PRAXIS 5135 ART STUDY EXAMS GUIDE QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔Geometric Designs - ✔✔Can be employed to add a sense of vitality to a scene or to
integrate an otherwise unimportant background into its overall artistic meaning
✔✔Distortion for Emotional Effect - ✔✔Achieved by, for instance, altering the shape of
the head, arms or shoulders of a figure to emphasize its emotional disposition or to
point to its interest
✔✔Why is a line within a painting considered an abstraction? - ✔✔Boundaries exist in
nature, actual lines do not
✔✔Calligraphic Lines - ✔✔Occurs when the artist wishes to convey the beauty of lines
as the principle element within a work with little to no regard for representation
✔✔Outlines - ✔✔Used to contain form, control shape and evoke a sense of mass; can
be used to caricature the organic structure of an animal, for instance.
✔✔Contour Lines - ✔✔Used to describe form by flowing around it; not used to simulate
nature; straight and angular lines represent the rigidity of walls and floors while curved
and rhythmic ones enliven figures
✔✔Expressive Lines - ✔✔Used to convey intensity, such as with bold, abrupt lines that
might be use to caricaturize a warrior or fighting man; alternatively, smooth, retrained,
continuous lines can be used to counter intensity.
✔✔Naturalistic Perspective Use of Color - ✔✔Attempts to portray color exactly as he
sees it, altering contrast and brightness to imitate the natural changes that occur as a
result of shadow and light.
,✔✔Use of Color as an organizing element - ✔✔The artist may make color choices in
order to balance the composition; build vaporous or indeterminate forms; to blend colors
around fixed objects; to render sharply defined forms through adjacent, contrasting
colors, for decoration; for expressive purposes to convey mood, emotion or to emphasis
a season; to control light and shadow; to replace light and shadow for an intentional 2-
dimensional effect
✔✔Tone - ✔✔The representation of the shifting variable qualities of light through its
presence, intensity and direction of flow
✔✔Texture - ✔✔Element of Design; Used to describe areas of a composition which
have been treated in a decorative manner, such as where the area is covered by a
formal arrangement of linear patterns and decorative symbols
✔✔Abstraction - ✔✔Describes virtually any artistic product that deviates from visual
realism
✔✔What are the 3 phases of Abstraction? - ✔✔The preparatory phase, exploratory
phase and terminal phase
✔✔The Preparatory Phase - ✔✔Phase of Abstraction; Consists of the artist narrowing
his or her focus to exactly what is to be conveyed. Next, the artist carefully observes or
studies the subject matter, sometimes employing tools and/or media for a documentary
analysis in order to sharpen perceptions and become completely familiar with it prior to
undertaking creative liberties
✔✔The Exploratory Phase - ✔✔Phase of Abstraction; The artist seeks a unification of
his or her response to the subject matter often experimenting with a selection/rejection
process to arrive at the most ideal direction in which to proceed. This process often
reveals additional details, patterns and rhythms and opens up yet additional paths of
experiementation
✔✔The Terminal Phase - ✔✔Phase of Abstraction; Involves a resolution and final
synthesis of previous exploration into a tangible course of action to resolve the work. All
irrelevant details and paths are eliminated. The heart, mind and hand are finally brought
into unity during this phase
✔✔What are the basic types of Geometric Projection? - ✔✔Cabinet, Isometric and
Scientific
✔✔Cabinet Projection - ✔✔Gives a fairly good approximation of how an object will
appear when finished and provides measurements in scale. It isn't a particularly popular
method, however, since it usually requires two translations-top and sides into halves
and ratio translation in terms of size
,✔✔Isometric Projection - ✔✔Preferred when exact conceptions of scale and shape are
requires; the preferred method for tool manufacturing and heavy industry; all
measurements are the same scale and the object is rendered from a general
perspective of being looked down upon
✔✔Scientific Projection - ✔✔Also known as "Central Projection"; The center of the
technique is any one eye or point of focus; The object is rendered in multiple positions-
sometimes exemplified through a drop down or "swing away" drawing; a common
technique of many Renaissance painters such as Masaccio
✔✔Uniform Size - ✔✔The representation of figures or other elements of identical size
which may be nearer or farther from the perspective of the viewer so as to preserve, for
instance, completeness
✔✔Disproportionate Size - ✔✔Purposefully rendering figures or other elements out of
proportion for artistic effect or emphasis
✔✔Single Plane - ✔✔Purposefully eliminating illusions of depth such as when painting
a 3-dimensional object or when rendering in a certain style, such as in Oriental
portraiture
✔✔Omission of Atmospheric Perspective - ✔✔An artist might employ atmospheric
perspective to fad the distinctiveness or color of objects that might normally occur in the
distance
✔✔Multiple Perspective - ✔✔Can be used to represent a different perspective for the
viewer of various elements; particularly useful to render a complex architectural scene
✔✔Diversified Images - ✔✔Can be employed to reveal what might otherwise be hidden
by the limited perspective of a viewer; for instance, to fully reveal everything on a table
full of objects
✔✔Combined Images - ✔✔Useful for rendering a highly comprehensible figure, for
instance, by drawing each portion in its most recognizable form
✔✔Space as an Emotional Element - ✔✔To dramatize, for instance, the
inconsequential "smallness" of figures or objects within or near a massive environment
(at sea, in a dessert, in the sky, etc.)
✔✔What is Kinetic Art? - ✔✔It transcends the implication of time-motion through
abstractive techniques by including real motion as a tangible entity in a work.
✔✔Optical Phenomena - ✔✔Area of Kinetic Art; Occurs when apparent or actual
movement of an object or the observer produces a sensation of change and motion
, ✔✔Transformations - ✔✔Area of Kinetic Art; Occurs when rapid movement seems to
dematerialize an object or when movement invokes a recognizable change in an
object's appearance
✔✔Movable Works - ✔✔Area of Kinetic Art; Encourages the rearrangement or alteration
of a painting or sculpture by the observer who essentially becomes interactive with the
work
✔✔Machines - ✔✔Area of Kinetic Art; Motorized apparatuses equipped with gears,
cranks, camshafts and levers that lift, turn, push and pull
✔✔Light-Play - ✔✔Area of Kinetic Art; Dependent upon movement of either the light
source or the viewer
✔✔Movement Itself - ✔✔Area of Kinetic Art; With self-effacing mechanics and economy
of means
✔✔Portrait - ✔✔A work that represents the likeness of a specific individual, group or
animal; artists are frequently concerned with including some conveyance of emotion or
painting the sitter in a manner that reveals some aspect of his or her personality;
frequently performed in both 2 and 3-dimensions
✔✔Portraiture - ✔✔Refers to the field of portrait making; also used as a general term
referring to portraits
✔✔Self-Portrait - ✔✔Occurs when an artist represents himself or herself as the principal
subject within a work; often accomplished using a reflection in a mirror or in the modern
era, a photograph
✔✔Landscape - ✔✔A work of art such as a painting or photograph that depicts natural
scenery-valleys, mountains, trees, rivers, forests, etc.
✔✔Still Life - ✔✔Created by painting inanimate, common subjects such as food,
flowers, vessels, books and clothing
✔✔How do Form and Content correlate? - ✔✔The intellectual process of understanding
the work is a means of seeking conceptual content within it where content is considered
as an expression of an idea; Form becomes the vehicle by which content is presented.
✔✔What is the process of Composition in Painting? - ✔✔The summation of all means
by which a painter arrives at unifying his or her intended overall effect. First comes the
general design; The manipulation of light and shade is an important aspect that can be
used to evoke emotion or provide a sense of depth; Asymmetrical composition or
purposeful imbalance can 'force' the viewer to scan a work for its subject matter
AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔Geometric Designs - ✔✔Can be employed to add a sense of vitality to a scene or to
integrate an otherwise unimportant background into its overall artistic meaning
✔✔Distortion for Emotional Effect - ✔✔Achieved by, for instance, altering the shape of
the head, arms or shoulders of a figure to emphasize its emotional disposition or to
point to its interest
✔✔Why is a line within a painting considered an abstraction? - ✔✔Boundaries exist in
nature, actual lines do not
✔✔Calligraphic Lines - ✔✔Occurs when the artist wishes to convey the beauty of lines
as the principle element within a work with little to no regard for representation
✔✔Outlines - ✔✔Used to contain form, control shape and evoke a sense of mass; can
be used to caricature the organic structure of an animal, for instance.
✔✔Contour Lines - ✔✔Used to describe form by flowing around it; not used to simulate
nature; straight and angular lines represent the rigidity of walls and floors while curved
and rhythmic ones enliven figures
✔✔Expressive Lines - ✔✔Used to convey intensity, such as with bold, abrupt lines that
might be use to caricaturize a warrior or fighting man; alternatively, smooth, retrained,
continuous lines can be used to counter intensity.
✔✔Naturalistic Perspective Use of Color - ✔✔Attempts to portray color exactly as he
sees it, altering contrast and brightness to imitate the natural changes that occur as a
result of shadow and light.
,✔✔Use of Color as an organizing element - ✔✔The artist may make color choices in
order to balance the composition; build vaporous or indeterminate forms; to blend colors
around fixed objects; to render sharply defined forms through adjacent, contrasting
colors, for decoration; for expressive purposes to convey mood, emotion or to emphasis
a season; to control light and shadow; to replace light and shadow for an intentional 2-
dimensional effect
✔✔Tone - ✔✔The representation of the shifting variable qualities of light through its
presence, intensity and direction of flow
✔✔Texture - ✔✔Element of Design; Used to describe areas of a composition which
have been treated in a decorative manner, such as where the area is covered by a
formal arrangement of linear patterns and decorative symbols
✔✔Abstraction - ✔✔Describes virtually any artistic product that deviates from visual
realism
✔✔What are the 3 phases of Abstraction? - ✔✔The preparatory phase, exploratory
phase and terminal phase
✔✔The Preparatory Phase - ✔✔Phase of Abstraction; Consists of the artist narrowing
his or her focus to exactly what is to be conveyed. Next, the artist carefully observes or
studies the subject matter, sometimes employing tools and/or media for a documentary
analysis in order to sharpen perceptions and become completely familiar with it prior to
undertaking creative liberties
✔✔The Exploratory Phase - ✔✔Phase of Abstraction; The artist seeks a unification of
his or her response to the subject matter often experimenting with a selection/rejection
process to arrive at the most ideal direction in which to proceed. This process often
reveals additional details, patterns and rhythms and opens up yet additional paths of
experiementation
✔✔The Terminal Phase - ✔✔Phase of Abstraction; Involves a resolution and final
synthesis of previous exploration into a tangible course of action to resolve the work. All
irrelevant details and paths are eliminated. The heart, mind and hand are finally brought
into unity during this phase
✔✔What are the basic types of Geometric Projection? - ✔✔Cabinet, Isometric and
Scientific
✔✔Cabinet Projection - ✔✔Gives a fairly good approximation of how an object will
appear when finished and provides measurements in scale. It isn't a particularly popular
method, however, since it usually requires two translations-top and sides into halves
and ratio translation in terms of size
,✔✔Isometric Projection - ✔✔Preferred when exact conceptions of scale and shape are
requires; the preferred method for tool manufacturing and heavy industry; all
measurements are the same scale and the object is rendered from a general
perspective of being looked down upon
✔✔Scientific Projection - ✔✔Also known as "Central Projection"; The center of the
technique is any one eye or point of focus; The object is rendered in multiple positions-
sometimes exemplified through a drop down or "swing away" drawing; a common
technique of many Renaissance painters such as Masaccio
✔✔Uniform Size - ✔✔The representation of figures or other elements of identical size
which may be nearer or farther from the perspective of the viewer so as to preserve, for
instance, completeness
✔✔Disproportionate Size - ✔✔Purposefully rendering figures or other elements out of
proportion for artistic effect or emphasis
✔✔Single Plane - ✔✔Purposefully eliminating illusions of depth such as when painting
a 3-dimensional object or when rendering in a certain style, such as in Oriental
portraiture
✔✔Omission of Atmospheric Perspective - ✔✔An artist might employ atmospheric
perspective to fad the distinctiveness or color of objects that might normally occur in the
distance
✔✔Multiple Perspective - ✔✔Can be used to represent a different perspective for the
viewer of various elements; particularly useful to render a complex architectural scene
✔✔Diversified Images - ✔✔Can be employed to reveal what might otherwise be hidden
by the limited perspective of a viewer; for instance, to fully reveal everything on a table
full of objects
✔✔Combined Images - ✔✔Useful for rendering a highly comprehensible figure, for
instance, by drawing each portion in its most recognizable form
✔✔Space as an Emotional Element - ✔✔To dramatize, for instance, the
inconsequential "smallness" of figures or objects within or near a massive environment
(at sea, in a dessert, in the sky, etc.)
✔✔What is Kinetic Art? - ✔✔It transcends the implication of time-motion through
abstractive techniques by including real motion as a tangible entity in a work.
✔✔Optical Phenomena - ✔✔Area of Kinetic Art; Occurs when apparent or actual
movement of an object or the observer produces a sensation of change and motion
, ✔✔Transformations - ✔✔Area of Kinetic Art; Occurs when rapid movement seems to
dematerialize an object or when movement invokes a recognizable change in an
object's appearance
✔✔Movable Works - ✔✔Area of Kinetic Art; Encourages the rearrangement or alteration
of a painting or sculpture by the observer who essentially becomes interactive with the
work
✔✔Machines - ✔✔Area of Kinetic Art; Motorized apparatuses equipped with gears,
cranks, camshafts and levers that lift, turn, push and pull
✔✔Light-Play - ✔✔Area of Kinetic Art; Dependent upon movement of either the light
source or the viewer
✔✔Movement Itself - ✔✔Area of Kinetic Art; With self-effacing mechanics and economy
of means
✔✔Portrait - ✔✔A work that represents the likeness of a specific individual, group or
animal; artists are frequently concerned with including some conveyance of emotion or
painting the sitter in a manner that reveals some aspect of his or her personality;
frequently performed in both 2 and 3-dimensions
✔✔Portraiture - ✔✔Refers to the field of portrait making; also used as a general term
referring to portraits
✔✔Self-Portrait - ✔✔Occurs when an artist represents himself or herself as the principal
subject within a work; often accomplished using a reflection in a mirror or in the modern
era, a photograph
✔✔Landscape - ✔✔A work of art such as a painting or photograph that depicts natural
scenery-valleys, mountains, trees, rivers, forests, etc.
✔✔Still Life - ✔✔Created by painting inanimate, common subjects such as food,
flowers, vessels, books and clothing
✔✔How do Form and Content correlate? - ✔✔The intellectual process of understanding
the work is a means of seeking conceptual content within it where content is considered
as an expression of an idea; Form becomes the vehicle by which content is presented.
✔✔What is the process of Composition in Painting? - ✔✔The summation of all means
by which a painter arrives at unifying his or her intended overall effect. First comes the
general design; The manipulation of light and shade is an important aspect that can be
used to evoke emotion or provide a sense of depth; Asymmetrical composition or
purposeful imbalance can 'force' the viewer to scan a work for its subject matter
