIAD – Three colours related by an equilateral triangle on a 12-point colour wheel.

DOUBLE SPLIT COMPLIMENTARY – The two neighbours on either side are each of a complimentary pair.

TETRAD – A square relationship, 4 colours evenly spaced with two colours in between each (on a 12-point colour wheel).

ANALOGOUS – Harmonious colours, closest to each other (see harmonious).

MONOCHROME – Black and white or many tones of one colour

TEMPERATURE - Cooler colours create depth, quiet, and recession. Warmer creates a more dynamic, enlivened impression and can advance the area or object visually. Limiting to one can add tranquillity. Creating an image with equally cool and warm divisions can create confusion and/or discomfort. Like a lot of other things in life and in art, the temperature is relative eg. There are warm reds and cool reds, relatively speaking.

AERIAL PERSPECTIVE – Otherwise known as atmospheric perspective, the knowledge that cooler colours recede (also with a decrease in contrast) and the reverse for warm can help an artist to enhance the feeling of distance and depth.

LINEAR PERSPECTIVE - Linear perspective is a system used to create the illusion of space and distance on a flat surface. The main tool is the horizon line running across the canvas with one or more vanishing points placed on the line. (See The Perspective Module for a more in-depth definition and explanation.)

SHAPE – Enclosed  area distinct from its background (by colour, lines, tone, texture)

FORM – Solidity of 3-dimensionality (light and shade are good ways to show this)

MASS  - Solidity of a form 

TEXTURE - There is 2D and then there is 3D texture. 3D uses impasto, collage, assemblage, and found objects, and 2D can be created with effects on a flat surface

LINES –These are some different ways of using the term ‘lines’

Outlines  - Describe an object (contour)

Mathematical lines (straight) – as in etching, hatching, Perspective lines

Implied lines – can be made at the border of two colours, two textures, two tones or temperatures

Psychic line – in the direction of the eyes or thoughts (eg, Birth of Venus)

Contour lines- can also show 3-D-ness, eg, cube, barrel, figure

Boundary line – setting a border of some kind (eg. edges of the substrate)

Lost and found edges – when lines appear, disappear and re-appear

RULE OF THIRDS – You will cover this in more detail in the Composition Module, a way in which to find the ideal proportions and positioning of features. Basically, draw a naughts and crosses line across and vertically, dividing the canvas or paper into thirds, vertically and horizontally. The intersecting points show you the general area where no two intervals will be repeated (important in creating an interesting compositional arrangement). For a square,  small adjustments can be made, once you understand the principle.

LINE DIRECTION eg. Horizontal lines imply quiet, restful, vertical lines have more potential for action, diagonal lines have the most dynamic potential

TERMS IN DRAWING (See the Drawing Module for further explanations and demonstrations)

CONTOUR DRAWING-The contour drawing describes the outermost edges of a form, as well as dramatic changes of plane within the form., a blind contour drawing involves doing this without looking at pencil or paper, just at the subject

GESTURAL DRAWING – Loosely working in free lines of direction, movement and expression

CROSS-HATCHING  - Crosshatching is an extension of hatching, which uses fine parallel lines drawn closely together, to create the illusion of shade or texture in a drawing. Crosshatching is the drawing of two layers of hatching at right angles to create a mesh-like pattern. Multiple layers in varying directions can be used to create textures. Crosshatching is often used to create tonal effects, by varying the spacing of lines or by adding additional layers of lines. Crosshatching is used in pencil drawing, but is particularly useful with pen and ink drawing, to create the impression of areas of tone, since the pen can only create a solid black line.

GRIDDING - using a proportional ‘map’ of squares/rectangles to copy, enlarge or decrease an image onto another substrate (see Drawing Module)

TRIANGULATION – an alternative system of copying or enlarging an image using triangular gridding. (easier for some people due to the variation of shapes alongside each other in the ‘grid’.) There is an in-depth explanation in Drawing Module.

ENVELOPE – An original linear outline of straight lines, joining the main points which encompass  the landmarks of the finished form

BLOCKING IN- working in main shapes/lines

REFINING – working up the levels of detail in a drawing or painting

SHADING/ MODELLING – making an object seem more 3D with tonal values

BURNISHING – rubbing to get a certain finish (from one surface to another) used  in some forms of printing

BRUSHWORK/APPLICATION TECHNIQUES to familiarise yourself with STIPLING, STENCLING,  STROKING, SCUMBLING,  SCRAFFITO,  SPONGING, SPLATTER, PRINTING/BURNISHING, COLLAGRAPHS,  FEATHERING, GLAZING,  LIFTING OFF,  MISTING,  COLLAGE, IMPASTO,  KNIFING, ROLLERS. FROTTAGE (general term for creating a surface texture), See Practical Modules for videos of using these and many more techniques.