Key Terms
Key principle
Images present information simultaneously. A reader follows text line by line.
COPYRIGHT
Assume every image is protected unless it explicitly states otherwise. Public domain images are free to use.
Weak
It is obvious that the artist intended that the painting should be something that projects clarity. Strong: The artist i
Arrangement
How the parts of a visual come together in space. Also called composition.
Color and Symbol
Two tools that allow viewer interpretation. Color suggests mood; symbol carries culturally constructed meaning.
Composition
Umbrella term covering all aspects of visual structure. Sometimes used interchangeably with arrangement.
Hybridity
The blending of practical, physical, technological, and artistic methods. In digital art, refers to mixing media, discip
Interpretation
The sense a person makes of communication based on personal experience, context, and rhetorical elements.
Juxtaposition
Placing an ordinary figure next to a powerful one; cutting from a headline to a buried story. Creates jarring moments th
Light
Used to highlight or obscure parts of an image, or to create prismatic, repetitive effects.
Line
Directs and moves the viewer's eye across an image in predetermined patterns.
Multimodal
Using more than one type of literacy within a single work. Text plus image plus sound, for example.
Pattern
Repeated, predictable elements within a visual composition. Guides viewer attention toward intended meaning.
Point of View
Physical placement of the camera or easel. Controls what is included, excluded, and emphasized.
Thesis Statement
One or two sentences stating your position and at least one reason for it. The anchor of any persuasive essay.