Form: the shape and volume of a three-dimensional work.
Formal: refers to the intrinsic qualities of form, removed from subject matter.
Subject Matter: refers to identifiable images within the design.
Content: refers to the meaning of the work.
Structure: the support system of form.
· Armature: an internal structure, usually of wire or wood, upon which a form is modeled, usually in clay or wax.
Maquette: a small model of a work, developed to aid the planning process of a design.
Relief: a three–dimensional form that rises from and/or recedes into a two–dimensional surface.
In-the-Round or Full Round: three–dimensional works designed to be viewed from all angles.
Forming Processes
Addition: forming a work by adding materials together.
Subtraction: forming a work by removing material.
Fabrication: constructing or building a form.
Genres of Art
Representational Art: depicts recognizable forms from the physical world.
Nonrepresentational or Nonobjective Art: does not depict recognizable forms.
Abstract Art: simplifies or distorts qualities of a real-life image.
Design Principles
Design principles are essential guidelines that determine how to arrange the visual elements of a design.
Unity, Harmony: refers to a state of agreement or sense of belonging among all parts in a design. Unity is a universal principle of fine design.
Balance: refers to a state of equilibrium among all of the parts in a design.
· Asymmetric Balance: occurs when a form cannot be divided along a central axis and yield two identical halves.
· Symmetric Balance: occurs when a form can be divided along a central axis and yield two identical halves.
· Platonic Forms: the cube/square, sphere/circle, and equilateral triangle/pyramid/cone— these are the most basic forms of perfect symmetry and balance.
Proportion: refers to the size relationships within a design.
· Visual Weight: refers to the perceived lightness or heaviness of a design or an area in a design.
Movement: is a change of position or location. (Note: movement is considered a design element in some texts.)
· Eye Movement: the visual path taken when viewing a design.
· Single Movement: a movement that occurs on one spatial plane.
· Compound Movement: a movement that occurs on more than one spatial plane.
Three Categories of Form Based Upon Movement
· Static Forms: contain no implied movement.
· Dynamic Forms: contain an illusion of movement.
· Kinetic Forms: contain physical movement.
Variety: this occurs when the parts of a design are different from each other. However, the parts must also have something in common to maintain a sense of unity. Using variety in a design is an important technique for maintaining viewer interest in the work. Degrees of variety in design range from very subtle to extreme.
Emphasis: occurs when certain areas of a design are accentuated over others. Emphasis is often achieved through the creation of a focal point.
· Focal Point: an area in a design to which the eye is compellingly drawn.
Repetition: occurs when an element appears more than once in a design.
Rhythm: is a visual flow or movement created by repetition.
Economy: refers to the removal of all nonessential elements from a design to reveal the essence of its expression.
Design Elements
Elements are the basic visual components of a design. They are also referred to as the formal elements.
Line: a directional movement containing length, often thought of as a point in motion.
Shape/Plane: a two dimensional area containing length and height.
Volume: a three dimensional area containing length, height, and depth.
· Mass: a body of solid matter; a solid volume.
Space: the three-dimensional realm within which volumetric form exists.
· Activated Space: refers to the energized spatial area in and around a three-dimensional form.
· Negative Space or Void: an area of spatial penetration through a form.
Scale: the size of a work.
Texture: the tactile quality of a form’s surface.
Color: the spectrum of light divided into wave lengths.
· Local Color: the inherent color of an object under natural light.
· Hue: the name of a color.
· Primary Colors: the three colors from which all other colors can be mixed. (red, yellow, blue)
· Secondary Colors: a mixture of two primary colors. (orange, green, violet)
· Tertiary Colors: a mixture of a primary and an adjacent secondary color. (yellow-orange, red-orange, etc.)
· Complimentary Colors: any two colors opposite one another on the color wheel.
· Analogous Colors: any two colors adjacent one another on the color wheel.
· Color Temperature: Warm—reds, yellows, oranges, red violets Cool—blues, blue greens, blue violets · Spatial Effects of Color: Cool colors tend to recede into space. Warm colors tend to advance.