Cool colors like blue seem far away in a painting, while warm colors like red seem to come forward. Temperature: How cool or warm a color is.Lavender has a lighter value than deep purple. Fire-engine red has high chroma brick red does not. Hue: The name of a color, like blue or yellow.

Midpoints Thirds Diagonals ColorĬolor makes forms look three-dimensional and lifelike and adds beauty and mood. Artists often use landmarks on the canvas like midpoints, thirds, and diagonals as guideposts for what to put where. CompositionĬomposition is how an artist arranges shapes, light and dark areas, and color to build interest and focus. This type of art can include objects you recognize, but they are not presented in a realistic way. Representational art shows people, places, and things you can easily recognize.Ībstract art uses colors, lines, and shapes to express ideas and images. Art Vocabulary Representational and Abstract In many chapters, you will be looking for midpoints, thirds, and diagonals to help understand how the artist composed the painting (see examples in the next section), and tracing paper will help you find them without marking up the artwork. Having these supplies handy will help you follow the suggestions for learning about composition. You’ll get more out of Discover Her Art with a few supplies: Then, you can try out their techniques-and create masterpieces of your own! Getting Started You’ll study the artists’ techniques for using color, composition, perspective, and more. You’ll explore their works, both abstract and realistic, including landscapes, figures, portraits, and still lifes. In this book, you’ll get a close look at women artists from the 16th to the 20th centuries. That’s because many museum collections and art history books do not include much art by women.

Yet few people can name more than a handful of women artists or recognize their work. Amrita Sher-Gil’s paintings have been officially named national treasures by the government of India. Obama chose a painting by Alma Woodsey Thomas to hang in the White House. Rosa Bonheur was so popular that a doll was crafted in her likeness. You’ll learn about these artists’ painting techniques and their challenges and successes.Īrtists like Rosa Bonheur of France, Alma Woodsey Thomas of the United States, and Amrita Sher-Gil of India were recognized by their peers, were accepted into juried exhibitions, and received major awards. In Discover Her Art, you’ll meet 24 professional women artists and explore their incredible paintings, which range from painstakingly realistic to wildly abstract.

16 Words by Lisa Jean LaBanca Rogers