Viewing Unit Terms
Shape A space enclosed by a line Shape can be used symbolically i.e.: a heart shape for love
Line Has length and direction Lines can be suggested movement, order, tension, division and emotion
Color The effect of color and shading is emotional Color can be used symbolically i.e.: green for jealousy
Texture The quality or ‘feel’ of an object’s surface
Form Height, width, and depth of a structure that can create perspective
Collage An artistic composition made of various materials mounted on a surface
Emphasis Drawing attention to something by use of color, side or placement
Focal Point The main area of interest Where your eyes are drawn as you look at a poster
Headline Words at the top of an article that indicate the topic [much like the topic]
Thumbnail Sketch A rough ‘draft’ of a visual
Target Audience The intended audience of an artist presenting a piece of work Can be SPECIFIC (ex: elementary school children, parents, educators etc) Or GENERAL (ex: general public, all people)
Purpose The intended goal of an artist in creating and presenting a piece of work It can be the reason for the selection. Ex: to entertain, to inform, to convince, to educate, to persuade
Editorial Cartoon A single frame political/current issues cartoon on the editorial page
Caricatures The exaggerated portrayal of characters in an editorial cartoon
Caption Words beneath a photograph that explains the subject
Layout How images are arranged in a visual Ex: where the print will be placed/where the graphics will be/where the pictures maybe placed
Font Size The best font size to capture the viewer’s attention It is often necessary to use a number of different font sizes
Message Similar to the overall purpose of the visual The point the artist is trying to get across to the target audience
Important Aspects Importance of font size: different font sizes needed Use of color: why certain colors would be used Use of headings Text and Visual needed to get across the message How an ad or poster gets across its message