Drawing

A rendering is simply an interpretation of a figure/object/scene.  A drawing may be termed “a good rendering” or “a bad rendering” depending on how closely or how well the item being depicted is drawn.  The term “rendering” may also refer to a perspective drawing that is created of a future structure. 

2D space refers to the flat surface region of a drawing/painting upon which one creates the artwork.  2D space is measured in two dimensions – width and height.

3D space refers to the real space of an object/figure in an environment, as well as the seemingly real appearance of a form drawn/painted to create a sense of real-life illusion on a 2D space. 

 A deux crayons is a two-colored drawing created with chalk.  The colors used are usually black and red.

A draft, outline or sketch.

Abstraction is the simplification of a person, object or place into either organic or geometric elements.  Basically, it is a way of turning something into a simpler version of itself.  Details and other items are stripped away to reveal just the “essence” of the thing being abstracted.

An academy figure is a painting or a drawing completed with the intent of teaching and learning purposes.  The drawing or painting is not meant as a final piece of artwork (though they may be used as such by some persons because of their aesthetic appeal).  

The term may also be used as a negative comment in reference to artwork of the human form that exudes a sense of lifelessness and/or stiffness.

Ancien is the argot or cant for a senior student (or monitor) in an atelier or art studio class.  Argot refers to a secret language that a group uses so other people cannot understand their conversations.  

The background is the space in a piece of artwork that functions as a means to support and enhance the main subject matter of the piece.  It surrounds the objects in the piece and may include actual objects and people, or simply be empty negative space.  

A backlight is a source of light that is placed behind a person/object in order to cause a division between the person/object from the background of the artwork.  Sometimes this division is a silhouette.

The base tone is the darkest value on an object or person.  The base tone is the area on an object or person that the light source can not reach.

A blind contour drawing is a line drawing that is created without the use of constantly looking at the paper.  Instead, one concentrates intensely on the item that he/she is drawing and tries to draw the many shifts of lines and tangents of lines seen.  These types of drawings enhance one’s eye-hand coordination and create a better awareness of changes of form and space.

A cast shadow is a type of shadow that is created on a form next to a surface that is turned away from the source of light.  When a form blocks the light, it causes a cast shadow to be formed.  Every object that blocks light has a cast shadow associated with it.

a drawing pencil with fillers and wax sans pigment whose purpose is to permit burnishing without introducing additional color. 

Content in artwork corresponds to the subject matter and the significance of that subject matter in a piece of artwork.

A continuous line drawing is a type of drawing that includes continuous contact with the surface of a picture plane that makes enclosed forms and shapes. 

Contour in art refers to the outside edges, as well as the defined enclosed edges, of a person, object or mass.

Cross contour lines are parallel lines that curve over an object’s surface in a vertical or horizontal manner (or both) and reveal the item’s surface characteristics.  Cross contour lines are similar to wire framing used in 3D design. 

Cross-hatching is a drawing method that is used to shade an object or figure; the method utilizes a series of criss-crossing lines that are built up progressively into more complicated tones.  Several varieties of cross-hatching may be used but most commonly for developing shadow and depth.

Sets of closely aligned parallel lines that crisscross at angles to each other.  Crosshatching is used to create tone and to model forms. 

Drawing is the depiction of art elements – such as color, tonal variations, and lines – on a picture plane to create forms and shapes.  Drawing is the foundation from which a picture is created.  In general, drawing is dominated by line, as opposed to painting – which is dominated by mass.

An edge is a place where two shapes or forms meet.  This connection may occur in terms of a line or tonal change.

A figure is a positive or dominate shape in a drawing or painting. The shape is distinct from the background of the picture; it comes forward in the composition.

The figure-ground relationship is the organization of negative and positive shapes positioned in such a way as to create interest from the viewing audience.  Another term for this type of relationship is called “positive/negative relationship.”

Fluidity of line refers to the quality of smoothness, pliability, and gracefulness of a line. Such lines may be full of curves, twists, soft edges and trailing ends.  Fluid lines are dissimilar from hard lines which may contain rough edges, sharp angles and abrupt ends.

The foreground is the closest space in a composition in relation to the viewer.  The foreground stands out from the background of the picture. 

Describes the means to create third dimension effect in a drawing by the shortening of lines in the drawing. 

A freehand drawing is a drawing that is created without the use of a mechanical device (such as a projector, straightedge, compass, or protractor).

Gestalt refers to the concept that the whole “togetherness” of something is greater than the sum of its individual parts.  It is the total concept of the item being created – rather than just thinking of the separate pieces that make up the item.

A gesture drawing is the representation of the essence of an object’s or figure’s position.  It is the act of creating a drawing or sketch with a loose grip and movement of the drawing tool used.  Gesture drawings are often very expressive and allow one the freedom to loosen up and not worry about small details.  Gesture drawings are an ideal way to warm up before one starts to concentrate on a more intense drawing exercise. 

Gradation is a drawing or painting technique in which there is a gradual change from a tone/color into another tone/color.  Gradation is used in drawing to create forms that appear three-dimensional.

A grid is a pattern of parallel lines that cross one another at right angles or diagonally. 

Half tone in drawing refers to the lightest area on a form after the quarter tone and highlight areas.  The rays of light shining on a form’s surface are parallel to the half tone. 

In drawing, the highlight is the most intense illumination of a form.  The highlight is located on a surface where the light rays hit the form at a perpendicular angle.

The light tone in a drawing is the area of a form that is illuminated the most after the highlight.  Light tone is also known as indirect light.

Line in drawing refers to a type of mark that contains both a direction and a length.  Line is an art element.  There are numerous varieties of possible lines, including curved, bent, thick, wide, broken, vertical, horizontal, burred, or freehand.  Lines are frequently used to delineate shapes, forms and spaces.  The representation of volume, edges, movement and patterns can all be created using line.  Lines can create both 2D and 3D objects and figures. 

Line gesture in drawing refers to a type of drawing that is made up of the interior of forms made from line (as opposed to mass). 

Local value in drawing or painting refers to the essential value of an object’s or figure’s surface without the inclusion of any texture or lighting.  Local value is the value of an object or figure without any shadow pattern. 

A mark in a drawing or painting refers to an impression on the picture plane; it is often made to create the illusion of something – such as an object’s surface texture. 

Mass in a drawing or painting refers to the weight or the density of a figure or object. 

Massing as it relates to drawing/painting refers to the blocking in of shapes with the aim of creating an arrangement of visual weight in the picture plane.

Middle ground is the space located between the background and the foreground in a painting or drawing.

A modeled drawing is a type of drawing that involves the creation and definition of a form using a range of values from light to dark.

Motion refers to the organization of the different segments of an image in order to give a sense of action using forms, shapes, textures and lines that shift the eye throughout the artwork.

Negative space in a painting or drawing refers to the area encircling or located behind a positive shape. 

The outline in a drawing or painting refers to a line that acts as a delineating edge between a form/shape from the spaced around it.  An outline is considered 2D, because it does not refer to the contour of the form/shape.  It is also known as a silhouette.

Overlapping planes in a drawing/painting refers to the technique of creating an order of space.  Overlapping happens if a figure/object prevent the viewing of another figure/object. 

A picture frame refers to the horizontal and vertical dimensions of a picture.

Planar analysis refers to the structural analysation of a form.  Rather than using curves, the form is described using major planes. 

A plane is simply a surface or a flat area. 

Plastic refers to the representation of three-dimensionality or action that occurs in a picture in relation to the flat picture plane.  Plastic space is not the same thing as perspective space. 

Proportion refers to the correction depiction of the all the parts related to each other in a shape/form within a realistic painting or drawing.  Proportion lends a sense of balance and harmony to a piece of artwork.  One may decide to distort the proportions within an artwork to create a certain effect on the viewer. 

Reflective light is the light that reflects from surfaces of forms onto other surfaces surrounding the form.  Reflective light is always located on a form’s shadow side. 

A representational drawing is a type of drawing that tries to represent as closely as possible the object or scene that is drawn.  Realism is the goal when one attempts to do a representational drawing.

Shape refers to an area that is defined by an edge on a 2D surface plane.  A shape is its own item – it is contained by a border and is separated from the other shapes in the area. 

Sighting in drawing or painting refers to the measurement of figures/objects in a visual way between other figures/objects in the composition. 

A silhouette is simply a 2D shape that is set against a light background in sharp contrast to its own dark tone.

A sketch is a quickly drawn, usually simple, drawing that is completed often for practice, as a means to remember information for a future piece of artwork, or as a means to decipher the essence of a person, place or thing.  Artists frequently use thumbnail sketches in order to work out the best composition and design for a piece of artwork to save time and prevent mistakes. 

Space refers to the area between certain points within a drawing or painting.  Edges define space. 

Surface refers to the tangible structure/texture of the painting area or drawing paper upon which one works to create an image.  The surface of the material used may be smooth, glossy, hard, rough, or soft. The surface upon which one works plays a key role in how the texture of the painting/drawing appears once the artwork is completed.  Any number of methods may be used to create a desired surface.  Possible materials to create a surface texture include sand, rubbing, scratching, building layers, using objects such as buttons/pins and erasing.

Texture refers to the surface quality of a 2D picture plane, as well as 3D objects.  Texture plays a key role in setting the piece of artwork apart and giving it both a physical feel and an emotional one.  Sand, tiny objects, string and scratching the surface are all means to create texture on a piece of artwork. 

A value pattern is key to creating a pleasing visual path for the eye to follow as it views a composition.  The value pattern is the careful choice of arrangement of all the values of a piece of artwork by an artist in order to guide the eye and unify all the objects/figures in the piece. 
 

Value relativity refers to the juxtaposition of difference values next to each other; this process of placing values beside each other creates what is known as “value contrast.”

Value scale refers to the gradual movement from black to gray to white.  A value that is on the upper portion of the value scale is known as being “high key.”  And a value that is located on the lower portion of the value scale is known as “low key.”

Visual weight is the ability of a region or art element within a composition to draw attention to itself.  Visual weight is often created through the use of contrast and/or through the use of color.

The amount of space that a figure or object take up in a painting or drawing.