hues - colors, may be warm/cool, earth-tones, somber, pastels.
            Primary:  red, yellow, blue
            Secondary:  purple, green, orange
            Warm:  red, yellow, orange
            Cool:  blue, green, purple
            Earth:  browns
            Pastels:  light hue (for example) pink, peach
            somber:  black, dark brown, gray

lines - linear or curvilinear, diagonal, or zigzag (the last two designate chaos or strife)

shapes or forms - biomorphic (living forms) or geometric (nonliving forms)

focal points in paintings may be either of the following:

1. area of high intensity or the white hue;
2. the subject is looking at the viewer and "pulling" the viewer into the painting;
3. Or a triangle is created by connecting the feet, knees, shoulder or hands and imaginatively drawing the other legs of the triangle to the head of the subject. Then the head is the apex of the triangle and the focal point (unless the head is looking at the subject at a subject that then becomes the focal point).

Area of high intensity =  Areas of white hue that is the focal point (attracts the viewer's eyes). There may be several within one painting.

texturization - realistic details

representational (realistic) or abstract

light source - left or right frame, upper or lower frame

chiaroscuro - shadowing to create a three-dimensional effect

landscape - two-thirds land or sky and one-third of the other

landscape - foreground, middle ground, background

value - amount of light in a hue (dark=low value, light=high value)

intensity of a hue - purity, strength, or brilliancy

linear perspective - objects diminishing in size as the eye travels into the background

aerial perspective - objects in the background appearing fuzzy or blurred

Terms for Sculpture

additive - to form the sculpture by adding on (i.e., paper mache)

apex - upper plateau or triangle to symbolize focal point

cast - molded

closed - arms folded or close to body (symbolic of quietness, calmness, sedate)

focal point - place on artwork to be noticed by audience

free-standing - one can walk 360 degrees around it, or circle the sculpture

medium - substance of sculpture (i.e., granite, marble, bronze)

negative space - the open area created within the sculpture and considered a part of the sculpture.

open - arms outward, upward (symbolic of movement, restlessness, emotional)

subtractive - to form the sculpture by taking away (i.e., marble)

texturized - realistic details such as folds or draped garments, hair

triangle - formed with extremeties to symbolize stability, balance or symmetry.

Related Terms

high relief - to achieve an almost 3-dimensional effect by carving deeply into the medium

low relief - a type of sculpture that is shallowly carved into the medium

Terms for Architecture

Post-and-lintel - oldest form of architecture with two vertical posts and a cross beam on top, i.e., door, window

 Ashlar – massive stones used in some post-and-lintel construction

 Cornice – border around the pediment

 Pediment – trianglular section of the roof

 Entablature – horizontal beam in the entablature

 Frieze – top horizontal beam in the entablature

 Me tope – plain section of the frieze

 Triglyph – decorated section of the frieze

 Column – vertical shaft

 Fluting – concave indentations in the shaft

 Capital – crown of the shaft

 Doric order – plain capital, base of the shaft on stylobate

 Ionic order – capital containing scrolls or volutes, base of shaft on small platform

 Volutes – scrolls or rams’ horns

 Stylobate – top step on which the bottom of the shaft rests in the Doric order

 Architrave - bottom horizontal beam in the entablature, rests on the capitals

 Colonnade – row of columns

 Cella – room inside of a Greek temple containing the statue dedicated to that particular religious shrine

 Corinthian order – capital containing acanthus leaves, base of the shaft on podium (larger than platform)

 Arcade – row of arches

 Barrel vault – elongated or stretched arch

groin vault – two intersecting arches at right angles

arch – post-and-lintel with lintel rounded

Dome – arch rotated 360 degrees on one leg

Oculus – opening in middle of dome

Attic – crowning or top part of monumental arch

Medallions – circular sculptures, usually on monumental arch

Pilasters – one-half of a vertical column used for decoration, can be found on monumental arch

Pointed arch – Gothic style leading eye to God; actually used first in Moslem Architecture

Arabesque – Islamic design of geometric shapes, plus flora and fauna (no humans)

Rose window – in shape of rose petals over main entrance to cathedral

Portal – door

Fenestration – window

Blind arcade – row of arches on cathedral for decoration

Minaret – steeple on mosque

Mosque – Islamic house of worship

Piers - vertical columns inside cathedral used for suppose, are often decorated

Ribbed vaulting – support for inside cathedral, looks like a rib cage

Fan vaulting – piers arranged to open as spokes on a fan in ceiling

Nave – main aisle in cathedral

Side aisles – along both sides of nave

Gallery – balcony above side aisles

Clestory windows – upper windows above side aisles

Transept – aisle near high altar intersecting nave

Choir – area around high altar where singing of the service takes place by religious leaders

Ambulatory – aisle around back of high altar

Apse - semi-circle housing the high altar

Radiating chapels- small area ejecting from ambulatory, houses individual altars to various saints

Flying buttresses – “armed” support outside side-aisle walls

Tympanum – semi-circle above portal, may contain recessed sculpture

Niche – opening in a wall containing a sculpture

Campanile – bell tower

Reinforced concrete – slender strands of steel in concrete, allows support for tall skyscrapers

Eclectic – mixed or individualized Corinthian capitals, also different architectural styles

Symmetry – balance in architectural form

Façade – exterior of a building

Ornate – an extremely decorated facade