NIFT flashcards
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32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Elements of design
- The seven basic visual components - line, shape, form, space, texture, colour, and value - that a designer arranges to build any composition.
- Asymmetrical balance
- Visual equilibrium achieved with unequal shapes or weights placed at different distances from the centre, so that larger forms near the axis balance smaller forms farther out.
- Complementary colour scheme
- A palette using two hues opposite each other on the colour wheel, such as red and green, producing maximum contrast and vibration when placed side by side.
- Tint, shade, tone
- Three value adjustments of a hue: a tint adds white to lighten, a shade adds black to darken, and a tone adds grey to reduce saturation.
- Rule of thirds
- A composition guide dividing the frame into a three-by-three grid, placing key subjects on the lines or intersections to create dynamic, off-centre interest.
- Figure–ground relationship
- The perceptual separation between a focal subject (figure) and its surrounding background (ground), strengthened by value contrast, sharp edges, or texture difference.
- Golden ratio
- A proportion of approximately 1.618 to 1, used in layout, logo grids, and garment panel division because it is perceived as naturally harmonious.
- Radial symmetry
- A balance type where elements radiate from a central point, as in mandalas, rosette motifs, or circular embroidery patterns, drawing the eye inward.
- Ikat technique
- A resist-dyeing method in which yarns are bound and dyed before weaving, so the pattern appears slightly feathered at the edges where dye seeps in.
- Kalamkari textile
- A hand-painted or block-printed cotton textile tradition from Andhra Pradesh using natural dyes, with mythological narratives drawn using a bamboo pen.
- Banarasi brocade
- A silk textile from Varanasi woven with supplementary metallic zari threads to create raised floral and paisley motifs, traditionally used for bridal wear.
- Patola double ikat
- A rare silk textile from Patan, Gujarat, in which both warp and weft yarns are resist-dyed before weaving so patterns align precisely on both faces.
- Protein versus cellulose fibres
- Silk and wool are protein (animal) fibres, while cotton, jute, and linen are cellulose (plant) fibres; this distinction governs dye choice and care.
- Bauhaus design philosophy
- A German school founded in 1919 that united craft and industry, championing functional geometric form, primary colours, and mass-producible design.
- Art Deco style
- A 1920s–30s decorative movement marked by bold geometric shapes, stepped forms, metallic finishes, and streamlined symmetry in architecture, fashion, and graphics.
- NIFT establishment year
- The National Institute of Fashion Technology was set up in 1986 under the Ministry of Textiles and later given statutory status by an Act of Parliament.
- Tropic of Cancer in India
- The latitude of about 23.5 degrees north that passes through eight Indian states, including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal.
- Phulkari embroidery
- A Punjabi embroidery tradition of darning stitch in floss silk on hand-spun cotton, covering the fabric with bright geometric and floral motifs.
- Successive percentage change
- Two consecutive changes of a percent and b percent produce a net change of a + b + ab/100, so a 20 percent rise then fall is a net 4 percent fall.
- Discount on marked price
- A discount is always applied to the marked price, giving selling price = marked price multiplied by (1 minus the discount rate), never applied to cost price.
- Alligation rule
- A shortcut for mixtures: the ratio of two quantities mixed equals the difference between the mean and the cheaper value to the difference with the dearer value.
- Speed unit conversion
- To convert kilometres per hour to metres per second, multiply by five-eighteenths; to reverse, multiply metres per second by eighteen-fifths.
- Compound interest formula
- Amount equals principal multiplied by (1 plus rate over 100) raised to the time in years, with interest being amount minus principal.
- CI minus SI, two years
- For two years the gap between compound and simple interest equals principal multiplied by the square of rate over one hundred.
- Combination formula
- The number of ways to choose r items from n without regard to order is n factorial divided by r factorial times (n minus r) factorial.
- Cone volume
- The volume of a cone is one-third of pi times the square of the radius times the height, exactly one-third of the matching cylinder.
- Subject-verb agreement rule
- The verb matches the true subject rather than the nearest noun, so intervening phrases such as 'of items' or 'along with the manager' do not change number.
- Present perfect tense
- Formed with has or have plus the past participle, it describes an action completed at an unspecified time or continuing relevance to the present moment.
- Past perfect tense
- Formed with had plus the past participle, it marks the earlier of two past events, as in 'She had finished before the show began'.
- Active to passive voice
- The object moves to subject position, the verb becomes a form of be plus past participle, the original tense is preserved, and the agent follows 'by'.
- Affect versus effect
- 'Affect' is usually a verb meaning to influence; 'effect' is usually a noun meaning a result, though 'effect' can also mean to bring about.
- Oxymoron figure of speech
- A phrase pairing two contradictory words, such as 'bitter sweet' or 'deafening silence', used to create tension or a striking image.