Catalonia PAU Artistic Drawing II key terms

Light preliminary sketch in which the overall proportions and placement of forms on the paper are fixed before any detail is added. It establishes scale, axis and negative space relationships.

Quantitative relationship between the parts of a figure or object and between each part and the whole. It is measured comparatively, using a unit, a plumb line or the pencil held at arm's length.

Foreshortening: the apparent shortening of a form that recedes in depth, so that a limb or body seen along its axis is drawn compressed rather than at full length.

Geometric system that projects three-dimensional space onto a plane using a horizon line and one or more vanishing points, so that parallel lines in depth converge.

Point on the horizon line where lines parallel to a given direction appear to converge in a perspective drawing. Each distinct direction has its own vanishing point.

Horizontal reference line marking the height of the viewer's eye in a perspective drawing. It contains the vanishing points and determines whether objects are seen from above or below.

Imaginary transparent plane placed between the viewer and the subject onto which the projected image is traced. In practice it corresponds to the picture surface itself.

Apparent three-dimensional mass of a form, produced in drawing through modelling of light and shade, overlapping contours and the direction of hatching across curved surfaces.

Gradual modulation of tone across a surface to suggest curvature and mass, following the transition from light to shadow. Smooth modelling reads as rounded volume; abrupt transitions read as faceted planes.

Deliberate organisation of strong light and dark areas to describe form and to create dramatic emphasis. The term also names the technique of building volume almost entirely through tonal contrast.

The area of a form that receives the main light source most directly and therefore shows the lightest tone, before any highlight is added.

Shadow falling on the surface of an object itself, on the side turned away from the light. It is distinguished from the cast shadow the object throws onto other surfaces.

Shadow cast by one form onto another surface or onto the ground. Its shape depends on the direction and distance of the light source and helps anchor objects in space.

Weak secondary light bounced from surrounding surfaces into the shadow side of a form. It keeps shadows transparent rather than flat black and is a key indicator of spatial awareness.

Arrangement of elements within the picture surface so that they form a coherent whole: placement, scale, balance, rhythm and the relationship between figure and ground.

Choice of the boundaries and viewpoint of the image: what is included, what is cut off, and from where it is seen. Framing decisions strongly condition the meaning and tension of a drawing.

Apparent attraction exerted by an element within the image, depending on size, contrast, isolation, position or colour intensity. Balance results from distributing visual weight around the frame.

State in which the visual forces of a composition compensate one another, whether symmetrically (mirror-like) or asymmetrically (through contrasting masses, tones or intervals).

Proportional division of a segment so that the whole relates to the larger part as the larger part relates to the smaller, approximately 1:1.618. Often used to place focal points within the frame.

Shape and orientation of the support (vertical, horizontal, square, irregular), which conditions the internal dynamics of the composition and the reading direction of the image.

Repetition and variation of elements (lines, marks, shapes, intervals) that guides the eye through the image and creates a sense of movement or cadence.

Imaginary directional line created by gazes, gestures, edges or tonal gradients that leads the viewer's eye through the composition toward or away from a focal point.

Area of the image that attracts attention first, achieved through contrast, isolation, sharpness, saturation or placement on a strong compositional axis.

Auxiliary line drawn lightly to locate axes, angles and proportions before the definitive drawing. It is usually kept faint or erased once the form is resolved.

Line describing the outer edge of a form. A contour can be varied in pressure and speed to convey weight, texture and the character of the edge.

Line whose main purpose is expressive rather than descriptive: its speed, pressure, tremor or repetition communicates energy, emotion or rhythm independently of the object depicted.

Hatching: parallel lines used to build tone or texture. Density and spacing of the lines control the darkness of the area without smudging the medium.

Cross-hatching: superimposed sets of hatching lines at different angles, used to darken tone progressively and to describe curved or faceted surfaces.

Relative degree of lightness or darkness of a tone, independent of hue. A well-ordered value structure is what makes a drawing read clearly from a distance.

Ordered sequence of greys from white to black used as a reference to judge and compare tones in a drawing, typically with five to ten steps.

Degree of difference between adjacent elements, whether of value, colour, texture or size. High contrast sharpens separation and emphasis; low contrast produces unity and atmosphere.

Visual quality of a surface, real or simulated, produced by the mark-making of the medium and by the pattern of light and shadow on the material.

Rapid, whole-arm mark that records the movement and energy of the subject rather than its outline. Gesture drawings are typically made in seconds and capture posture and direction.

Charcoal: burnt wood used for drawing, valued for deep blacks, rapid coverage and easy erasure. It fixes poorly and smudges readily, which favours tonal and expressive work.

Cylindrical stump of paper or leather used to spread and soften graphite or charcoal, producing smooth tonal transitions at the cost of losing the directness of the line.

Drawing pencil graded by hardness from H (hard, light) to B (soft, dark), used for precise line, controlled hatching and detailed tonal work.

Circular arrangement of hues showing their relationships: primaries, secondaries and complementary opposites. It is the basic tool for planning harmonic or contrasting colour schemes.

Hue situated opposite another on the colour wheel. Placed side by side they intensify each other; mixed, they neutralise towards grey or brown.

Attribute of colour that names its family (red, blue-green, etc.) and its position on the colour wheel, independently of how light or dark it is.

Purity or intensity of a colour, i.e. how far it is from a neutral grey of the same value. Desaturated colours read as muted, earthy or atmospheric.

Pleasant or coherent relationship between the colours of an image, achieved through shared hues, analogous neighbours, controlled contrast or a dominant colour with accents.

Restricted set of colours chosen for a work or a series, which gives it unity and identity. A limited palette often produces stronger results than an unrestricted one.

Effect by which distant forms lose contrast and saturation and shift towards cool or pale tones because of the atmosphere between viewer and subject. It reinforces the illusion of depth.

Quick drawing made directly from a live subject or scene, prioritising essential structure and movement over finish. It is the core training method for observation and gesture.

Sketchbook used as a working tool for daily notation, visual research and experimentation. It documents process rather than finished results and is often assessed in the PAU project.

Sequence of stages from initial idea to finished work: research, thumbnail sketches, trials, corrections and resolution. Documenting it demonstrates decision-making and reflective practice.

Small, fast exploratory study that tests a compositional or formal idea before committing to the final work. Several alternative sketches are normally compared before choosing.

Position from which the subject is observed, defined by height, distance and angle. Changing it alters proportions, foreshortening and the expressive reading of the drawing.

Perceptual relationship between the shape attended to and the field behind it. Ambiguity between the two, or loss of edge contrast, can dissolve the legibility of a drawing.

Structured analysis of an image considering format, composition, viewpoint, tonal and colour structure, line quality and the cultural context in which it was produced.

Study of the subjects, symbols and conventions represented in an image, and of how those motifs have been used and reinterpreted across different periods.

Practice of drawing directly from a model, object or space, as opposed to copying or inventing. It trains the coordination of eye, judgement and hand.