ORELA Art (NT503) cheat sheet

Elements of art: line, shape/form, color, value, texture, space - the basic vocabulary used to describe any artwork.

Principles of design: balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, pattern, rhythm, unity, variety - how elements are arranged and organized.

Color theory: primary colors (red, yellow, blue in traditional RYB; red, green, blue in additive RGB), secondary colors made by mixing two primaries, and tertiary colors made by mixing a primary with an adjacent secondary.

Color schemes: complementary (opposite on the color wheel), analogous (adjacent), triadic (three evenly spaced), split-complementary, and monochromatic (one hue plus tints and shades).

Tint = hue plus white; shade = hue plus black; tone = hue plus gray. Value describes lightness or darkness independent of hue.

Linear perspective: one-point uses a single vanishing point on the horizon line; two-point uses two vanishing points; atmospheric perspective reduces contrast and detail to suggest distance.

Drawing media: graphite, charcoal, conté crayon, ink, pastel; painting media: watercolor, tempera, acrylic, oil, fresco, gouache. Binder distinguishes each medium.

Printmaking categories: relief (woodcut, linocut), intaglio (etching, engraving, drypoint), planographic (lithography), and screen printing (serigraphy).

Sculpture types: additive (modeling, assemblage), subtractive (carving), and casting (lost-wax bronze); relief sculpture projects from a background.

Prehistoric: cave paintings such as Lascaux and Altamira; Venus figurines; megalithic structures like Stonehenge.

Ancient Near East and Egypt: ziggurats, stele, hieroglyphic relief; Egyptian canon of proportion and frontalism in figure depiction.

Greek art: Archaic kouros/kore, Classical idealism (Phidias, Parthenon), Hellenistic drama (Laocoön); orders - Doric, Ionic, Corinthian.

Roman art: veristic portraiture, concrete architecture (Pantheon dome, Colosseum arches), mosaics, and fresco wall painting.

Medieval: Byzantine mosaics and icons, Romanesque churches with rounded arches and thick walls, Gothic cathedrals with pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses.

Renaissance: linear perspective (Brunelleschi, Alberti), humanism, chiaroscuro and sfumato (Leonardo), High Renaissance balance (Raphael, Michelangelo).

Baroque: dramatic tenebrism (Caravaggio), dynamic composition and movement (Bernini, Rubens), Dutch genre and still life (Rembrandt, Vermeer).

19th century movements in sequence: Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Realism, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism.

20th century: Fauvism, Cubism (analytic and synthetic), Futurism, Dada, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, Minimalism, and Contemporary pluralism.

Line: a mark with length and direction; can be contour, gesture, implied, or hatched.

Shape vs. form: shape is two-dimensional and flat; form is three-dimensional with volume and mass.

Space: positive space is occupied by the subject; negative space is the empty area around it.

Texture: actual (tactile) versus implied (visual) texture created by mark-making.

Value scale: a graded series from white to black used to model light and shadow; crosshatching builds value with intersecting lines.

Balance types: symmetrical (formal), asymmetrical (informal), and radial (radiating from a center).

Emphasis and focal point: created by contrast, isolation, placement, convergence, or the unusual.

Rhythm and movement: repetition of elements creates rhythm; directional lines and repetition create visual movement.

Unity and variety: unity is coherence of the whole; variety provides interest; too much of either weakens a composition.

Clay bodies: earthenware (low fire, porous), stoneware (high fire, vitreous), porcelain (high fire, translucent, white).

Hand-building techniques: pinch, coil, slab; wheel-throwing uses centrifugal force to form symmetrical vessels.

Stages of clay: plastic (workable), leather-hard (trimming), bone-dry (fragile), bisque-fired, then glaze-fired.

Glaze is a glassy coating fused to clay by heat; kiln temperatures are measured in cones (pyrometric cones).

Weaving terms: warp (vertical, tensioned threads) and weft (horizontal, interlaced threads).

Textile processes: batik (wax resist), tie-dye, embroidery, quilting, and felting (fibers matted by moisture and agitation).

Jewelry and metalsmithing: annealing (softening metal by heat), soldering, chasing and repoussé (raising forms from sheet metal).

Book arts and paper: papermaking from pulp, bookbinding signatures, and printmaking on paper.

Digital art: raster (pixel-based) versus vector (mathematically defined) images; resolution measured in pixels per inch.

Formal analysis: describe what is seen, then analyze how elements and principles are used, then interpret meaning, then evaluate.

Contextual analysis: examine the work's historical, cultural, social, and biographical context to inform interpretation.

Iconography: the study of symbols and subject matter in art; iconology studies their cultural meaning.

Style identification: compare formal traits (color, brushwork, composition) against known movement characteristics.

Attribution and connoisseurship: identify artist, period, and authenticity using technique, materials, and documentation.

Museum and gallery vocabulary: provenance (ownership history), medium, dimensions, accession number, and credit line.

Critique vocabulary: contrast, focal point, composition, scale, proportion, and craftsmanship.

Compare-and-contrast strategy: identify shared traits, then contrast distinctive traits, then draw a conclusion about intent or effect.

Aesthetic theories: imitation (art copies nature), expression (art conveys feeling), formalism (art is about form), and institutional (art is defined by the art world).

Safety: never eat or drink in the art room; ventilate when using solvents, aerosols, and fixatives.

Clay dust contains silica - clean with wet methods, not dry sweeping; wear a dust mask when mixing glazes.

Kiln safety: do not open a hot kiln; use heat-resistant gloves and eye protection; keep flammable materials away.

Glaze and pigment hazards: many contain lead or heavy metals; avoid skin contact and label all containers.

Cutting tools: carry scissors and knives point-down; always cut away from the body; keep blades sharp for control.

Printmaking: sharp gouges and cutting tools used with a bench hook; inks and solvents require ventilation.

Photography: darkroom chemicals require gloves and ventilation; dispose of fixer and developer per local regulations.

Storage and labeling: store paints, solvents, and powders in labeled, closed containers away from heat.

First aid: flush eyes at an eyewash station for 15 minutes; report all injuries; know the location of the fire extinguisher.

Lesson planning: align objectives to state or national visual arts standards; objectives should be measurable and observable.

Backward design: start with the desired outcome, then design assessment evidence, then plan learning activities.

Differentiation: adjust content, process, or product for varied learners; provide choice in media and subject.

Assessment types: formative (ongoing feedback, critiques, exit tickets) and summative (portfolio, rubric-scored project).

Rubric design: criteria should match objectives; use clear descriptors for each performance level.

DBAE (Discipline-Based Art Education) components: art production, art history, art criticism, and aesthetics.

Vocabulary instruction: teach elements and principles explicitly, then reinforce through studio practice and critique.

Portfolio assessment: shows growth over time; includes process work, sketches, and final pieces with reflection.

Inclusion: provide adaptive tools (pencil grips, larger handles, pre-cut stencils) and accessible materials for all learners.