PAU Artistic Drawing II (Canary Islands) key terms

Initial light sketch that fixes the overall size, position and proportions of the subject on the support before any detail is drawn. It uses simple straight lines and basic shapes to relate parts to the whole.

Line that follows the outer edge of a form or the boundary between two areas. It can be drawn as a closed outline or as a contour that crosses the interior to describe volume.

Drawing exercise in which the artist looks only at the model and never at the paper, drawing the contour slowly and continuously. It trains observation of edges rather than symbol-based drawing.

Positive shape is the object itself; negative shape is the empty space around and between objects. Drawing the negative spaces helps correct proportions because the eye judges them more objectively.

Relationship of size between the parts of a figure and between each part and the whole. In drawing it is checked by comparing distances and angles with the pencil held at arm's length.

Process by which the eye and brain organise light into edges, shapes and depth. Drawers must learn to see what is actually present rather than what they assume an object looks like.

Tendency of the brain to keep seeing an object as its known shape, size or colour despite changes in viewpoint or lighting. It causes drawing errors and must be counteracted by measuring and comparing.

Arrangement of elements within the picture plane to guide the eye and create balance, rhythm and focus. It involves placement, scale, direction of lines and distribution of light and dark masses.

Choice of the rectangular limits of the image and of what is included or excluded. Format, orientation and cropping strongly condition the reading of the drawing.

Apparent attraction that an element exerts on the viewer's attention because of size, contrast, position or colour. Balancing visual weights produces a stable or deliberately unstable composition.

Proportional division of a segment in which the whole relates to the larger part as the larger part relates to the smaller, approximately 1:1.618. It is used as a compositional grid and appears in the golden rectangle.

Compositional guide that divides the frame into nine equal parts with two horizontal and two vertical lines. Placing key elements near the intersections usually gives a more dynamic image than centring them.

Repetition of shapes, lines or values at intervals that creates a sense of movement or beat across the image. Varying the interval avoids monotony and creates acceleration or pause.

Geometric system that represents three-dimensional space on a plane using a horizon line and vanishing points, so that parallel lines receding from the viewer converge.

Point on the horizon line where receding parallel lines appear to meet in a perspective drawing. Each set of parallel lines has its own vanishing point.

Horizontal line in a perspective drawing that marks the height of the viewer's eye. All vanishing points lie on it, and objects above or below it are seen from below or above.

Position of the observer's eye relative to the subject, fixing both the horizon line and the degree of foreshortening. A high viewpoint shows tops of forms; a low one makes them loom.

Foreshortening: apparent shortening of a form that recedes into depth or points towards the viewer. It compresses proportions and must be drawn as seen, not as known.

Technique of suggesting depth by reducing contrast, detail and saturation and shifting tones towards the background colour as objects recede. It complements linear perspective in landscape and interior drawing.

Imaginary transparent plane between the viewer and the subject on which the image is projected in perspective construction. In practice it corresponds to the drawing surface.

Set of conventional proportional rules for the human body, such as total height equal to about seven and a half or eight heads. Canons vary by period and style and are a reference, not a law.

Study of bones, muscles and joints as visible surface forms, used to give figures structural credibility. It focuses on landmarks, volumes and how they change with pose rather than on medical detail.

Single flowing line that summarises the main gesture, thrust or movement of a figure. It is established first so that the pose reads clearly before limbs and details are added.

Rapid drawing that captures the energy, attitude and movement of a pose in a few seconds or minutes. It prioritises rhythm and direction over accurate contour or anatomy.

Quick observational sketch made directly from a live model or scene. It records essential structure and light with economy of means and is a core training method in artistic drawing.

Relative lightness or darkness of a tone, independent of hue. A well-organised value structure gives form, depth and legibility even before colour is considered.

Ordered series of greys from white to black used to plan and compare tones in a drawing. Limiting the number of steps helps keep the image coherent.

Strong contrast between light and dark used to model volume and create dramatic atmosphere. It depends on a consistent light source and on the correct placement of shadows.

Distribution of light over a form that reveals its volume, usually described through highlight, light, mid-tone, core shadow, reflected light and cast shadow. Consistency of direction is essential.

Own shadow is the unlit part of an object's surface; cast shadow is the shadow it throws onto other surfaces. Distinguishing them clarifies contact and spatial relationships.

Noticeable difference between neighbouring elements in value, colour, texture or size. Contrast creates focal points and separation; its absence produces unity or flatness.

The basic hue an object appears to have under neutral white light, before the influence of coloured illumination or reflections. It is a mental reference rather than a fixed measurable value.

The three dimensions of colour: hue is the colour family, saturation its purity or intensity, and luminosity its lightness. Every mixed colour can be located by these three coordinates.

Dry media such as graphite, charcoal, sanguine and pastel are applied as solid marks; wet media such as ink, wash and watercolour flow and dry into the support. Each demands different control and layering.

Drawing medium of graphite mixed with clay, graded from hard (H) to soft (B). Soft grades give dark, greasy marks suited to tonal work; hard grades suit precise line.

Charcoal made from charred wood, producing deep matte blacks and easy blending. It smudges readily and needs fixative; it is a classic medium for gesture and tonal studies.

Ink applied with pen or brush for line, or diluted with water as a wash for flat tonal areas. Wash builds value in transparent layers and suits rapid studies of light and mass.

The surface drawn on and its tooth, which determines how medium adheres and how marks read. Smooth paper favours fine detail; rough paper holds soft media and produces broken texture.

Drawing taught in European art academies from the sixteenth century onwards, based on casts, life models and strict proportion. It shaped official training and was later challenged by modern movements.

Practice of drawing directly from observed reality rather than from copies or memory, central to academic and modern training. It links perception, anatomy and compositional study.