Professional Documents
Culture Documents
D
Dirt Eater – Tlazolteotl, the divine dirt eater of the
Aztec gods, known to eat divine
excrement. A goddess of decomposition,
she is also known as the goddess of steam
Electric Prisms by Sonia Delaunay
baths which cleanses sin.
Apotrope – Objects treated as deflectors of
illnesses and infertility.
C
Canon – A rule of proportions, so as to produce a
harmoniously formed figure.
Contrapposto – An asymmetrical arrangement of
the human figure in which the line of the
arms and shoulders contrasts with while
balancing those of the hips and legs.
Tlazolteotl
Dominance – The difference in importance of one
aspect in relation to all other aspects of
design. What stands out most in a work
of art.
E
Emphasis – Principle of design concerned that
stresses one element or area in a work of
art to make it attract the viewer’s
attention first.
Entasis – A slight convex curve in the shaft of a
column, introduced to correct the visual
illusion of concavity produced by a
straight shaft.
David by Michelangelo
Exaggeration – Increasing or enlarging an object Improvisation – Spontaneous moment of sudden
or figure or one of its parts to inventiveness that can just come to mind,
communicate ideas and feelings. body and spirit as an inspiration.
L
Lintel – A structural horizontal block that spans
the space or opening between two
vertical supports.
M
Medium – In art refers to the material or means
which the artist uses to objectify his
feeling or thought.
Mellow – Pleasantly smooth or soft; free from
harshness.
Motif – Unit repeated in visual rhythm. Units in a
motif may or may not be an exact
duplicate of the first unit.
S
Green Stripe by Henri Matisse Semiotics – The study of signs and symbols and
Focal point – The center of interest of an artwork; their use or interpretation.
the part you look at first. Sfumato – The technique of allowing tones and
colors to shade gradually into one
G another, producing softened outlines or
Gaudy – A tasteless use of overly bright, often
hazy forms.
clashing colors or excessive
ornamentation.
Gouache – Pigments ground in water and mixed
with gum to form opaque watercolor.
Gouache resembles school tempera paint
or poster paint.
I
Impasto – A technique in which paint is layered
thickly on a surface, so that it creates a
rigid texture when it dries.
The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh Virgin of the Rocks by Leonardo da Vinci