• The paper must be typed. Please submit a photograph of your chosen artwork along with your term paper. Use D2L Word.
• 3 Page, 750 word minimum, using MLA format. (There is no maximum limitation) Use Feldman-Mittler process as described in the outline I provided.
• Include Basic info listed above, tell me where you found your artwork (name of museum and gallery), List Works Cited and/or Bibliography. Do not plagiarize. Appropriately credit quotes. Keep quotes to a minimum.
Elements of Art – Vocabulary for Museum Paper (from Chapter 2)
Lines:
Regular – consistently the same, even thickness with no variation creates a flat 2-dimensional effect.
Contour – changes thickness…thick and thin variations create a 3-dimensional, sculptural effect.
Horizontal – indicates calm, peacefulness.
Vertical – indicates strength, stability, and inspiration.
Diagonal – indicates energy and movement.
Gestural – indicates action and emotion.
Implied – Visible or invisible lines created by other elements, such as a finger pointing somewhere, that direct our attention around the artwork.
Shapes (2 dimensional forms):
Geometric – edges progress evenly… Examples: triangles, squares, rectangles, circles.
Organic/Biomorphic – edges progress unevenly… Example: clouds
Mass (3-dimensional Form that takes up space)
Volume – the space inside a mass
Color (also Hue or Chroma)
Achromatic – neutral tones only: black, white and grays
Monochromatic – only one color, plus black and white
Warm colors – red, orange, yellow
Cool colors – blue, green, purple
Primary colors – red, yellow, blue
Secondary colors – green, orange, purple (All secondary colors are made by mixing primary colors)
Complementary colors – are across from each other on the color wheel & make each other stand out
Analogous colors – are next to each other on the color wheel
Saturation – intensity or brightness of a color
Value (Tone determined by neutrals)
Shade – darkness determined by the amount of black added
Tint – lightness determined by the amount of white added
Chiaroscuro – Latin for light and dark
Texture
Actual – Tactile, Real (relating to 3-dimensional surface variations that can actually be touched and felt)
Simulated – Illusionary, Visual (relating to the imaginary textures we perceive in 2-dimensional artworks)
Space
2-Dimensional – a flat surface or picture plane… Examples: a drawing on paper
3-Dimensional – The space we occupy… Examples: an artwork with protrusions, or a free-standing sculpture.
Principles of Design – Vocabulary for Museum Paper (from Chapter 3)
Balance
Symmetrical – elements arranged in a mirror image on both sides of an axis
Relieved Symmetry – symmetry that is imperfect
Asymmetry – uneven arrangement of elements
Radial Symmetry – elements that are symmetrical in all directions… Example: Mandalas
Figure-Ground Ambiguity – the artist purposely makes it unclear which part of the artwork we should focus on (figure/positive space), and which part we should not focus on (ground/negative space)
Ex: Yin Yang symbol
Contrast
High – extreme differences between dark and light elements
Muted – little difference between dark and light elements, many shades of gray
Emphasis – what we Focus on, Figure, Positive space, Revealed
Subordination – what we Do Not Focus on, Ground (background), Negative Space, Veiled
Pattern – elements that are repeated in an artwork, such as colors or shapes
Rhythm – the way the repetition of patterns occurs
Regular – even repetition of patterns (calming, classical)
Irregular – uneven or chaotic repetition of patterns (hectic, jazzy)
Unity – elements that are similar or the same hold the composition together
Variety – elements that are different keep the composition interesting and exciting
Proportion – compares the parts of one thing to each other (think of when you sprain your ankle and it swells up out of proportion to your leg)
Scale – refers to the normal size of images or objects which may be exaggerated (think of “Alice in Wonderland” when she drank from a bottle that made her grow too big for the room. Later she shrank smaller than a mouse. In both cases her body stayed in correct proportion to herself, but her scale was changed in relation to the objects around her)
Iconography (Secondary Symbolism) – symbols that are specific to a culture, era or religion
Iconoclasm – the destruction, defacement, or shaming of an icon
