University of Denver
Autumn Quarter 2007
ARTS 1100 - 2D Approaches: MW 6-8:50
Shwayder Art Building rm. 221
Charles Roderick
croderic@du.edu
Voicemail for faculty 303.871.2846
http://coreart.wordpress.com
2D Design Segment: Vocabulary
two-dimensional - having height and width.
line – 1. a point in motion. 2. a series of adjacent points. 3. a connection between points. 4. an
implied connection between points.
plane – 1. an area that is essentially two-dimensional, having height and width. 2. a flat or level
surface.
shape – an enclosed area created when a line connects to enclose an area, or an area of color or
texture is defined by a clear boundary.
mark – refers to line/texture/surface variation on a two-dimensional, three-dimensional or digital
surface, or in an environment. A collection of marks may also create the sense of a larger overall
mark.
texture – the surface quality of a two-dimensional or a three-dimensional form. Texture can be
created visually, using multiple marks; physically, through surface variation; or through the
inherent property of a specific material, such as the texture of sand as opposed to the texture of
polished glass.
scale – scale is established when associations of size are created relative to some constant
standard or specific unit of measurement relative to human dimensions. For example, the Statue
of Liberty’s scale is apparent when it is seen next to an automobile.
contrast – the degree of difference between compositional parts or between one image and
another.
composition – an arrangement and/or structure of all the elements that achieves a unified whole.
figure/ground – forms and shapes can be thought of as positive or negative. In a two
dimensional composition, the objects constitute the positive forms or figure, while the
background is the negative space or ground.
figure – The focal point of a composition.
ground – The area surrounding the figure.
negative space – any clearly defined area around a positive shape. A shape created through the
absence of an object rather than through the presence of an object.
symmetrical – refers to an even distribution of visual weight on either side of an axis.
asymmetrical – refers to an uneven distribution of visual weight on either side of an axis.
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proportion – the relationship of elements within a whole – for example, the relationship of your
hand to the rest of your body.
repetition – involves the use of patterning to achieve visual movement. This repetition may be a
clear repetition of elements in a composition, or it may be a more subtle repetition that can be
observed in the underlying structure of the image. Repetition can take the form of an exact
duplication, a near duplication, or duplication with variety.
movement – is the suggestion or illusion of motion in a painting, sculpture, or design. For
example, circles going diagonally up and down from right to left could show that the design
moves up and to the right or down and to the left.
magnification/cropping involves expanding or reducing the picture plane for composition effect.
balance – a sense of equilibrium achieved through implied weight, attention, or attraction
whether it be symmetrical or asymmetrical.
emphasis – special attention given to some component of a composition, which gives it
prominence.
unity – refers to the coherence of the whole, the sense that all of the parts are working together to
achieve a common result, a harmony of all the parts. However, unity also exists in variety. It is
not necessary for all elements to be identical providing they have a common visual quality.
rhythm – a visual tempo or beat; refers to a regular repetition of elements to produce the look
and feel of movement.
volume – an area of defined or occupied space created through a grouping of several dots, lines
and/or planes.
weight – the visual or physical heaviness of an object or a composition.
value – the relative lightness or darkness of a hue, or of a neutral varying from white to black.
The gradation of tone from light to dark, from white through gray to black.
gestalt theories – the theories that attempt to describe how people tend to organize visual
elements into groups or unified wholes when certain principles are applied.
depth (illusion of) – the illusion of distance downward or inward within a composition.
space (illusion of) – the illusion of distance between one element and another and between
figure(s) and ground within a composition.
perspective – a technique used to project an illusion of the three-dimensional world onto a twodimensional surface that helps to create a sense of depth through the illusion of receding space.
golden mean (golden section) – a proportional relation (ratio) obtained by dividing a line so that
the shorter part is to the longer part as the longer part is to the whole. Another explanation: a
proportion between the two dimensions of a plane or the two divisions of a line, in which the ratio
of the smaller to the larger is the same as the ratio of the larger to the whole: a ratio of
approximately 0.618 to 1.0 also a : b = b: (a + b).
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Fibonacci sequence – named for the Italian mathematician Leonardo Pisano also known as
Fibonacci (born approximately 1175 in Pisa, Italy). In the Fibonacci sequence (0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,
21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 337, 610…) each term is the sum of the two previous terms (for instance
2+3=5, 3+5=8, 8+5=13, 13+8=21…). This sequence occurs frequently in the natural world. As
you go farther and farther to the right in this sequence, the ratio of a term to the one before it will
get closer and closer to the golden mean.
tessellation – any repeating pattern of interlocking shapes with no gaps or overlaps that can
continue on a plane forever.
symbol – a form or image that stands for something more than its obvious, immediate meaning.
An image or sign that represents something else, because of convention, association, or
resemblance.
deconstruct – to analyze an artwork by looking each composite part in relation to the whole.
text – term commonly used to refer to the use of words and/or letters in a work of art.
subject – what the artwork is about – or the person, object or idea on which an artwork is based.
form – material or what the work is made of, as well as its overall shape.
process – how the work was made (may influence content.)
content – the artist’s relationship to the subject (idea communicated) – message.
concept – a well developed idea or a comprehensive generalization.
context – the circumstances or events that form the environment within which something exists
or takes place.
organic – a shape or form relating to those found in the natural world or suggestive of living
organisms (also referred to as biomorphic.)
geometric – a shape or form derived from or suggestive of mathematics, characterized by crisp
precise edges and consistent curves.
association – a connection of ideas, memories, or feelings with each other, events, objects, or
sensory input.
metaphor – a word or phrase applied to someone or something which is not intended literally,
but to make a comparison (for example, to say that someone “is a snake.”)
representational – a visual depiction of someone or something which refers to the original and is
recognizable.
abstract – based on generalizations and not specific details – a simplification that aims to depict
an object by focusing on an essential aspect of its form or structure.
objective – relying on facts or elements without opinion based judgments – describing an object
based on the visual elements or design parameters.
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subjective – based on someone’s opinions or feelings rather than on facts or evidence.
hue – the actual name of a color, such as red or yellow, that distinguishes it from others and
assigns it a position on the color wheel. Hue is determined by the specific wavelength of the
color in a ray of light.
saturation – the lightness or darkness of a hue. Also referred to as chroma, intensity, or
brightness.
primary hues – the three most basic hues – red, yellow, blue – that make up all of the other
colors.
secondary hues – colors made by mixing equal parts of two primary hues together.
monochromatic – a single color that includes the full range of tints, tones, and shades of that
color.
tint – the hue plus the addition of white.
tone – the hue plus the addition of gray.
shade – the hue plus the addition of black.
analogous colors – three hues that are next to each other on the color wheel. On very large color
wheels (forty eight steps or more), four hues that are next to each other may be used.
complements – complementary colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel.
subtractive color – as light hits an object of varying hues, the wavelengths are subtracted or
removed and what we see is what remains – the reflected color.
additive color – mixtures of light. When working with digital color, we are dealing with additive
color, or light itself. The additive primaries are red, green, and blue (RGB).
Note: Only when printing a picture will we again deal with subtractive color and then the primary
system will change from RGB to cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK). Black, represented
by the letter K, actually stands for the tem key and is used to add richness and depth or value to
the print.
pixel – short for picture element, a pixel is a single point in a graphic image. Graphics monitors
display pictures by dividing the display screen into thousands (or millions) of pixels, arranged in
rows and columns. The pixels are so close together that they appear connected.
bitmap/raster images – bitmap images use a grid of small squares known as pixels to represent
the visual information. Each pixel has a specific location and color value assigned to it. Thus
when the size of the image is altered so is the size of the pixel. This can result in distortion of the
quality of the image. Bitmap images are resolution-dependent.
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vector images – vector images are made of lines and curves defined by mathematical objects
called vectors. Since these vectors are based on a mathematical formula and not the resolution of
the screen, resizing the image does not alter its quality. Vector images are resolutionindependent.
resolution – the clarity detail that can be distinguished in an image.
image resolution – The number of pixels displayed per unit (e.g. 72ppi = 72 pixels per inch) in
an image. Printed images should be created at high resolution, at least 300 ppi. Screen-based
images are created at a lower resolution, usually 72ppi.
display resolution – the resolution of the computer screen. The higher the resolution the larger
the display area.
RGB – Red, Green, Blue color mode is the color of light. In the digital environment it is the light
of the screen.
x-axis – the width of the screen. The horizontal plane.
y-axis – the height of the screen. The vertical plane.
z-axis – the depth of the screen. The illusionary perspective plane.
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