Study Design I (compositional structures) Flash Cards

 
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Design I (compositional structures)

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Fibonacci sequence
Sequence of numbers created by adding the preceding two numbers together (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5...). Creates a ratio very close to golden ratio.
Golden ratio/golden section/divine proportion
Rectangle which represents the best point of balance. Found through a mathematical formula that translates roughly to 8:13. Could also be 3:5.
Underlying structures
Formal elements are used to create balance in a piece of artwork.
Grid
Network of uniformly spaced horizontal and perpendicular lines. Used to map out symmetry in compositions.
Discord
State of tension.
Radial balance
All visual elements are balanced around a point in a composition.
Imbalance
Objects are out of equilibrium in a composition.
Balance
Equilibrium between opposing and attracting objects in a composition.
Harmony
State of order and aesthetically pleasing unity and agreement between elements in a composition.
Subordinate
Subdominant structures and organizations that add subtlety to a composition.
Dominance
Dominant structure or organization in a composition. First thing you see.
Equivocal space
Ambiguous space that makes it hard to distinguish the figure and the ground, causing an alternation in perspective. Used in optical illusions.
Figure/ground reversal
Even amount of black and white. One is not more dominant than the other.
Figure/ground relationship
Relationship of an object to its surroundings in terms of perspective, form and atmosphere. Good figure/ground relationships are not equal, but both are strongly activated.
Unit to the whole
Each element impacts the whole composition.
Focal point/center of interest
Area that initially attracts a viewer's attention, and usually the area that sustains it.
Systems
Devices, concepts and arrangements used to unify or contrast elements in a composition.
Elements
Singular motifs, events or units that make up a composition.
Edge and framing
Interaction of visual elements with edge of the composition. Determines whether the composition is open or closed. Can involve touching, running parallel to or being cropped by the edge.
Picture plane/framing
Actual edge of the surface on which the composition is placed.
Closed composition
Placement of elements in a composition so that they keep the viewer's attention inside the picture plane.
Open composition
Placement of elements in a composition so that they imply completion beyond the boundaries of the picture plane.
Composition
Arrangement of elements and systems on a two-dimensional surface.
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