VISUAL ARTS

Definition of terms:
1. PAINTING – application of color, pigment, or paint to a surface or support.
EARLY MEDIUMS IN PAINTING:
a. ENCAUSTIC – mixture of pigment, wax (beeswax), & resin.
b. FRESCO – pigment mixed with water and applies on thin layers/dry plaster/wet plaster.
c. TEMPERA – fast drying medium. Pigment mixed with glutinous material (egg yolk).
d. INK – contain pigments/dyes which may be in liquid or paste form. Used for pen & brush drawing.
e. OIL PAINT – pigment mixed with oil (linseed oil) as its binder.
f. WATER COLOR – pigment combined with water and gum arabic. Colors are less luminous, and
transparent.
g. ACRYLIC – a quick drying synthetic medium.
2. SCULPTURE – a three-dimensional artwork.
MEDIUMS USED IN SCULPTURE:
a. WOOD
b. METAL
c. STONE
d. GRANITE
e. MARBLE
f. JADE
g. IVORY
h. BRASS
i. GOLD
j. LEAD
k. ALUMINUM
l. GLASS
m. CLAY
n. PLASTIC
o. BRONZE

PROCESS/TECHNIQUES USED IN SCULPTURE:

I. ADDITIVE
a. MODELING – process of creating a form.
b. MOLDING & CASTING – process of creating a negative and positive replica.
c. ASSEMBLAGE – putting together found objects.
d. WELDING – process of joining metals.
e. MOBILE – kinetic/moving sculpture.
f. POTTERY – process of shaping a material.

II. SUBTRACTIVE
a. CARVING – cutting away pieces of material until desired form is reached.
3. ARCHITECTURE – art and science of designing spaces and constructing buildings.
COMMONLY USED MATERIALS:
a. ORGANIC – wood, bamboo, yakal, sawali, etc.
b. CONSTRUCTION – cement, sand, gravel, reinforced concrete.
c. STONE – adobe, granite.
d. FABRICATED MATERIALS – bricks, tiles, glass.
e. METAL – structural steel, steel bars.
f. SYNTHETIC MATERIALS – plastic, rubber.
II. ELEMENTS OF VISUAL ARTS
1. LINE – a visible path traced by a moving point.
KINDS OF LINE:
a. HORIZONTAL LINE – rest, serenity, or perfect stability
b. VERTICAL LINE – dominance, height, power
c. DIAGONAL LINE – uncertainty, unrest, movement, or action
d. CURVED LINE – flow, softness, flexibility, grace.
2. SHAPE – are figures which define objects in a space. A two – dimensional figure.
3. VALUE – relative degree of lightness or darkness in anything that is visible.
4. COLOR – product of light reflected of objects.
COLOR WHEEL:
a. PRIMARY COLORS – red, yellow, and blue
b. SECONDARY COLORS – orange, green, and violet
c. TERTIARY COLORS – yellow green, blue green, blue violet, red violet, red orange and yellow orange.

COLOR HARMONIES:
a. MONOCHROMATIC – use of a single-color tint in different shades.
b. ANALOGOUS – 3 -4 neighboring colors with one color in all mixtures.
c. COMPLEMENTARY – any two opposite colors in the coloring wheel.
d. SPLIT COMPLEMENTARY – any three colors wherein two of which are beside the complement of the
third.
e. DOUBLE SPLIT COMPLEMENTARY – uses 4 colors arranged into 2 complementary pairs.
f. TRIAD – 3 colors that form an equilateral triangle.

PROPERTIES OF COLOR:
a. HUE – identity or the quality by which we distinguish colors.
Ex. Cool colors – dominance of blue
Warm colors – dominance of red or yellow
b. VALUE – lightness of darkness of a hue.
c. INTENSITY/SATURATION – strength of a hue.

5. TEXTURE – surface characteristics.

6. SPACE - area in which an artist arranges elements in a composition.
Ex. Space can be:
2D (two – dimensional) – painting & photography.
3D (three – dimensional) – sculpture & installations.
 TYPES OF PERSPECTIVE:
a. ONE - POINT – representation of distance by means of converging lines.
b. TWO – POINT – all lines converge in these two points.
c. FORESHORTENING – modification of an established scale in a drawing of the human figure.

PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN:
1. BALANCE – idea of visual equilibrium that gives an impression of stability/instability.
KINDS OF BALANCE:
a. SYMMETRICAL BALANCE – equal visual weight on either side of the canvas.
b. ASYMMETRICAL BALANCE – uneven balance.
c. RADIAL BALANCE – elements are distributed evenly around the central point.
2. PROPORTION/SCALE – size relationships of one part to another, and of the parts to the whole.
3. RHYTHM – repetition or alternation of elements.
RHYTHM CAN BE:
a. REGULAR – repetition of a single motif.
b. ALTERNATING – use of 2 different motifs.
c. FLOWING – a smooth and graceful type.
d. PROGRESSING – motifs may be presented in a gradual shift in characteristics.
4. EMPHASIS & SUBORDINATION – the focal point that rests on the subordinate space.
5. UNITY – also called as Harmony
6. VARIETY – use of differences and change to increase the visual interest of the work.

SELECTED STYLES AND MOVEMENTS IN WESTERN ART:

1. REALISM – naturalistic approach.
2. IMPRESSIONISM – paintings are usually done outdoors.
3. EXPRESSIONISM – expression of inner emotions.
4. ABSTRACT – non-representational/non-figurative imagery.
5. DADA/DADAISM – aggressive reaction against conventional art.
6. SURREALISM – inspiration from the depths of the subconscious mind.
7. POP ART – inspired from familiar images of popular culture.
8. SOCIAL REALISM – portrays social and racial injustice & economic hardship.