Critiquing Tools

Art Vocabulary List

Aesthetics:
Involves beauty or art, and people’s appreciation of beautiful... products chosen for their aesthetic appeal.

Proportion:
If something is small or large in proportion to something else. If you say that something is out of all proportion to something else.

Palette:
A colour palette referrers to grouping of colours such as... they used a warm colour palette.

Symmetry:
Something that has symmetry is symmetrical in shape, design or structure.

Emphasis:
Is special or extra importance that is given to an activity or to a part or aspect of something.

Unity:
Is the state of different areas or groups being joined together to form a single element.

Adjective List

Caricature:
A caricature of someone or something is a drawing or description that exaggerates the subjects appearance or behaviour in a humorous or satirical way.

Ambiguous:
If you describe something as ambiguous, you mean that it is unclear or confusing because it can be understood in more than one way.

Visual Texture:
The different manners of which texture can be produced by using different media.

Principles and Elements of Design List

Principles

Stability:
Symmetry, elements that line up on the grid.

Dynamic:
A blast, a strong impact, elements lined up off the grid.

Rhythm:
Creates an easy flowing feeling, can be on or off the grid.

Scale:
The size of an element, proportion.

Elements

Line:
Line suggests direction. Designers use direction to guide the viewer’s eye. The designer chooses what type of line he requires, and the message it is conveying.

Shape:
Shapes create the frame work for the design. When using shapes you need to consider the arrangements of space and the positive and negative areas.

Texture:
Texture gives you design interest and illusion for realism.

Colour:
This creates mood. It gives interests and depth and is used to highlight specified areas of intrest.

Contrast:
The amount of light or dark between two objects or areas, such as black and white. This can create a mood, clarity and definition.