Maharashtra SSC Drawing and Painting Divyang key terms

A drawing of non-living objects such as pots, fruit, cloth or bottles arranged together, usually on a table, and studied for shape, light and texture.

The practice of drawing a single object or small group of objects from direct observation, focusing on proportion, perspective and the fall of light on its surfaces.

The horizontal line at the height of the viewer's eyes; in perspective drawing it sets where the horizon appears and controls how much of an object's top or base is visible.

The line where sky appears to meet land or sea, drawn at the viewer's eye level; it anchors perspective and separates near ground from distant space.

The point on the horizon where parallel receding lines appear to meet; one-point and two-point perspective drawings depend on placing it correctly.

The system of drawing that makes flat surfaces look deep by shrinking distant objects and converging parallel lines toward vanishing points on the horizon.

Drawing a form shorter along the direction it points toward the viewer, so an arm or a reclining figure looks correct in depth rather than stretched.

The relative size of one part to another and to the whole; correct proportion makes a figure or object believable even when other details are simple.

The arrangement of shapes, values and empty space inside the picture frame so the eye moves naturally and the main subject holds attention.

The area a picture is built to draw the eye to first, usually made stronger by contrast, sharp detail, isolation or a converging line.

A framing guide that divides the picture into nine equal parts and places key elements near the crossing lines instead of dead centre.

Drawing a scene from observation and then reproducing it from recollection, testing how well the student noticed structure, light and grouping rather than copying.

A fast, loose sketch that captures the action, weight and direction of a figure or animal in a few sweeping lines before detail is added.

The single imaginary curve that runs through a figure's body and expresses its main movement or lean; it keeps a pose from looking stiff.

Knowledge of bones, joints and muscle groups that lets an artist place landmarks such as the collarbone, elbow or knee correctly under the skin.

A traditional proportion standard in which the standing adult body is about eight head-lengths tall, used as a starting measure before individual variation.

How light or dark a colour or grey appears; a full range from highlight to deep shadow gives a drawing the illusion of solid form.

The strong, deliberate arrangement of light and dark areas to model form and create mood, with shadows treated as shapes rather than accidents.

The shadow an object throws onto a surface or another object; its direction and edge softness must agree with the light source.

The direction from which light falls on a subject; fixing it before shading keeps highlights and shadows consistent across the whole drawing.

The name of a colour family such as red, blue or yellow-green, independent of how light, dark, bright or dull that colour happens to be.

The purity or intensity of a colour; adding grey or its complement lowers saturation and makes the colour appear duller and more muted.

Colours that cannot be mixed from others. In paint they are red, yellow and blue; in additive light they are red, green and blue.

Colours made by mixing two primaries: orange from red and yellow, green from yellow and blue, violet from blue and red.

Pairs sitting opposite each other on the colour wheel, such as red and green; placed side by side they intensify, mixed they neutralise toward grey.

A circular diagram arranging hues by their mixing relationships, used to plan harmonies, find complements and predict the result of blending two paints.

The tendency of reds, oranges and yellows to advance and feel warm, while blues, greens and violets recede and feel cool; used to build depth.

Showing distance by making far objects paler, cooler, lower in contrast and less detailed than foreground objects, as haze does in real landscapes.

The visual feel of a surface - rough bark, smooth glass, woven cloth - suggested through mark-making, pressure and the pattern of light on it.

Shading built from parallel lines; crossing them in a second direction is cross-hatching, and closer spacing produces darker tone.

Building tone and texture from many small dots, denser where the area should look darker and sparser where light falls.

A thin, transparent layer of diluted watercolour or ink laid over paper; several washes build depth while keeping the paper's glow visible.

Applying paint onto still-damp paper or paint so the colours bleed and blend softly, useful for skies, water and loose atmospheric effects.

A technique using a brush with little moisture and plenty of pigment, dragged over textured paper to catch highlights and suggest rough surfaces.

An opaque water-based paint with chalk or white added, letting the artist paint light over dark and produce flat, solid areas of colour.

A cheap opaque water-based paint widely used in Indian art examinations for design work, giving flat even coverage and clean, bold edges.

An even, uniform layer of colour with no streaks or gradients, applied quickly with a loaded brush and kept level while it dries.

A repeated motif or rhythm of shapes, lines or colours, which may be geometric or organic and is used to decorate surfaces and fill areas.

A single repeated unit in a design - a flower, leaf, dot or geometric shape - that is arranged, rotated or mirrored to build a pattern.

The visual beat created by repeating or alternating elements at intervals, guiding the eye through a design without letting it settle.

The distribution of visual weight in a picture; symmetrical balance mirrors both halves, asymmetrical balance offsets a large shape with smaller ones.

The degree of difference between light and dark, rough and smooth, or bright and dull areas; it separates forms and directs attention.

Decorative lettering drawn with a broad or pointed nib, where stroke thickness, spacing and flow of the script are as important as legibility.

A drawing or painting of natural scenery such as hills, trees, rivers and fields, usually organised into foreground, middle ground and background.

The part of a scene nearest the viewer, drawn largest and with the strongest detail and contrast to pull the eye into the picture.