Study Guide & Materials

Year 9
Below is a list of topics that will appear on your Mid-Year Exam. Please use your notes,
presentations and this study guide to help prepare for the exam. Good luck!

The Elements of Art The Principles of Design

1. Lines 1. Movement
2. Shapes 2. Emphasis
3. Form 3. Unity
4. Value 4. Variety
5. Colour 5. Proportion
6. Texture 6. Balance
7. Space 7. Pattern

Art Movements are the collective titles that are given to artworks that share the
same artistic ideals, style, technical approach, or timeframe

Pop Art:

 The term “Pop Art” is short for Popular Art. This movement emerged in England in
the 1950s. The subjects of this movement were normal, everyday objects or images
that were considered to be popular. For example, sources included: movies, comic
books, advertisements, and especially, television.

 Pastiche: is a work of visual art, that imitates and/or celebrates the style or character
of an artwork.

 The most notable Pop Artist is Andy Warhol.

 Examples of Pop Art pieces:

Post Impressionism
 This movement was established in France in the late 1800s.
 The three (3) most influential artists of this movement are: Vincent van Gogh, Paul
Cezanne, and George Seurat.
 Artworks from this movement are not always the same and have different approaches.
However, the major characteristics associated with this movement are:
o Visible brushstrokes
o Bold saturated color schemes
o Focus on everyday life, sceneries, and everyday objects
 George Seurat was best known for inventing a technique called “Pointillism”. He
achieved this style by using “dots of color” to paint the entire artwork.
Examples:

The Elements of Art:

 Lines

I. The definition of a Line – a moving dot, or marks moving in a space between

two points.
II. Types of lines – horizontal, vertical, curvy, zigzag, broken, diagonal, etc.

 Shapes

I. The definition of a shape – flat enclosed areas that have two dimensions:
height and width. Shape can also be described as a closed line.

II. Organic Shapes – also known as “free-form” shapes, are irregular and
imperfect. Naturally, these shapes will all be slightly different from
one another. They are often curved and can seem unpredictable.

III. Geometric Shapes – are typically be found in math. These shapes have
perfect, uniform measurements and aren’t usually found in nature.

 Form

I. The definition of a form – known as a three-dimensional shape (height, width

and depth).
II. Organic Forms – 3D forms found outside (rocks, trees, sticks).
III. Geometric Forms – 3D forms that represent mathematical shapes (cubes,
pyramids, cylinders, spheres).

 Value
I. The definition of value – the darkness and lightness of a colour.
II. Tint – adding white to a colour.
III. Tone – adding gray to a colour.
IV. Shade – adding black to a colour.

 Space

I. The definition of Space – refers to the distance between or the area around and
within shapes, forms, colors and lines. Space can be positive or negative.
It includes the background, foreground, and middle ground.

II. Positive Space – refers to the subject or areas of interest in an artwork, such as
a person's face or figure in a portrait, the objects in a still life painting, or the
trees in a landscape painting.

III. Negative Space - the background or the area that surrounds the subject of the
work.
 Texture
I. The definition of texture – is described as how something feels and/or
“visually feels” in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional artworks.

II. Non-tactile Texture – also known as visual or implied texture, is a type of

texture that is not actually real. The artist creates the illusion
of textures through manipulation of media.

III. Tactile Texture – also known as “actual texture”, is the quality of a surface,
such as rough, smooth, sticky, fuzzy, soft, or slick. This type of texture is
one you can feel with your hand, such as a piece of sandpaper, a wet glass, or
animal fur.

 Colour

I. Primary Colours – The THREE (3) colours that cannot be made by mixing
another colour: Red, yellow, and blue.

II. Secondary Colours – THREE (3) colours that are made by mixing the
primary colours together: green, purple, and orange.

Yellow + Blue = Green

Yellow + Red = Orange
Red + Blue = Purple

III. Tertiary Colours – colours that are made when mixing a primary and
secondary colour together.

IV. Warm Colours – colours that represent the sun or warmth: red, yellow. and
orange.

V. Cool Colours – colours that represent the ocean or calmness: blue, green, and
purple.

VI. Complementary Colours – colours that sit directly opposite to each other on
the colour wheel.

Blue ßà Orange
Yellow ßà Purple
Red ßà Green
 VII. Analogous Colours – “Three (3) best friends who sit together on the bus”.
Three (3) colours that are placed next to each other on the colour wheel.

The Principles of Design: The principles of design are pattern, variety, unity, emphasis,
balance, movement, and proportion. They represent the basic rules of how to arrange a
composition and create a successful design.

 Movement
I. The definition: Visual movement is the principle of art used to create the
impression of action or motion in a work of art.

II. Lines: Artists can use lines to create the impression of movement in
their artwork.

III. Implied movement: The artist can also imply movement by placing
the subject in space in a way that only makes sense if it is moving.

IV. Visual Rhythm: is created by repeating shapes, lines, colors, or any other
visual component. The repeating element is generally referred to as a motif.

V. Optical Illusion: Artists can also create the impression of movement through
repetition and contrast.

 Balance

I. The definition: Balance in art is defined as the equal distribution of visual

weight in a composition. All the elements (line, shape, color, etc.) in that
composition look stable or have a feeling of balance (one side is not “visually
heavier” than other).

II. *Central axis line: an imaginary line that divides the page in half
either horizontally or vertically.

III. Symmetrical balance in an artwork is achieved when the elements (line,

shape, color, etc.) are identical or almost identical on both sides of the axis
line*
IV. Asymmetrical balance is when the two sides of an image are different but
visually balanced. They are visually equal without being identical.
 V. In an artwork that utilizes RADIAL BALANCE, the elements radiate out
from a central point. Elements are repeated evenly both vertically
and horizontally from the axis lines.

 Proportion

I. Proportion: describe the size, location, or amount of one element in relation to

another.

II. Scale: is used in art to describe the size of one object in relation to another,
each object is often referred to as a whole.

III. Foreground: the “front” of a composition – object or area closer to the viewer.

IV. Midground: the “middle” of a composition – object or area behind the front
but not toward the back.

V. Background: the “back” of a composition – object or area further away to the

viewer.

 Unity:
I. Unity refers to how different elements of an artwork or design work come
together and create a sense of wholeness. It can be achieved through
proximity, simplicity, repetition, and continuation
 Variety
I. Variety in art means using different sizes, shapes, and colors in
your artwork to create visual diversity. Artists achieve visual variety with
several elements treated in different ways.

 Pattern

I. The definition: A pattern is the repetition of lines, shapes, colors, textures, or

symbols (motifs). It must have a reoccurring element to be considered a
pattern.

II. There are two types of patterns: planned and random patterns.

 Emphasis

I. Emphasis is a strategy that aims to draw the viewer’s attention to a specific design
element.
 II. The focal point of an artwork is the area in the composition to which the viewer's
eye is naturally drawn
III. Contrast is achieved when opposite elements are arranged together.

Art Critique

An art critique is a discussion and evaluation of an artwork.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF HAVING A CRITIQUE?

• To help each other “see” and grow artistically.
• To learn how to express your thoughts about art.
• To learn how to talk about art.

Portraits:

 A portrait is a painting, drawing, photograph, or engraving of a person, especially one

depicting only the face or head and shoulders.
 A self-portrait is a portrait of an artist produced or created by that artist.

Introduction to CXC:
 An Expressive Form is the type of medium/media used to create an artwork.
The list of expressive forms include:

1. Drawing
2. Painting and/or Mixed Media
3. Printmaking.
4. Graphics and Visual Communication
5. Textile Design and Manipulation
6. Ceramics
7. Sculpture
8. Leathercraft
9. Fiber and decorative product design

 Painting and/or Mixed Media: creating an artwork with paint and other materials.
Techniques include Papier Mache, Collage, Pointillism, and more.
 Theme – A theme is a central message or idea on which your works of art will be
based. Examples include emotions, nature, portraits, and landscapes. And so much
more!
 Plan sheet - a sheet which displays preparatory studies and ideas related to your
artwork. It can include drawings, tests, reference photos, mind maps, and more.