Learn Art

Learn art for young people and their teachers

Discover how to analyze art

Learn art and design for youth. Art vocabulary, word list, and how to analyze and understand art elements.

Elements of Art

Principles of Design

I. Elements of Art

Line: A continuous mark with length and direction; includes contour (outlines), implied (suggested by arrangement), gestural (expressive), broken, cross-contour (showing form), hatching, and cross-hatching (shading).
Shape: A two-dimensional, enclosed area; geometric (circles, squares), organic (natural forms), positive (figure), negative (background), biomorphic (life-like), silhouette.
Form: The illusion or actuality of three-dimensionality; can be actual (sculpture) or implied (shading/modeling), includes mass, volume, and relief.
Color: Visual effect of light; includes hue (name), value (light/dark), saturation (intensity), tint (white added), shade (black added), tone (grey added), temperature (warm/cool), and relationships (complementary, analogous, etc.).
Value: The relative lightness or darkness; includes highlight, midtone, shadow, gradient, contrast, chiaroscuro (dramatic light/dark), and tenebrism (extreme contrast).
Texture: Surface quality; actual (felt), visual (simulated), rough, smooth, glossy, matte, impasto (thick paint), collage (combined materials).
Space: The area in, around, or between objects; positive/negative, shallow/deep, linear perspective (vanishing points), atmospheric perspective (fading with distance), overlap, foreground, middle ground, background.

II. Principles of Design

Balance: Visual equilibrium; symmetrical (mirror image), asymmetrical (uneven but balanced), radial (from a center), or all-over (distributed).
Contrast: Use of differences (light/dark, color, texture, shape) to create visual interest or drama.
Emphasis: Creating a focal point or dominance to draw the viewer’s attention.
Unity: Cohesion and harmony; the sense that all elements belong together.
Variety: Differences and diversity; using multiple elements to create interest.
Rhythm: Visual beat or flow created by repeating elements; can be regular, alternating, flowing, progressive, or staccato.
Movement: Suggesting action or guiding the viewer’s eye through the composition.
Pattern: Regular or decorative repetition of elements, such as motifs or grids.
Proportion: Size relationships between parts of a whole; can be realistic, exaggerated, distorted, or hierarchical.
Scale: Size of an element relative to the whole or viewer; monumental, miniature, or human scale.
Hierarchy: Arrangement or presentation of elements in order of importance.
Repetition: Using an element multiple times to create unity, rhythm, or pattern.
Figure/Ground Relationship: The relationship between the main subject (figure) and the background (ground).
Connection: Visual or conceptual links between elements to unify or direct attention.
Juxtaposition: Placing contrasting elements side by side to create new meaning or highlight differences.
Layer: Overlapping elements to build depth, transparency, or complexity.
Plane: Flat, two-dimensional surface for organizing elements or suggesting structure.
Opacity: The degree to which an element blocks what is behind it.
Transparency: The degree to which underlying elements are visible through another.
Time: The depiction or suggestion of change, movement, or sequence.
Sequence: Ordering elements to suggest movement, progression, or narrative.
Narrative: The story or series of events depicted or implied in the artwork.

III. Skills

Point: A single location in space, serving as a visual anchor.
Line: Mark with length and direction, defining shapes, movement, or structure.
Shape: 2D enclosed area, defined by edges or color/value.
Plane: Flat surface for arranging elements or implying space.
Layer: Stacking elements to build depth or complexity.
Form: 3D illusion or actual volume/mass.
Space: Area within, around, or between forms.
Texture: Quality of a surface, tactile or visual.
Color: Includes hue, value, saturation, temperature.
Value: Lightness or darkness of a color/area.
Opacity: Ability to block light or underlying layers.
Transparency: Ability to reveal what is beneath.
Time: Depiction of change, movement, or duration.
Unity: Cohesion and wholeness.
Variety: Visual interest through differences.
Rhythm: Visual beat via repetition or variation.
Movement: Eye flow or sense of motion.
Proportion: Size relationship among elements.
Scale: Size compared to the whole or viewer.
Balance: Visual weight distribution.
Emphasis: Area of focus.
Contrast: Juxtaposition of opposites.
Repetition: Multiple uses of an element.
Figure/Ground: Subject/background relation.
Connection: Linkage between elements.
Juxtaposition: Contrast through placement.
Hierarchy: Visual importance/order.

IV. Genre & Style

Realism: Accurate, lifelike representation.
Abstraction: Simplifying or distorting forms for effect.
Expressionism: Emphasizing emotion over realism.
Impressionism: Capturing fleeting effects of light and color.
Cubism: Breaking objects into geometric shapes, multiple viewpoints.
Surrealism: Dreamlike, imaginative, or irrational scenes.
Dada: Anti-art, random, absurd compositions.
Constructivism: Abstract, industrial, geometric forms.
Minimalism: Reducing to essential forms and colors.
Conceptual art: Art where the idea is more important than the object.
Pop art: Inspired by popular culture, advertising, comics.
Contemporary art: Art of the present day, diverse styles.
Modernism: Early 20th-century innovation, abstraction, and experimentation.
Postmodernism: Mixing styles, irony, eclecticism, questioning tradition.
Street art: Public art including graffiti, murals.
Naïve art: Childlike, simple style.
Outsider art: Created outside mainstream, often self-taught.
Decorative: Focus on ornamentation and pattern.
Stylized: Deliberately exaggerated or simplified for effect.
Naturalism: True-to-life, closely observed representation.
Symbolism: Using images or objects to stand for deeper meanings.
Non-objective: Art not representing recognizable objects or people.

V. Artistic Techniques

Brushstroke: Manner of applying paint; broad, fine, impasto (thick), dry brush, scumbling (scrubbing color).
Stippling: Shading or texture with small dots.
Blending: Smoothing transitions between colors or values.
Glazing: Applying thin transparent layers of color.
Wash: Dilute paint for a transparent effect.
Smudging: Softening marks by rubbing.
Sgraffito: Scratching through a layer to reveal what’s underneath.
Collage: Assembling different materials on a surface.
Assemblage: 3D collage with found objects.
Decalcomania: Pressing paint between surfaces and pulling them apart for textures.
Printmaking: Transferring images from a matrix to another surface.
Digital manipulation: Editing or creating art with digital tools.
Layering: Placing elements over each other for depth.
Scratching: Incising lines or textures.
Dabbing: Applying color with small touches.
Pouring: Letting paint flow for natural patterns.
Spraying: Using spray paint or airbrush.
Carving: Cutting away material to create form.
Incising: Cutting lines into a surface.

VI. Composition

Cropping: Cutting/framing for emphasis or focus.
Framing: Surrounding the image to focus attention.
Overlapping: Placing elements over each other for depth.
Alignment: Lining up elements for order or direction.
Placement: Where elements are put in the composition.
Direction: Horizontal, vertical, diagonal guides for the eye.
Golden ratio: Ideal proportion for aesthetic balance.
Rule of thirds: Dividing image into thirds for interest/focus.
Visual tension: Creating a sense of energy or instability.
Depth of field: Zone of sharp focus.
Visual hierarchy: Guiding order of attention.
Picture plane: The flat surface of the artwork.
Vanishing point: Where parallel lines seem to meet in perspective.
Perspective lines: Lines that guide spatial depth.
Spatial ambiguity: Unclear spatial relationships for intrigue.
Open composition: Forms extend beyond the frame.
Closed composition: All elements contained within the frame.
Symmetry: Balanced reflection left/right or top/bottom.
Asymmetry: Balanced but not mirrored.
Centralized composition: Main subject in the center.
Edge tension: Placing elements near the edge for excitement.

VII. Color Theory & Relationships

Complementary: Colors opposite on the wheel, create strong contrast.
Analogous: Adjacent colors, create harmony.
Split-complementary: A base color plus the two adjacent to its complement.
Triadic: Three colors evenly spaced on the wheel.
Tetradic: Four colors forming a rectangle on the color wheel.
Monochromatic: Variations of a single color.
Polychromatic: Many colors used together.
Warm: Colors like red, orange, yellow.
Cool: Colors like blue, green, violet.
Muted: Low intensity, grayed color.
Pale: Very light, diluted color.
Saturated: Intense, pure color.
Tint: Color with white added.
Shade: Color with black added.
Tone: Color with gray added.
Color temperature: Relative warmth or coolness of a color.
Color harmony: Pleasing color combination.
Local color: Actual color of an object.
Optical color mixing: Mixing perceived by the eye, not physical blending.
Simultaneous contrast: Colors look different depending on what they’re next to.

VIII. Media & Materials

Graphite: Pencil, gray-to-black drawing medium.
Charcoal: Expressive black drawing stick.
Ink: Liquid medium for drawing/writing.
Watercolor: Transparent, water-based paint.
Acrylic: Fast-drying, plastic-based paint.
Oil paint: Slow-drying, rich paint.
Pastel: Dry or oily colored stick.
Gouache: Opaque watercolor.
Tempera: Paint using egg as a binder.
Pencil crayon: Colored pencil.
Marker: Felt-tip coloring pen.
Digital media: Created/edited by computer/tablet.
Mixed media: Combining multiple materials.
Collage: Attaching papers, fabrics, or photos to a surface.
Fabric: Cloth material for textile art.
Found objects: Everyday items repurposed for art.

IX. Contextual & Critical Terms

Iconography: System of symbols or images in art.
Motif: Recurring theme or element.
Symbolism: Using objects/images for deeper meaning.
Allegory: Work with a symbolic story.
Narrative: The story or sequence of events.
Theme: Central subject or idea.
Subject matter: The actual objects or scenes depicted.
Content: The meaning or message of the work.
Context: Historical, social, or cultural setting.
Historical context: How time period affects the work.
Cultural context: Influence of beliefs, customs, or society.
Social commentary: Art critiquing society or culture.
Political message: Work expressing a political point of view.
Appropriation: Borrowing images/styles from other works or cultures.
Intertextuality: Referencing or relating to other texts or artworks.
Semiotics: Study of signs and symbols (see tab XI for full breakdown).
Phenomenology: Viewer’s direct experience with the artwork.
Agency: The capacity of the artist to act or influence meaning.
Ideology: Set of beliefs or values reflected in the work.
Visual literacy: Ability to interpret and understand visual language.
Visual culture: The role of imagery in society and media.
The gaze: Perspective and power dynamics between viewer and subject.
Viewer participation: Audience involvement in the meaning of the work.

X. Descriptive & Expressive Language

Bold: Strong, forceful, or prominent.
Subtle: Delicate, understated, or gentle.
Muted: Less intense, subdued.
Vivid: Bright, intense, lively.
Pale: Light, washed out.
Dynamic: Full of energy and movement.
Static: Still, unmoving, unchanging.
Delicate: Fine, fragile, gentle.
Energetic: Active, lively, vigorous.
Dramatic: Striking, theatrical, emotional.
Harmonious: Balanced, pleasing combination.
Chaotic: Disordered, confused, wild.
Orderly: Well-organized, systematic.
Peaceful: Calm, tranquil, serene.
Lively: Full of life and activity.
Tense: Stretched tight, strained.
Intense: Extreme, powerful.
Playful: Light-hearted, fun, whimsical.
Contemplative: Thoughtful, reflective.
Mysterious: Strange, puzzling, unknown.
Melancholic: Sad, pensive, sorrowful.
Joyful: Happy, cheerful, full of joy.

XI. Design Vocabulary

Tangible: Something that is physically touchable or material (opposite of abstract).
Concept: A general idea or understanding; the foundation of a design or artwork.
Conception: The act of forming or devising a concept, idea, or plan in the mind; the origin of an idea.
The realm of the abstract: The domain of ideas, qualities, or feelings that are not material or concrete.
Idea: A thought, suggestion, or mental image that forms the basis for artistic creation.
Notion: A belief, impression, or conception; a less formal or less developed idea.
Abstraction: The process or result of removing details to focus on essential qualities or concepts; also refers to art that is non-representational.
Communication: The process of conveying meaning, ideas, or emotions through art, design, or visual language.
Meaning: What is intended, expressed, or signified by an artwork or design.
Message: The content or idea communicated by a work of art or design; what the creator wants the audience to understand or feel.
Information: Data, facts, or knowledge communicated visually or textually through a design or artwork.
Semiology: The study of signs and symbols as elements of communicative behavior (closely related to semiotics).
Semiotics: The academic study of signs and how meaning is created and communicated (includes sign, signifier, signified).
Sign: Anything that conveys meaning (a word, image, sound, gesture, or object).
Signifier: The physical form or vehicle of meaning (e.g., the word “tears,” a drawing of a teardrop, or the actual tears themselves).
Signified: The concept or meaning behind the signifier (e.g., sadness, pain, or emotion associated with “tears”).

Tip: In visual art and design, understanding semiotics helps you analyze not just what you see, but how and why it means what it means.

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