AEPA Art (NT503) cheat sheet

The elements of art are line, shape, form, value, color, texture, and space; they are the basic visual building blocks of an artwork.

Shape is two-dimensional and enclosed; form is three-dimensional or implied through shading, perspective, and overlap.

Hue is the color family, value is lightness or darkness, and intensity is saturation or purity of a color.

Complementary colors sit opposite on the color wheel; analogous colors are adjacent; triadic colors form an evenly spaced triangle.

Linear perspective uses a horizon line and vanishing points where parallel receding lines converge; atmospheric perspective uses fading contrast, cooler color, and less detail at distance.

Symmetrical balance distributes visual weight evenly around an axis; asymmetrical balance achieves equilibrium through unequal but counterweighted forms.

Contrast creates emphasis; repetition with variation creates rhythm; proximity, alignment, and similarity can create unity.

Scale compares an object to a standard or to other objects; proportion compares parts of a form to one another and to the whole.

Graphite varies in hardness and darkness; softer grades smudge and darken more easily, while harder grades produce lighter, sharper lines.

Charcoal produces matte, dark marks and erases readily; fixative reduces smudging but can alter value and texture.

Watercolor is transparent; lighter values come from diluted pigment and white paper, not from adding white paint.

Oil paint dries slowly by oxidation, allowing blending and reworking; acrylic paint dries quickly as water evaporates from a polymer emulsion.

Buon fresco applies pigment to wet lime plaster; the image bonds chemically as the plaster cures and becomes part of the wall.

Relief printing inks raised areas; intaglio printing inks recessed lines or pits; planographic printing relies on chemical attraction and repulsion.

Subtractive sculpture removes material, additive sculpture builds up material, and casting pours liquid material into a mold.

In photography, aperture controls light and depth of field, shutter speed controls motion, and ISO controls sensor sensitivity and noise.

Prehistoric cave paintings often depict animals and use earth pigments; their meanings are inferred from context because no written explanation survives.

Egyptian art commonly uses composite views, hierarchical scale, register bands, and durable materials tied to religious and funerary function.

Classical Greek sculpture develops contrapposto, idealized proportions, and naturalistic anatomy; Hellenistic work adds dramatic movement and emotion.

Gothic architecture uses pointed arches, rib vaults, flying buttresses, and stained glass to create tall, light-filled religious spaces.

Renaissance art applies linear perspective, anatomical study, and classical motifs; humanism emphasizes human potential and observable nature.

Baroque art often uses strong light-dark contrast, diagonal movement, and theatrical composition to heighten drama and engage viewers.

Impressionism paints modern life and outdoor light with visible brushwork and bright color; Cubism fractures forms and presents multiple viewpoints.

Dada uses readymades, collage, and absurdity to challenge art conventions; Abstract Expressionism emphasizes gesture, scale, and process.

The Feldman method proceeds from description to analysis to interpretation to judgment; each stage uses evidence from the artwork.

Formalist criticism prioritizes elements, principles, and composition; contextual criticism examines historical, social, political, and cultural conditions.

Mimetic theory judges art by imitation or representation; expressive theory judges art by communication of feeling; institutional theory defines art through the artworld.

Description states what is visible; analysis explains how elements and principles function; interpretation proposes meaning; judgment evaluates success.

Intentional fallacy is the error of judging an artwork solely by the artist’s stated intention rather than by the work and its context.

Art criticism distinguishes descriptive claims, interpretive claims, and evaluative claims; each requires supporting visual or contextual evidence.

Interdisciplinary connections can link art to science, math, history, and language, but the art learning should remain substantive rather than merely decorative.

Visual culture study examines images from advertising, media, design, and everyday life alongside works traditionally classified as fine art.