CAE - Color As Expression Module Overview

Color As Expression Module Overview

Introduction

View the following presentation to get an overview of what you will be learning in this module.

Key Terms

    1. Color - Derived from reflected light.
    2. Texture - How something feels or looks as if it feels.
    3. Proportion - Concern with size relationships with one part to another.
    4. Variety - Different and contrasting elements.
    5. Emphasis - Part of a work dominant over another.
    6. Harmony - Creates unity by stressing separate but related parts.
    7. Symmetry - That the viewer should not be given the impression that something is out of balance, or missing, or wrong.
    8. Figure and Ground - Which happens when you use shading or size to change the brain’s perception. Silhouettes and complex relationships are an example of how our brains create order in chaos.
    9. Sclera- Anatomical term for the part of the eyeball that surrounds the iris, often erroneously known as the "white" of the eye.
    10. Iris - Anatomical term for the colored part of the eyeball that surrounds the pupil.
    11. Pupil - Anatomical term for the black center of the eye. It allows light into the eye and will contract and expand depending the on the amount of light in the environment.
    12. Septum - Anatomical term for the portion of the nose between the two nostrils.
    13. Philtrum - Anatomical term for the portion of the face between the nose and mouth. Lies directly beneath the septum.
    14. Portrait - Image of person. Can be a painting, drawing, sculpture, or photograph.
    15. Mixed Media - Art term for the application of a variety media within one artwork.
    16. Primary Colors - Red, yellow, & blue. Cannot be made by mixing other hues together, but by combining the three primary colors, black and white you can produce every other colors.
    17. Secondary Colors - Orange, violet and green; made by mixing two primary colors.
    18. Tertiary Colors - Red-orange, yellow-orange, blue-green, blue-violet, yellow-green, red-violet; made by mixing a primary color with a secondary color.
    19. Color Schemes - Ways to organize color.
    20. Monochromatic - A color scheme that uses only one hue plus the tints and shades of that hue. Has a strong, unifying effect on a design.
    21. Analogous - Colors that sit side by side on the color wheel and have a common hue. An analogous colors scheme creates a design that ties one shape to the next through a common color.
    22. Complementary - The colors opposite each other on the color wheel. Mixing a hue with its complement dulls the hues or lowers its intensity.
    23. Split-complementary - The combination of one hue plus the hues on each side of its complement. Easier to work with than a straight complementary scheme because it offers more variety.
    24. Triad - Three colors spaced an equal distance apart on the color wheel. Contrast is not as strong as between complements.
    25. Warm Colors: Red, orange, yellow – associated with warm things and seem to move toward the viewer.
    26. Cool Colors: Blue, green, violet – associated with cool things & seem to recede.

Module Lessons Preview

In this module, we will study the following topics:

Artist Focus: Frida Kahlo was a master of the expressive self-portrait. Each of her self-portraits provided personal insight into her life, family, and culture. 

Brief Overview of Portraits through History: To understand the ways artists create meaning through portraiture, it is important to study the evolution of realistic portraits into expressive portraits.  

Review Facial Features and their Anatomy: To create a believable portrait you need to consider the anatomical structure of a facial feature before you add value.

Facial Features and Artist Biography Journal Assignment: Demonstrate understanding of portrait artists and facial structure before you begin the module project. 

Explore a Little Color Theory:  Color is a key element in an expressive portrait, so you will need to review some color theory before you work on your project. 

Portraits and Color Theory Quiz: Module quiz over facial structure and color theory. 

Adding Media to your Portrait to Create Meaning: Review student works to get ideas for your own mixed media portraits.  

Expressive Portrait Project: As a summation of this module, you will create a portrait of yourself or friend using mixed media, a color scheme, and a background to create expressive meaning. 

Upload Expressive Portrait Project to Online Portfolio: Add your work from this module to your online portfolio. 

Mixed Media Portrait Discussion: Upload your completed project and respond to the self-critique prompts before responding to two other students. 

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