The Visual Arts: Glossary

This glossary clarifies the meaning of selected key words and concepts as they are used in this curriculum statement. Not all visual arts terms used in the statement are included; where a word is clearly defined in the dictionary, it has not been defined here.

applique a method of decoration in which fabric is cut and attached to the surface of another material to make pictures or patterns

appropriation taking or copying images or ideas, generally to make new works or to present the images or ideas as one's own and usually without permission from the original work's creator

art work a product of art-making activity (e.g., a painting, sculpture, photograph, drawing)

bas-relief a composition in shallow relief on a flat or curved surface (e.g., on a coin)

body of work a collection of developed and assembled works (usually by one artist) that represents an investigation or study

communication conveying or transmitting meaning within a particular context

composition an art work; or the arrangement of elements (e.g., shapes, lines, colours) in an art work

conventions established procedures, in making art works, that use particular techniques or processes to represent, organise, or interpret ideas

cropping cutting off or masking out an unwanted area of an image

culture understandings, patterns of behaviour, practices, values, and symbol systems that are acquired, preserved, and transmitted by a group of people and that can be embodied in art works

design brief a given or negotiated task that clearly identifies a design problem for investigation and resolution, often in accordance with required specifications

drawing a sketch, plan, photograph, computer-generated image, diagram, or model created in order to develop an idea or as an end in itself

electronic media media (e.g., computers, digital cameras) in which images are created and manipulated electronically

elements of the visual arts the basic qualities of two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and time-based compositions (e.g., line, point, tone, texture, colour, form or mass, shape, space)

form a particular field or genre within the visual arts (e.g., painting, printmaking); or the compositional structure of an art work, determined by the organisation of and relationships between the visual arts elements within the work; or the physical shape and dimension of an object within an art work

found materials objects found in the environment and used as tools or media in making art works

genre a type of art work that has a tradition or history and is identifiable by specific characteristics (e.g., portrait, landscape, still life, abstract painting)

geometric abstraction an approach in non-representational art in which observed forms are converted into geometric shapes

icon a symbol, image, motif, emblem, or object that is generally recognised as representative of a person, place, era, or culture

idea a visual, auditory, or kinaesthetic concept, or a combination of these, within an arts discipline

installation a two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or time-based art work (or a combination of these) made specifically for a chosen site or environment and often involving interaction between itself, its audience, and the site

interpretation analysis or appreciation of meaning in an art work by a viewer

kowhaiwhai painted rafter patterns associated with the Maori meeting house

layering applying one layer of opaque or transparent material (e.g., tissue papers, paint, glazes) on top of another

layout the arrangement and positioning in a design of text, illustrations, photographs, diagrams, and so on

maquette a preliminary model in wax, card, wire, or clay, made in preparation for a larger three-dimensional work

materials any physical substances used to make art works, including media (e.g., wax, crayons, oil paint, modelling clay) and found objects (e.g., leaves, shells, wire)

meaning what an artist expresses in an art work; or what a viewer understands and interprets from an art work

media material or materials commonly used to make art works; they include two-dimensional media (e.g., graphite, ink, paint, photographic paper, canvas), three-dimensional media (e.g., fibres, clay, wood, metal, glass, bone, plastics), and time-based media (e.g., film, videotape)

motif a distinct, often repeated idea or feature within a two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or time-based art work

pictorial device a technique in which a visual strategy or an aspect of design is used for a particular picture-making purpose (e.g., using linear perspective and tonal devices to give the illusion of space in a drawing)

plein air painted out of doors in the "open air"

popular culture contemporary culture as defined by the objects, images, artefacts, literature, music, and so on of "ordinary" people

poupou the carved, upright, wooden slabs on the inner walls of a Maori meeting house

principles of the visual arts concepts such as balance, harmony, rhythm, tension, and contrast, achieved in an art work by organising and arranging visual arts elements

procedure a particular way of carrying out an art-making process; for example, the procedures involved in the process of etching include applying the ink to the etching plate, rubbing off the excess, and taking an impression

process a specific art-making method; for example, etching is one of several printmaking processes

relief print any method of printmaking where the surface to be inked is raised or in relief

sequence a series of images, drawings, or art works that shows the development of an idea or storyline

sgraffito a technique that involves scratching through one layer to reveal another

shallow relief construction see bas-relief

silk-screen printing a method of printmaking in which ink is forced through a fine-mesh screen onto a textile or paper surface; images are transferred using a stencil supported by the screen

social text an art work that refers to the society or culture in which it is made and that reflects the dynamics within that society or culture

storyboard a sequence of images or drawings that describes the planned content of a film or video

style the distinguishing characteristics of a particular period, movement, or school of painting, sculpture, design, and so on; or the distinctive personal mannerisms or traits of a particular artist as evidenced in their work

symbol a recognised sign, object, or image that represents something other than itself within a particular cultural context

tapa a cloth that is made in Pacific nations from pounded bark and that has distinctive designs

technique a particular way or method of using a tool or materials to achieve a specific effect (e.g., using the point of a pencil to create a fine line; using a pencil sideways to create light and dark tones)

technologies equipment used to help create, present, explain, document, view, interpret, analyse, or learn about visual arts works, including tools (e.g., chisels, palette knives), materials (e.g., paper, fabric, clay, ink), and film and electronic media (e.g., video, computers)

text any expressive work (artistic or otherwise) that can be "read", whether it uses words, images, or sounds

time-based art art works that are sequenced through time, that change as we view them, and that may be ephemeral (e.g., video, kinetic sculpture, performance works)

tivaevae appliqued quilts from the Cook Islands

viewpoint a compositional device used in depicting space and objects in space (e.g., high and low viewpoints, side-on views, close-ups, distant viewpoints)

wahi tuturu traditional places of cultural or spiritual significance for Maori

wet and dry media art-making media with wet properties (e.g., paint, ink, dyes, washes) or dry properties (e.g., pencil, charcoal, conte, crayon)

whare whakairo carved Maori meeting houses