Time Period Characteristics

Medieval

Religious themes
180 degree relief statues
2 dimensional, flat, dull
Disproportionate/no perspective
All faces same

Renaissance

Proportional, realistic, life-like

Perspective, shadowing, depth
Free-standing statues
Religious subjects, daily life, mythology
Bright color, oils paintings/frescos

Time Period Characteristics (contd.)

Impressionist

Based on details of daily life

Scenes of common people at work often
shown
Figures dressed in daily, casual, or work
clothes
Human body not idealized
Faces do not show strong emotion
Artists attempt to paint light as it really
looks on and around figures and objects
Artists focus on color relationships

Sense of movement, energy, tension

Intense spirituality
Infinite space often suggested
Realism integral feature
Strong contrasts of light and shadow enhance drama

Neoclassical

Pop Art

Based on classical Greek/Roman art/

culture
Shows heroic people in scenes from or inspired by ancient history
Figures look idealized and perfect
Brush strokes smooth, barely visible
Bodies draped in togas, in formal elegant
clothing, or nude

to Visual Art

Abstract

Art that looks as if it contains little or no

recognizable or realistic forms from the
physical world
Focus on formal elements such as color/
line/shape
Artists often abstract objects by changing, simplifying, or exaggerating what
they see

Baroque

Pocket Guide

Big formats
Bright colors
Contrasts of space
Representational objects
Ordinary symbols and icons from Popular
Culture
Collages and montages
Use of modern reproduction techniques
By Amanda Lockwood

Color, Hue,Tint, and Shade

Elements ofVisual Art

Line A mark with greater length than
width (can be straight, curved, thick, thin,
horizontal, diagonal, vertical, etc.).
ShapeA two-dimensional closed line
such as a circle or square and can express
a length and width.
FormA three-dimensional shape that
expresses length, width, and depth
(examples: cylinder, box, ball, sculpture).

HueVariations of a specific color

Texture The surface quality that can be

seen and felt.
Color Light reflected off of objects.
HueThe name of a color such as
red, green, blue and their
variations.

TintResult of an original color to

which white was added

IntensityHow bright or dull a

color is.
ValueRelative lightness or
darkness of a color.
Space Area between and around
objects.
Negative Spacespace around
objects.

ShadeResult of an original color to

which black was added

Positive Spacespace occupied

by objects.

Design Principles
Compositionthe plan, placement or arrangement of the elements of art in a work.
Foregroundthe area of a picture field of vision, often at the bottom, that appears to be
closest to the viewed. Also gives priority of one
aspect over another.
Middle Groundpart of an artwork that lies
between the foreground and background.
Background The part of a picture or scene
that appears to be farthest away from the viewer, usually nearest the horizon.
StructureSomething made up of a number of
components that are put together in a particular
way.
FormA 3-dimensional object that has length,
width, and height.
Balance The way the elements of art are arranged to create a feeling of stability in a work.
A pleasing or harmonious arrangement or proportion of parts or areas in a design or composition.
Emphasis Any forcefulness that gives importance or dominance/weight to some feature
(s) of an artwork.
VarietyA way of combining elements of art in
involved ways to achieve intricate and complex
relationships.
RepititionA way of combining elements of
art so that the same elements are used over and
over again.
ContrastA large difference between two
things (i.e., light and shadow).
RhythymA visual tempo or beat; often
achieved through the careful placement of repeated components which invite the viewers
eye to jump rapidly or glide smoothly from one
to the next.
UnityThe quality of wholeness or oneness;
combines all of its parts into one, complete cohesive whole.