Art fundamentals USAD 2012-2013

Line, Shape and Form Line Shape Form Most basic element of art Can have different visual characteristics- thin, thick, dark, light Implied line- a line created by perception of interrupted marks or edges Shape The two-dimensional area of an object, e.g. a square Form the three-dimensional area of an object, e.g. a cube Organic vs. geometric shape and form Geometric- precise, regular, hard-edged Organic- rounded, irregular, based on nature, expressive of movement and rhythm Space Positive space- usually the objects represented in an artwork; the figure Negative space- space around an object; also called the ground Horizontal lines create feelings of stability and calm. Vertical lines can be used to create feelings of dramatic height. Diagonal lines create a feeling of movement. In two-dimensional work, the use of shading, foreshortening and perspective are used to create the illusion of form. Leonardo da Vinci, Self-Portrait, ca. 1512-1515: an example of the use of line

Perspective Creating the Illusion of Depth on a Two- dimensional Surface Linear perspective Aerial perspective Overlapping of objects Size of objects Placement of objects in the picture plane Use of detail Linear Perspective Based on the fact that parallel lines appear to converge and vanish at the horizon Aerial Perspective Based on the fact that objects further away appear lighter and less detailed Creating the Illusion of Depth on a Two-dimensional Surface Linear perspective Aerial perspective Overlapping of objects- objects behind other objects will appear farther away Size of objects- larger objects will appear to be closer to the viewer Placement of objects in the picture plane- objects placed lower in the picture plane will appear to be closer Use of detail- more detailed objects appear to be closer In a painting using linear perspective, the artist creates a vanishing point on the horizon toward which all the vertical lines in the painting will converge. E.g., Pietro Perugino, Fresco from the Sistine Chapel, 1481-1482 Aerial perspective shows objects becoming vaguer and less colorful as space recedes. E.g., Landscape in the Style of Yan Wengei, Early Ming Dynasty

Color and Texture Color Theory Texture Hue: refers to the names of colors on the color wheel Neutrals: black, white, and shades of gray Value: lightness or darkness of a hue Intensity: brightness of a color Local color: the undistorted color of objects, e.g. a red apple Arbitrary color: color unrelated to the actual color of the object being depicted Optical color: the appearance of a color as distorted by human perception Texture Actual texture: three-dimensional texture Visual texture: the illusion of texture on a two-dimensional surface The color wheel was established in the 18th century, based on principles observed by Sir Isaac Newton in the 17th century. Neutrals are not hues. The most intense colors are the unmixed primary colors. Relativity of color- a concept discovered in the 19th century that colors look different depending on adjacent colors. Warm colors: red, orange, yellow- they appear to come toward the viewer. Cool colors: blues, green, purple- they appear to recede. Artists often use arbitrary color to create a certain mood. Cordelia Wilson, Taos Mountain, Trail Home, 1915-1920 An example of the use of impasto, a thick application of paint that creates actual texture on a two-dimensional surface.

Composition Rhythm Repetition Balance Focal point Proportion Scale Repetition of line, shape, color or texture that produces a sense of movement in the work Repetition Motif- a single element of a pattern Pattern- repetition of motifs or elements such as line and color Balance Symmetry- balance around a central axis (horizontal or vertical) Approximate symmetry- slight variations around a central axis Asymmetrical balance- objects are not organized around a central axis but arranged to create balance through variations in color, density, texture Focal point Where the viewer’s eye tends to rest in a composition Proportion The relative sizes of objects in a composition Scale the relation between the size of the human body and the artwork Proportion: classical Greek proportional system was based on the proportions of the human body. Scale: When referring to relative sizes of objects within a work, scale may be a hierarchical device. Wood’s American Gothic is an example of approximate symmetry. The pointed roof in the background and the symmetry of the windows below establish a vertical axis, around which the figures of the man and woman are organized. The use of approximate symmetry is one way that Wood imparted to the work an iconic aspect.

Drawing Drawing Techniques Stippling Drawing with ink Pastels Shading- a technique used to create gradations of light and shadow Hatching- using parallel lines in one diagonal direction to create light and shadow Cross-hatching-Using parallel lines crossing each other Stippling Placing small marks close together or further apart to modulate light and shadow Drawing with ink Washes created by adding water to the ink can be used to make translucent layers Pastels Came into use in the 18th century; popular for portraiture Must be sprayed with a fixative to prevent the fragile surface from being damaged From left to right: hatching, cross-hatching, stippling Edgar Degas, La Toilette (Woman Combing Her Hair), ca. 1885

Printmaking Printmaking Basics Relief printmaking Intaglio printmaking Method for making multiple original works “matrix”- surface upon which the image is created Ink applied to the plate is transferred to paper to create an image Relief printmaking Ink is applied to the raised parts of the plate Woodblock, lino-cut Intaglio printmaking Ink is worked into the incised parts of the plate Engraving, etching Lithography A waxy crayon is used to draw on a the plate (stone, zinc, or aluminum) Ink sticks to the drawing but not to the plate Allows for a very spontaneous effect Screen printmaking A screen is treated to make some parts impervious to ink Ink is pushed through the open areas of the screen Top: Example of relief printmaking, in which the remaining raised surface takes the ink and transfers the image to the paper. Bottom:

Painting Basic materials Fresco Tempera Oil Encaustic Pigments- natural or synthetic grains of colored material Binders- a medium that holds the pigment together and helps it adhere to the surface, e.g. linseed oil, egg yolks, wax Solvents- a substance used to thin the paint Fresco Powdered pigments mixed with water are applied directly to a plaster wall Tempera Egg binder Quick-drying, matte colors are not easily blendable Oil Slow-drying, workable surface can be applied thinly (glazes) or thickly (impasto) Encaustic Ancient wax-based paint applied to a surface with hot irons Gouache and watercolor Both water-based; gouache is opaque, while watercolor is transparent Acrylic Versatile quick-drying synthetic paint buon fresco- wet plaster technique fresco secco- dry plaster technique

Photography and Sculpture Still photography, film, video Sculpture Relief- sculpture carved from a flat surface Freestanding- sculpture in the round Kinetic- sculpture that moves Techniques Additive- process of adding material to form a sculpture Subtractive- process that begins with a hunk of material that is selectively removed to create the sculpture Cast- process of making a mold into which molten metal is poured Metal- variety of fabrication techniques, including welding, bending Top: Auguste Rodin, The Thinker, 1902, cast bronze Bottom: Alexander Calder mobile, an example of kinetic sculpture

Mixed Media, Performance, Folk Art and Craft Artwork made from a variety of materials or media Collage: two-dimensional mixed media work Assemblage: three-dimensional mixed media work Introduced to high art circa 1912 by Picasso and Braque Performance Live, movement-based art, usually preserved in documentary photographs or video Folk art and craft Pottery, jewelry, fibers, glass, wooden objects Clay techniques: pinching, coiling, throwing, hand- building, slab construction Fiber techniques: weaving, dyeing, quilting Glass: glassblowing, stained glass Wood: furniture, boxes, boats, homes Viking ship figurehead

Architecture Construction Techniques Post-and-lintel: simplest form of construction involving two supporting posts and a horizontal member Arch: alternative to post and lintel construction that introduces a rounded or arched opening Vault: use of an extended arch to form a roof covering a space Dome: arched roof structure resembling half of a sphere Iron: During the Industrial Revolution, used for the Crystal Palace (1851) and the Eiffel Tower (1887-1889) Steel and concrete: modern building method characteristic of skyscrapers and other large buildings Top: example of post and lintel construction at Stonehenge Bottom: diagram of various arch and vault constructions