♦ Articles About Art | Teresa Bernard Oil Paintings

May 28, 2016May 13, 2019

Can You Name These Famous Paintings From History?

Name that painting…Test your knowledge of art history by naming these famous paintings. Take this simple 25 question test by writing your answers on paper, then check your answers at the end of the quiz. Don’t peek!

What is the name of each famous paintings pictured below?

1. __________ (1503 – 1506) by Leonardo da Vinci

A. Portrait of Lisa Gherardini
B. Mona Lisa
C. Ma Donna
D. My Lady

2. __________ (1511–1512) by Michelangelo

A. The Creation of Adam
B. God Reaches Out
C. Genesis of Man
D. The Touch of God

3. __________ (1665) by Johannes Vermeer

A. Girl with a Blue Headscarf
B. Girl with an Exotic Dress
C. Girl with a Pearl Earring
D. Girl with an Oriental Turban

4. __________ (1893) by Edvard Munch

A. The Ghost
B. The Tormented
C. The Traveler
D. The Scream

5. __________ (1931) by Salvador Dali

A. Time Keeps Slipping
B. The Persistence of Memory
C. The Soft Watches
D. The Melting Watches

6. __________ (1876) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

A. Dance at the Moulin De La Galette
B. Dance in the Country
C. Dance at Bougival
D. Luncheon of the Boating Party

7. __________ (1888) by Vincent van Gogh

A. Roses and Sunflowers
B. Paris Sunflowers
C. Nothing But Sunflowers
D. Sunflowers

8. __________ (1888-1889) by Claude Monet

A. Grainstacks at Giverny, sunset
B. Haystacks as Sunset
C. The Harvest
D. Haystacks in a Field

9. __________ (1871) by Edgar Degas

A. Dance Recital
B. Ballet Rehearsal
C. Dance Class
D. Fin d’Arabesque, with ballerina

10. __________ (1495-1498) by Leonardo da Vinci

A. Jesus and the Twelve Disciples
B. The Last Passover
C. The Final Communion
D. The Last Supper

11. __________ (1873) by Claude Monet

A. Summer Days
B. Poppy Field
C. Country Stroll
D. A Walk in the Park

12. __________ (1936) by American artist Georgia O’Keeffe

A. Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1
B. Portrait of a White Flower
C. No. 13 – Special
D. White Blossom – Special

13. __________ (1875) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

A. Self Portrait
B. Portrait of Vincent van Gogh
C. Portrait of Claude Monet
D. Portrait of Paul Cézanne

14. __________ (1889) by Vincent van Gogh

A. Self Portrait
B. Portrait of Claude Monet
C. Portrait of Pierre-Auguste Renoir
D. Portrait of Paul Cézanne

15. __________ (1882) by Claude Monet

A. City on a Hill
B. Impression Sunrise
C. Cliffs of Dover
D. The Church at Varengeville, Against the Sunset

16. __________ (1898) by Henri Matisse

A. Vase of Sunflowers
B. Vase with Flowers
C. Still Life with Yellow Flowers
D. Yellow Blossoms

17. __________ (1889) by Eilif Peterssen

A. The Fisherman
B. Summer Evening
C. Laksefiskeren, The Salmon Fisher
D. Canal Grande

18. __________ (1874) by Edgar Degas

A. The Rehearsal
B. Ballet Dancers on Stage
C. The Dance Class (La Classe de Danse)
D. Ballet Rehearsal on Stage

19. __________ (c. 1907) by Henri Rousseau

A. The Hungry Lion
B. The Repast of the Lion
C. The Jungle
D. King of the Jungle

20. __________ (1803) by J.M.W. Turner

A. The Jetty of Calais
B. Battle of the Kearsarge and the Alabama
C. Ships at Le Havre
D. The Storm on the Sea of Galilee

21. __________ (1770) by Benjamin West

A. Battle of the Plains of Abraham
B. The Seven Years’ War
C. Battle of Quebec
D. The Death of General Wolfe

22. __________ (1820) by John Lewis Krimmel

A. Merry Company
B. Country Wedding
C. The Marriage of Krimmel’s Daughter
D. The White Dress

23. __________ (1887) by Camille Pissarro

A. Children at Play
B. Two Young Peasant Girls
C. Children on a Farm
D. Kids in a Courtyard

24. __________ (1912) by František Kupka

A. Amorpha, Fugue en deux couleurs (Fugue in Two Colors)
B. Untitled (First Abstract Watercolor)
C. Dances at the Spring
D. The Procession

25. __________ (1912) by Robert Delaunay

A. Formes Circulaires
B. Soleil n°2
C. Colored Rhythm
D. Windows Open Simultaneously

More Quizzes to Test Your Knowledge of the Fine Arts

Test Your Knowledge of Art Appreciation

Test Your Knowledge of COLOR Theory

Test Your Knowledge of Fine Art: Elements and Principles of Design

Test Your Knowledge of Fine Art: Painting

Answers: 1B 2A 3C 4D 5B 6A 7D 8A 9C 10D 11B 12A 13C 14A 15D 16A 17C 18D 19B 20A 21D 22B 23C 24A 25D

UPDATED: 27 May 2016

May 9, 2016May 13, 2019

Basic Art Element — Color, Part 2

color theory In the previous lesson, titled “Basic Art Element — Color, Part 1” we looked at the basics of color and its relationship on the color wheel. In this lesson, color harmony (a.k.a color schemes), will be discussed.

Color Harmony

Color harmony is the relationship of colors that work well together. A harmony can be basic having only one color with several shades (monochromatic) or two colors that complement one another, or it can be a more advanced relationship involving a combination of multiple colors. There are many ideas for achieving harmony in our color palettes. These harmonies are based on the color wheel. A color wheel is a handy tool to have around as it helps the artist understand which colors work well together. Following are some illustrations and descriptions introducing some of the more popular color harmonies.

Color Relationships

• Monochromatic

The word “monochromatic” means one color and a monochromatic color scheme is made from the various tones, shades and tints that are surprisingly possible within a single color. Monochromatic colors work well together, producing a harmonizing and soothing effect.

A monochromatic color scheme is created by choosing a single color from any of the twelve colors found on the color wheel, then using it along with its various tints, shades and tones. The example below is a monochromatic family.

• Complementary

Complementary colors (a.k.a. color opposites) are those that are located directly opposite each other on the color wheel. For example: violet is the complementary of yellow since it is located opposite of yellow on the color wheel.

The complementary or color opposites are:

ο Red and green
ο Yellow and violet
ο Blue and orange
ο Yellow-green and red-purple
ο Yellow-orange and blue-violet
ο Red-orange and blue-green
ο Red-violet and yellow-green
ο Red-orange and blue-green
ο Blue-violet and yellow-orange

Painting tips regarding color opposites:

1) When equal amounts of color opposites are mixed together they will cancel each other out resulting in a drab neutral gray.

color opposites vibrate 2) When color opposites are placed next to each other, especially when fully saturated, they create the strongest contrast between them and will even create the optical illusion of appearing to vibrate. This illusion is most evident between red and green.

• Split-Complementary

A variation on the complementary color scheme is the split-complementary color scheme. Rather than the color opposite the key color on the wheel, the split complementary takes the two colors directly on either side of the complementary color. For example if your key color is yellow, you would select the two colors on either side of violet instead of violet to make up this harmony of colors.

This scheme allows for a nicer range of colors while still not deviating from the basic harmony between the key color and its complementary color. It has the same visual appeal as the complementary color scheme, however, with less contrast and tension. The split complimentary color scheme is a safe choice for virtually any design as it is near impossible to mess up and always looks good.

• Analogous

Analogous colors are groups of three colors that sit next to one another on the color wheel. One being the main or dominant color and two supporting colors. The effect of this color scheme can be quite dramatic as these hues usually work very well together in creating a sense of unity or harmony within the composition.

When using this color scheme, choose one as the dominate color (usually a primary or secondary color), a second color to support, and a third as an accent.

• Accented Analogous

An accented analogous scheme (also called analogous complementary) is a combination of the analogous and complementary color schemes. It consists of colors which sit next to each other on the color wheel and a color that is directly opposite to these. The direct complement then becomes the accent color to create a dynamic contrast against the dominant color grouping. This is a great way to add warmth to a cool analogous color pallet or a cool accent color to an otherwise warm color scheme.

Painting tips using this color scheme:

1) This color scheme works best when the number of colors used are limited to four.

2) A good time to use this scheme is when three closely relate colors are dominating a design. Adding the contrasting color provides a surprising accent for the composition.

• Triadic (Triad)

A triadic color scheme is made up of three colors which are equally spaced from one another on the color wheel forming an equilateral triangle. Thus every fourth color on the color wheel will make up part of a triad.

Some examples of triadic color schemes could be:

ο Red / Yellow / Blue
ο Orange / Green / Violet
ο Yellow-Orange / Blue-Green / Red-Violet
ο Yellow-Green / Blue-Violet / Red-Orange

Painting tips for mixing triad colors:

1) Work with only the three selected colors in your triad and their mixes.
2) Make one of your colors dominant with the other two acting as subordinates.
3) Add variety to your design by including different shades, tints and tones of your triad colors.

Test your knowledge of Color. Take this simple test.

Your Next Art Lesson

If you enjoyed this lesson, be sure to check out another one in this series.

The Basic Elements of Art (Introduction)

Basic Art Element — Color, Part 1

Basic Art Element — Color, Part 2

Basic Art Element — Form

Basic Art Element — Line

Basic Art Element — Shape

Basic Art Element — Space

Basic Art Element — Texture

Basic Art Element — Value

UPDATED: 10 August 2016

March 30, 2016May 13, 2019

Test Your Knowledge of Art Appreciation

Test your knowledge of fine art appreciation. Take this simple 50 question test by writing your answers on paper, then check your answers at the end of the quiz. Don’t peek!

1. __________ is the expression of human creative skill and imagination.

A.    Emphasis
B.    Contour
C.    Art
D.    Dominance

2. In what way is art important in daily life?

A.    It has personal significance.
B.    It reflects our society.
C.    It records history.
D.    It is used for marketing and advertising.
E.    It is a form of self-expression.
F.    All of the above.

3. The way to do an art critique is to __________.

A.    describe, analyze, interpret, and evaluate the piece
B.    talk to the artist
C.    decide if it’s good
D.    write an artist statement

4. A person learning a trade or an art from a skilled worker is called __________.

A.    an apprentice
B.    a mentor
C.    a foreman
D.    a laborer

5. A rule used by artists when planning a good composition.

A.    “Rule of Sketch”
B.    “Rule of Placement”
C.    “Rule of Perspective”
D.    “Rule of Thirds”

6. Andy Warhol, an American painter and filmmaker, is best known for his depiction of what grocery store item?

A.    Apples
B.    Bacon
C.    Tomato Soup
D.    Onions

7. Andy Warhol’s work can best be classified as __________.

A.    realism
B.    pop art
C.    splatterpaint
D,    cubism

8. A style of artwork created using many geometric shapes, often not resembling any object.

A.    Surrealism
B.    Favauvism
C.    Cubism
D.    Baroque

9. An art style where the artist tries to paint a picture exactly how it looks in real life, with as many details as possible.

A.    Impressionism
B.    Pointillism
C.    Realism
D.    Favauvism

10. A style of art where the artist attempts to convey as much of their emotion into the artwork as possible, often using distortion and emphasis.

A.    Expressionism
B.    Surrealism
C.    Cubism
D.    Impressionist

11. The way artwork is arranged is called __________.

A.    emphasis
B.    contour
C.    composition
D.    stylus

12. Surrealism is an art movement which used dream-like images.

True | False

13. An art style where artwork is extremely detailed and ornate.

A.    Surrealism
B.    Baroque
C.    Favauvism
D.    Expressionism

14. Pablo Picasso is from the country of __________.

A.    Germany
B.    Italy
C.    Spain
D.    United States of America

15. What is the title of the style of painting that Picasso invented?

A.    Realism
B.    Impressionism
C.    Cubism
D.    Art Nouveau

16. Where is the “Mona Lisa” hanging in France?

A.    Gargoyle square
B.    The Louvre
C.    The Eiffel Tower
D.    Chartres Cathedral

17. Van Gogh’s most famous work of art to this day __________.

A.    “The Mona Lisa”
B.    “The Scream”
C.    “Starry Night”
D.    “Poppies”

18. What country was Van Gogh born in?

A.    Holland
B.    France
C.    Spain
D.    United States of America

19. Georgia O’Keeffe was an __________ artist.

A.    English
B.    Italian
C.    American
D.    Australian

20. O’Keeffe is best known for her paintings of __________.

A.    the sea and marine animals
B.    enlarged flowers and New Mexico landscapes
C.    native American Indians
D.    the Australian Outback

21. Salvador Dali is considered a Surrealist artist.

True | False

22. Salvador Dali was born in India.

True | False

23. Rembrandt is known as an artist of what style?

A.    Impressionists
B.    Baroque
C.    Modern
D.    Prehistoric

24. Rembrandt, considered one of the greatest painters and printmakers in European art, was born in what country?

A.    Netherlands
B.    Switzerland
C.    France
D.    Spain

25. Monet is the father of which movement?

A.    Realism
B.    Impressionism
C.    Cubism
D.    Art Nouveau

26. Where did Monet grow up?

A.    Holland
B.    England
C.    France
D.    United States of America

27. Georges Seurat, the artist who created the painting “Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte”, used which method of art?

A.    Cubism
B.    Pointillism
C.    Abstract
D.    Dadaism

28. “Mona Lisa” was painted by __________.

A.    Vincent van Gogh
B.    Claude Monet
C.    Picasso
D.    Leonardo da Vinci

29. “Sunflowers” was painted by __________.

A.    Pierre-August Renoir
B.    Vincent van Gogh
C.    Johannes Vermeer
D.    Michelangelo

30. “Poppies in a Field” was painted by __________.

A.    Claude Monet
B.    Leonardo da Vinci
C.    Rene Magritte
D.    Johannes Vermeer

31. “The Scream” was painted by __________.

A.    Vincent van Gogh
B.    Pierre-August Renoir
C.    Edvard Munch
D.    Claude Monet

32. “The Last Supper” was painted by __________.

A.    Leonardo da Vinci
B.    Pierre-August Renoir
C.    Edvard Munch
D.    Michelangelo

33. “Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette” was painted by __________.

A.    Rene Magritte
B.    Picasso
C.    Pierre-August Renoir
D.    Johannes Vermeer

34. “Girl with a Pearl Earring” was painted by __________.

A.    Picasso
B.    Johannes Vermeer
C.    Michelangelo
D.    Edvard Munch

35. “Dance Class” was painted by __________.

A.    Claude Monet
B.    Leonardo da Vinci
C.    Edgar Degas
D.    Rene Magritte

36. “Creation of Adam” was painted by __________.

A.    Michelangelo
B.    Johannes Vermeer
C.    Pierre-August Renoir
D.    Leonardo da Vinci

37. “The Persistence of Memory” was painted by __________.

A.    Johannes Vermeer
B.    Pierre-August Renoir
C.    Salvador Dali
D.    Leonardo da Vinci

38. What does a color wheel show?

A.    Complementary colors
B.    Analogous colors
C.    Primary colors
D.    All of the above

39. Movement in art where hundreds of dots are used to create a picture or painting.

A.    Pointilism
B.    Impressionism
C.    Realism
D.    Abstract

40. The artist Edgar Degas was best known for his paintings of waterlilies.

True | False

41. Edward Degas was a nineteenth-century French artist famous for his paintings, sculptures, prints, and drawings.

True | False

42. Impressionism is a 19th century art movement that mainly focused on the __________.

A.    study of geometric form
B.    study of negative and positive space
C.    study of light on the surface of an object
D.    study of value

43. Art that emerged in the mid-1950s that used imagery from popular culture is termed __________.

A.    Impressionism
B.    Realism
C.    Minimalism
D.    Pop Art

44. A twentieth century non-representational painting style in which artists applied paints freely to express feelings and emotions.

A.    Abstract Expressionism
B.    Fauvism
C.    Pop Art
D.    Cubism

45. Jackson Pollock’s paintings were classified as what?

A.    Realism
B.    Grotesque
C.    Surreal
D.    Splatterpaint

46. Jackson Pollock was an influential American painter and a major figure in what movement?

A.    American Modernism
B.    Pop Art
C.    Abstract Expressionist
D.    Minimalism

47. An English landscape painter of the late eighteenth century, known for his pastoral scenes.

A.    John Constable
B.    Willem de Kooning
C.    Pablo Picasso
D.    Vincent van Gogh

48. Cityscapes, or as it is sometimes called Urban Landscapes, are paintings whose subject matter is the physical aspects of the city and urban life.

True | False

49. A collection of meaningless shapes, texture and colors thrown haphazardly onto a canvas. Its purpose is to let the viewer interpret its meaning for him/herself.

A.    Still Life
B.    Grotesque
C.    Collage
D.    Abstract

50. Naïve Art is works of art characterized by a childlike simplicity that possesses minute detail, bright saturated colors, disproportionate figures and lack of perspective.

True | False

Additional Reading

Know Your Art Painting Styles: 7 Most Popular

What Is Art Appreciation?

Classification Of Fine Art Paintings By Genre

Answers: 1C 2F 3A 4A 5D 6C 7B 8C 9C 10A 11C 12T 13B 14C 15C 16B 17C 18A 19C 20B 21T 22F 23B 24A 25B 26C 27B 28D 29B 30A 31C 32A 33C 34B 35C 36A 37C 38D 39A 40F 41T 42C 43D 44A 45D 46C 47A 48T 49D 50T

UPDATED: 30 March 2016

March 29, 2016May 13, 2019

Test Your Knowledge of Fine Art: Painting

art brush care Test your knowledge of fine art painting. Take this simple test by writing your answers on paper, then check your answers at the end of the quiz. Don’t peek!

1. The primary colors are __________.

A.    Red-orange, red-purple, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, and blue-purple
B.    Green, orange, and purple
C.    White, black, gray, and brown
D.    Red, blue, and yellow

2. Which of the following are examples of cool colors?

A.    Orange, green and purple (or violet)
B.    Blue, green and violet (or purple)
C.    Yellow, blue and red
D.    White, black and brown

3. Which of the following are examples of warm colors?

A.    Yellow, red, and orange
B.    Yellow, red and blue
C.    Yellow, green and blue
D.    Orange, purple and green

4. What color is the result of mixing red + yellow?

A.    Violet (Purple)
B.    Orange
C.    Brown
D.    Green

5. What color is the result of mixing red + blue?

A.    Violet (Purple)
B.    Orange
C.    Brown
D.    Green

6. What color is the result of mixing yellow + blue?

A.    Violet (Purple)
B.    Orange
C.    Brown
D.    Green

7. What color is the result of mixing red + yellow + blue?

A.    Violet (Purple)
B.    Orange
C.    Brown
D.    Green

8. A self-portrait is when an artist creates a painting of someone else.

True | False

9. A landscape is depiction of natural outdoor scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, forests, etc. as the main subject.

True | False

10. A still life painting is a work of art that depicts an arrangement of inanimate objects (such as food, household items, flowers, plants, rocks, and sea shells, for example).

True | False

11. A seascape is a work of art that portrays the sea and marine or sea life. It can also include views of the sea and geographical locations with good views of the sea.

True | False

12. A painting done of wild or domestic animals can be classified as a wildlife painting.

True | False

13. The placement of line, shape, color and value in a work of art; basically the total design.

A.    Value
B.    Composition
C.    Emphasis
D.    Sketch

14. Creating dominance or importance in an artwork is called __________.

A.    Emphasis
B.    Value
C.    Art
D.    Composition

15. The the first step in painting a still life is __________.

A.    drawing contours
B.    shading your objects
C.    choosing a composition
D.    adding visual texture

16. Which technique can be used to show the illusion of depth?

A.   Linear perspective
B.   Shading/Value
C.   Overlapping
D.   All the above

17. When creating depth, objects that are farther away should be __________ in size than objects that are closer.

A.   fatter
B.   smaller
C.   larger
D.   taller

18. Objects that appear in the center of an art work are called __________.

A.    foreground
B.    middle-ground
C.    background
D.    horizon

19. The center of interest in a work of art is the area that attracts the viewer’s eye. It is also called __________.

A.    focal point
B.    texture
C.    form
D.    balance

20. A tool used by an artist to obtain proper proportion and placement of a drawing is called a __________.

A.    calculator
B.    grid
C.    line
D.    protractor

21. The background is the portion of the art that is in front of the objects.

True | False

22. The horizon line is an real line where the land meets the sky.

True | False

23. How can an artist show unity in their artwork?

A.    By drawing happy people
B.    By using principles of design that work together to create harmony
C.    By using many different elements and principles in their artwork
D.    By drawing everything really close together

24. Negative space is the background or space around the subject of the artwork.

True | False

25. As a rule in painting, objects in the background are usually made lighter to show __________.

A.    distance
B.    detail
C.    emphasis
D.    movement

26. Perspective is used in art to create __________.

A.    a vivid painting
B.    the illusion of depth
C.    create pattern
D.    create balance

27. The aesthetic center of interest is located directly in the middle of the format.

True | False

28. The point on the horizon line where parallel lines appear to disappear.

A.    Tonal Range
B.    Proportion
C.    Vanishing Point
D.    Linear Perspective

29. Two lines that eventually come together are converging.

True | False

30. What essential tool is necessary to create linear perspective?

A.    Compass
B.    Projector
C.    Ruler or straight edge
D.    Calculator

31. An object in the foreground should be drawn small and toward the top of the paper.

True | False

32. Objects in the middle ground of an artwork should be drawn larger than objects in the background.

True | False

33. The way we show objects in proportion to one another as they recede to a distant point.

A.    Contrast
B.    Foreshortening
C.    Linear Perspective
D.    Form

34. The placement of the horizon line depends on the artist’s point of view.

True | False

35. Flat, filbert, round, and bright are all standard art brush shapes used for oil painting.

True | False

36. When artists think about their composition, they are thinking about __________.

A.    a technique used by modern artists to make designs by attaching two and three dimensional objects to a flat surface
B.    lines that show the edges of forms and shapes in the simplest way
C.    ordered arrangement of elements in a work of art, usually according to the principles of design
D.    a system of drawing to give the illusion of depth on a flat surface

37. The area on a surface that reflects the most light is a _________.

A.    shadow
B.    highlight
C.    tone
D.    hue

38. The three basic properties of an artwork are composition, content and __________.

A.    principles of art
B.    subject
C.    elements of art
D.    perspective

39. When you paint you should always clean your brush to __________.

A.    know what brush you are using
B.    share it with your friends
C.    keep it looking new
D.    keep it clean so your colors stay beautiful

40. The rule of thirds dictates __________.

A.    that three colors should be used in an artwork
B.    the design be limited to three objects
C.    where the main subjects in a work of art should be placed
D.    the canvas should be divided into three main sections

Answers: 1D 2B 3A 4B 5A 6D 7C 8F 9T 10T 11T 12T 13C 14A 15C 16D 17B 18B 19A 20B 21F 22F 23B 24T 25A 26B 27F 28C 29T 30C 31F 32T 33C 34T 35T 36C 37B 38B 39D 40C

UPDATED: 22 April 2016

March 23, 2016May 13, 2019

Test Your Knowledge of COLOR Theory

tube of oil paint Test your knowledge of color theory as it applies to fine art. Take this simple test by writing your answers on paper, then check your answers at the end of the quiz. Don’t peek!

1. Color is _______.

A.    a design principle
B.    an element of art
C.    a value
D.    none of the above

2. What color can not be made by mixing any other color?

A.    Yellow
B.    Green
C.    Purple
D.    Gray

3. What are the primary colors?

A.    Red-orange, red-purple, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, and blue-purple
B.    Green, orange, and purple
C.    White, black, gray, and brown
D.    Red, blue, and yellow

4. The choice of colors used in a design plan is called a _______.

A.    color spectrum
B.    color wheel
C.    color scheme
D.    color mix

5. A circular chart used to show color relationships is called a _______.

A.    color ray
B.    color wheel
C.    color circle
D.    color scheme

6. Secondary colors are created by mixing two _______.

A.    neutral colors
B.    complementary colors
C.    primary colors
D.    intermediate or Tertiary colors

7. Colors that are different in lightness and darkness are said to be _______.

A.    contrasting
B.    light in value
C.    dark in value
D.    bright and intense

8. What are the secondary colors?

A.    Red-orange, red-purple, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, and blue-purple
B.    Green, orange, and purple
C.    White, black, gray, and brown
D.    Red, blue, and yellow

9. Which of the following are examples of cool colors?

A.    Orange, green and purple (or violet)
B.    Blue, green and violet (or purple)
C.    Yellow, blue and red
D.    White, black and brown

10. Which of the following are examples of warm colors?

A.    Yellow, red, and orange
B.    Yellow, red and blue
C.    Yellow, green and blue
D.    Orange, purple and green

11. Yellow-orange, red-orange, and yellow-green are examples of _______ colors.

A.    intermediate or tertiary
B.    secondary
C.    primary
D.    triadic

12. _______ is another word for brightness of a color.

A.    Value
B.    Intensity
C.    Hue
D.    Complementary

13. What are the tertiary colors?

A.    Red-orange, red-purple, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, and blue-purple
B.    Green, orange, and purple
C.    White, black, gray, and brown
D.    Red, blue, and yellow

14. Monochromatic colors are all the colors (tints, tones, and shades) of a single hue.

True | False

15. Complimentary colors are side by side on the color wheel.

True | False

16. To make a shade you would add _______ to a color.

A.    black
B.    white
C.    brown
D.    yellow

17. What words are used to describe color temperature?

A.    Light and Dark
B.    Hot and Cold
C.    Black and White
D.    Warm and Cool

18. Which colors will give you the greatest contrast?

A.    Red and blue
B.    Blue and green
C.    Red and green
D.    Green and yellow

19. How many colors are on the basic color wheel?

A.    Three primary and three secondary colors
B.    Three cool and three warm colors
C.    Three pairs of complementary colors
D.    All of the above

20. Analogous colors is another term for complementary colors.

True | False

21. Red and green are examples of complementary colors.

True | False

22. The color plan of red, yellow and blue is an example of a triad color scheme.

True | False

23. A related color scheme would be colors that are next to each other on the color wheel.

True | False

24. Tints of colors may be created by adding white. Pink is a tint of red.

True | False

25. Intensity refers to the purity of a hue.

True | False

26. Blue and orange are _______ colors.

A.    primary
B.    related or analogous
C.    secondary
D.    complementary

27. Red, yellow, and blue are _______ colors.

A.    primary
B.    related or analogous
C.    secondary
D.    complementary

28. Yellow, yellow-orange, orange are _______ colors.

A.    primary
B.    related or analogous
C.    secondary
D.    complementary

29. Red and green are _______ colors.

A.    primary
B.    related or analogous
C.    secondary
D.   complementary

30. Orange, green and violet (or purple) are _______ colors.

A.    primary
B.    related or analogous
C.    secondary
D.    complementary

31. Purple, blue, and red-violet are _______ colors.

A.    primary
B.    related or analogous
C.    secondary
D.    complementary

32. Colors that are across from each other on the color wheel are called ________ .

A.    intermediate or tertiary colors
B.    analogous colors
C.    color triad
D.   complementary colors

33. Three colors that are equal distance apart on the color wheel are called ________ .

A.    intermediate or tertiary colors
B.    analogous colors
C.    color triad
D.    complementary colors

34. Colors that are next to each other on the color wheel are called ________ .

A.    intermediate or tertiary colors
B.    analogous colors
C.    color triad
D.    complementary colors

35. ________ are obtained by mixing secondary colors and primary colors.

A.    Intermediate or Tertiary colors
B.    Analogous colors
C.    Color triad
D.    Complementary colors

36. ________ are obtained by adding white to a hue.

A.    Neutrals
B.    Tints
C.    Secondary colors
D.    Shades

37. ________ are obtained by mixing two primary colors.

A.    Neutrals
B.    Tints
C.    Secondary colors
D.    Shades

38. ________ are obtained by adding black to a hue.

A.    Neutrals
B.    Tints
C.    Secondary colors
D.    Shades

39. Colors that go with all color plans — white, black, gray and brown — are called _______ .

A.    Neutrals
B.    Tints
C.    Secondary colors
D.    Shades

40. Blue, green and purple are cool colors.

True | False

41. All colors are made from red, blue, and yellow.

True | False

42. Yellow, red, and orange are cool colors.

True | False

43. Purple is an example of a primary color.

True | False

44. The lightness or darkness of a color is referred to as the _______ .

A.    shape
B.    value
C.    intensity
D.   texture

45. The brightness or dullness of a color is referred to as the _______ .

A.    shape
B.    value
C.    intensity
D.   texture

46. The pure hue is at its brightest _______ right from the bottle.

A.    shape
B.    value
C.    intensity
D.   texture

47. What color is the result of mixing red + yellow?

A.    Violet (Purple)
B.    Orange
C.    Brown
D.    Green

48. What color is the result of mixing red + blue?

A.    Violet (Purple)
B.    Orange
C.    Brown
D.    Green

49. What color is the result of mixing yellow + blue?

A.    Violet (Purple)
B.    Orange
C.    Brown
D.    Green

50. What color is the result of mixing red + yellow + blue?

A.    Violet (Purple)
B.    Orange
C.    Brown
D.    Green

For more on color see blog article titled “Basic Art Element — Color” .

UPDATED: 23 March 2016

Answers: 1B 2A 3D 4C 5B 6C 7A 8B 9B 10A 11A 12B 13A 14T 15F 16A 17D 18C 19D 20F 21T 22T 23T 24T 25T 26D 27A 28B 29D 30C 31B 32D 33C 34B 35A 36B 37C 38D 39A 40T 41T 42F 43F 44B 45C 46C 47B 48A 49D 50C

March 22, 2016May 13, 2019

Test Your Knowledge of Fine Art: Elements and Principles of Design

an introduction to the principles of good design. Test your knowledge of the elements and principles of good design. Take this simple test by writing your answers on paper, then check your answers at the end of the test. Don’t peek!

1. The principles of good design are _______.

A.    color, depth, form, line, shape, space, texture, and value
B.    balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, proportion, repetition, simplicity, space, and unity
C.    all of the above
D.    none of the above

2. The elements of design are _______.

3. A type of balance in which both sides of a composition are balanced yet different is called _______.

A.    asymmetrical
B.    radial
C.    symmetrical
D.    geometric

4. Formal balance is another word for _______ balance.

A.    asymmetrical
B.    radial
C.    symmetrical
D.    geometric

5. Another word for “center of interest” is _______.

A.    focal point
B.    emphasis
C.    dominance
D.    all of the above

6. The choice of colors used in a design plan is called a _______.

A.    color spectrum
B.    color wheel
C.    color scheme
D.    color mix

7. A circular chart used to show color relationships is called a _______.

A.    color scheme
B.    color wheel
C.    color ray
D.    color circle

8. Colors that are different in lightness and darkness are said to be _______.

A.    contrasting
B.    light in value
C.    dark in value
D.    bright and intense

9. Which of the following can be used to create contrast in a composition?

A.    Smooth and rough textures
B.    Large and small shapes
C.    Plain areas against areas of patterns
D.   All of the above

10. _______ is another word for the brightness of a color.

A.    Value
B.    Intensity
C.    Hue
D.    Complementary

11. _______ is an element of art that refers to the sense of touch.

A.    Value
B.    Pattern
C.    Texture
D.    Shape

12. Negative space is the background or area surrounding an object in a composition.

True | False

13. Rhythm is created when various visual elements are repeated.

True | False

14. Variation is the use of the same lines, shapes, textures, and colors within an artwork.

True | False

15. Unity is obtained when all parts of a design are working together as a team.

True | False

16. Blue and orange are _______ colors.

A.    primary
B.    related or analogous
C.    secondary
D.    complementary

17. Red, yellow, and blue are _______ colors.

A.    primary
B.    related or analogous colors
C.    secondary colors
D.    complementary colors

18. Visual _______ is achieved when all parts of a composition have equal weight and appear to be stable.

A.    focal point
B.    unity
C.    balance
D.    pattern

19. _______ is a three-dimensional geometrical figure showing height, width and depth.

A.    Space
B.    Form
C.    Balance
D.    Line

20. Various art elements, like lines, colors, or shapes, that are repeated over and over in a planned way creates a _______.

A.    focal point
B.    unity
C.    balance
D.    pattern

21. The lightness or darkness of a color is referred to as the _______.

A.    shape
B.    value
C.    intensity
D.   texture

22. _______ may be geometric or organic.

A.    Shape
B.    Value
C.    Intensity
D.   Texture

23. _______ is the suggestion of action or direction, the path our eyes follow when we look at a work of art.

A.    Proportion
B.    Simplicity or visual economy
C.    Rhythm
D.    Movement

24. _______ is the relation of two things in size, number, amount, or degree within a design.

A.    Proportion
B.    Simplicity or visual economy
C.    Rhythm
D.    Movement

25. _______ is the elimination of all non-essential elements or details to reveal the essence of a form.

A.    Proportion
B.    Simplicity or visual economy
C.    Rhythm
D.    Movement

26. Symmetry, asymmetry and radial are all types of _______.

A.    Texture
B.    Balance
C.    Patterns
D.    Form

27. Creating a sense of visual oneness in a work of art is called _______.

A.    Form
B.    Value
C.    Unity
D.    Texture

28. _______ is a mark with greater length than width. They can be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, sraight, curved, thick, or thin.

A.    Color
B.    Shape
C.    Texture
D.    Line

29. Shapes and/or forms similar to those found in nature are _______.

A.    geometric
B.    pattern
C.    organic
D.    texture

30. The element of art referring to the emptiness or area between, around, above, below or within objects:

A.    color
B.    shape
C.    form
D.    space

31. Space is the element of art that helps create the illusion of a foreground, middle ground and background.

True | False

Additional Reading

For more information on this subject see:

UPDATED: 22 April 2016

Answers: 1B 2A 3A 4C 5D 6C 7B 8A 9D 10B 11C 12T 13T 14F 15T 16D 17A 18C 19B 20D 21B 22A 23D 24A 25B 26B 27C 28D 29C 30D 31T

March 17, 2016December 28, 2018

Naming Your Artwork — Tips for the Fine Artist

Here are some helpful tips for the fine artist on how to name their oil paintings and other works of art for exhibit or sale.

Tip #1: Keep it simple and keep it short. Don’t make your titles lengthy or complicated. Keeping it simple is always best. Make them easy to remember and understand. You’ll get better results that way.

Tip #2: Make your titles descriptive but not too personal. Instead of being ambiguous, consider naming your art something that describes exactly what is going on in the artwork. For example, you just completed a still life painting of some fruit and a candle on a bedside table, you could name it “Still Life with Fruit and Candle“.

In addition, you should not get too personal with your descriptive titles. If your painting is of your sister, it would not be best to name it “My Younger Sister Liz”. No one except a family member would be interested in buying such a painting, however, if you were to name it “Girl in a Pink Dress”, then you have suddenly expanded your audience to more potential buyers.

Tip # 3: Include the name of the place when naming a painting of a particular location, especially if it is of a famous place. People want to know what or where the location is especially if it is a place they are familiar with, such as a familiar mountain range, hometown or old homestead where they grew up, etc. They will also want to know the name if it is a place they have visited before or hope to visit someday. Be sure to title the painting by location name if it is a famous landmark, national monument or park. Lastly if it is place not that familiar to many, but viewers can still curious enough to want to know the name.

Tip #4: Never name your painting “Untitled”. This can be a real deal stopper and a complete turn off to a potential customer. Viewers and potential buyers will have a hard time believing your work has value if your piece is simply called “Untitled”. Titles do matter to an art buyer!

Furthermore, if you are selling online, “Untitled” won’t get you anywhere in the search engines. Try typing the keyword “untitled” in Google or some other search engine and see what the results are. You’ll have a hard time finding your masterpiece in the SERPs (Search Engine Results Page). It will be buried so deep your painting will never get found.

Tip #5: For specific genres, like portraits, landscapes, historic events, etc., you might try the following:

Portraits — Include the individual’s name, add the date, and/or occupation.
Landscapes — Start with the location, maybe include the time of day, season of the year, and perhaps the mood as well. Example: “The Garden Tomb at Sunset“
Historic event — Name it by what the event is, such as “First Man on the Moon“.

Tip #6: Start with the artwork’s focal point. This will usually be most the obvious elements of the piece. Titling your artwork after the focal point will help others to understand your artwork better, especially if your piece is an abstract.

Tip #7: Get others involved in the naming process. You can ask others for help naming your artwork or get their impressions on a title you are considering. What might sound like a clever title to you, could actually be a total flop. Getting feedback from others will help you choose just the right name for your masterpiece.

Tip #8: For multiple pieces in a series of paintings, you might want to name them sequentially. For instance if you wanted to do a series of snow paintings, they could titled “Fence Post in the Snow #1”, “Fence Post in the Snow #2”, and “Fence Post in the Snow #3” etc. You get the idea. Or you can give them all similar names like I did in my Peggy’s Cove series. I simply named these “Peggy’s Cove“, “Return to Peggy’s Cove” and “Peggy’s Cove Revisited“.

If you have a tip for naming your works of art, share them by commenting below.

UPDATED: 17 March 2016

February 17, 2016May 13, 2019

Basic Art Element — Space

Space is one of the basic elements of art. It refers to the distance between or the area around and within shapes, forms, colors and lines. Space can be positive or negative. It includes the background, foreground and middle ground. Both positive and negative space can play important roles in the overall success of a work of art. By understanding the difference between the two, you will:

Become better at designing unified compositions.
Be more successful in visually communicating your story.
Gain important clues about the meaning of an art piece.

positive and negative space

There are two types of space that exist within art — positive space and negative space. Positive space is the actual objects or shapes within an artwork and negative space is the space around and between those objects. A good way to demonstrate positive and negative space is by utilizing Rubin’s vase. (Refer to illustration.) As you can see the vase occupies what would be referred to as positive space and the space surrounding the vase is negative space. Notice how the negative space is forming silhouettes of two faces in profile.

Positive Space

Positive space is the area or part of the composition that an object or subject occupies. It is usually the main focus of the painting, such as a vase of flowers, fruit, or candle in a still life, a person’s face in a portrait, or an animal in a wild life painting, or a building, trees and hills in a landscape. When used skillfully, positive space will add interest by enhancing and balancing the negative space in a composition.

Negative Space

Negative space is that empty or open space that surrounds an object. It helps to define the object, gives it some breathing room to prevent the painting from being too crowded and has a huge impact on how the art piece is perceived.

An interesting thing about negative space is it can be used to prompt viewers to seek out subtle hidden images within the negative space causing your design to get more attention and to be remembered while other less interesting works aren’t.

Why is negative space so important?

It can add interest and is an excellent way to draw attention to your works of art. A good balance between great negative space and intrigue will cause the viewer to desire more time looking at your work of art.
It can draw the viewer in giving them a sense of inclusion because they discovered a subtle hidden message or image in the composition. Even though it may be a simple composition, great negative space reveals there is more to the piece than first meets the eye making it a more rewarding experience for the viewer.
It gives the eye a “place to rest,” thereby adding to the subtle appeal of the composition. The equal amounts of both negative and positive is considered by many to be good design.

Questions

Does a negative space have shape?
In what ways is negative space important to the overall success of a composition?

Additional Information

Principles of Good Design: Space

Your Next Art Lesson

If you enjoyed this lesson, be sure to check out another one in this series.

The Basic Elements of Art (Introduction)

Basic Art Element — Color, Part 1

Basic Art Element — Color, Part 2

Basic Art Element — Form

Basic Art Element — Line

Basic Art Element — Shape

Basic Art Element — Space

Basic Art Element — Texture

Basic Art Element — Value

UPDATED: 10 August 2016

February 1, 2016May 13, 2019

Basic Art Element — Texture

Anything that has a surface has some type of texture. Texture is the way a surface looks and feels. It is experienced in two ways — with touch (tactile) and with our eyes (visually). Fine artists often use texture in the following ways to:

create a focal point
add interest
provide contrast
visually balance their compositions

Texture is essential in paintings to make objects appear to be real. Even in abstract paintings texture can serve to enhance the viewers experience by suggesting certain feelings or mood regarding the artwork. Texture can also serve to organize and unify various areas of a composition.

Texture can either add to or take away from the overall effect of the composition. When it is used haphazardly or in the wrong way, it can confuse or clutter the painting. However, when used with deliberate skill, texture will bring a composition together creating the illusion of realism and adding unity.

There are two types of texture — tactile and visual.

Tactile texture is the real thing. It is the actual way a surface feels when it is felt or touched, such as rough, smooth, soft, hard, silky, slimy, sticky, etc. 3-D art such as sculpture and architectural structures are tactile in nature because they can be felt. An example of real texture would be wood, sandpaper, canvas, rocks, glass, granite, metal, etc.

Even the brush strokes used in a painting can create a textured surface that can be felt and seen. The building up of paint on the surface of a canvas or board, so that it creates actual texture, is called impasto. Painters may choose to apply their paints thickly or thinly depending on overall effect that is wished to be achieved.

Visual texture is not real texture. All textures you observe in photographs are visual textures. No matter how rough objects may seem to appear in a photograph, the surface of the photograph is always going to be smooth and flat to the touch.

Artists can create the illusion of texture in their paintings by simulation or implying it through the use of various art elements such as line, shading and color. It is created by repeating lines, dot or other shapes to create a pattern. Varying the size, density, and orientation of these marks will produce other desired effects as well.

Common Textures

Although there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of different types of texture, nonetheless, all texture will fall under two broad categories — rough and smooth. For example:

Rough	Smooth
Course	Fine
Bumpy	Slick
Dry	Wet
Flat	Wrinkled
Scaly	Silky
Glossy	Matte
Sandy	Slimy
Hairy	Bald
Hard	Soft
Prickly	Velvety
Sharp	Dull
Sticky	Slippery

What other textures can you think of? Comment below.

Your Next Art Lesson

If you enjoyed this lesson, be sure to check out another one in this series.

The Basic Elements of Art (Introduction)

Basic Art Element — Color, Part 1

Basic Art Element — Color, Part 2

Basic Art Element — Form

Basic Art Element — Line

Basic Art Element — Shape

Basic Art Element — Space

Basic Art Element — Texture

Basic Art Element — Value

UPDATED: 10 August 2016

February 1, 2016May 13, 2019

Basic Art Element — Color, Part 1

tube of oil paint

Color is the element of art that involves light. It is produced when light waves strike an object and are reflected into our eyes. It consists of three properties: hue, intensity, and value.

Hue — This is simply the name that is given to a color, such as red, yellow, blue, purple, green, orange, etc.
Intensity (or saturation) — This refers to the purity or dullness of a color. Purity is determined by whether or not a color has been mixed with another color and if so, to what degree. Colors straight from the tube are considered the most intense. Those mixed with other colors are considered less intense. There are two methods that can be used to dull the intensity of a color:
1) Mix the color with gray
2) Mix the color with its complement
Value — This is the lightness or darkness of a color. A color’s value changes when white or black is added. Adding white creates a “tint” of that color and adding black creates a “shade”.

Using color effectively in the creation of art involves understanding three basic areas: the color wheel, color value, and color schemes or as it is also referred to, color harmony.

The Color Wheel

The color wheel (sometimes called a color circle) is a handy tool often used by artists and interior decorators as a visual aid in understanding the relationship between colors. It was developed in 1666 by Sir Isaac Newton when he took the color spectrum and bent it into a circle. The color wheel is a circular chart divided into 12 sections with each sector showing a different color. It is made up of three different types of colors – primary, secondary, and tertiary. The term “tertiary” means third, by the way.

Primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. These colors are equally distanced apart on the color wheel. There only three primary colors and they are the most basic colors on the wheel. They cannot be created by mixing any other colors together and can only be derived through natural pigments. All other colors found on the color wheel can be mixed from these three basic colors.
Secondary colors are orange, green and purple (or violet). These colors are created from mixing equal parts of any two primary colors together.
- Red + yellow = orange
- Yellow + blue = green
- Blue + red = violet (purple)
Tertiary colors are red-purple, red-orange, blue-green, blue-purple, yellow-green, and yellow-orange. There are six tertiary colors and they are the result from mixing equal parts of a primary color with a secondary color. The proper way to refer to tertiary colors is by listing the primary color first and then the secondary color. That’s why tertiary colors are referred to by a two word name.
- Red + violet (purple) = red-violet (red-purple)
- Red + orange = red-orange
- Blue + green = blue-green
- Blue + violet (purple) = blue-violet (blue-purple)
- Yellow + orange = yellow-orange
- Yellow + green = yellow-green

Color Values

Color also has a value. Value is a measurement to describe the lightness or darkness of a color. It is determined based on how close the color is to white. For instance, lighter colors such as yellow will have lighter values than darker colors like navy blue.

A good way to see the difference in the values of colors is to look at the greyscale. White is the lightest value, while black is the darkest. Middle gray is the value halfway between these two extremes.

The value of a color value can be affected simply by adding white or black to it. By adding white to a hue, a lighter value is the result. Lighter values are called “tints”. When is black added to a hue, the value becomes darker, creating a “shade” of that color. See example below.

Color Temperature

The temperature of color is how we perceive a particular color, either warm or cool. Warm colors range from red to yellow on the color wheel, whereas cool colors range from blue to green and to violet. Each temperature takes-up one-half of the color wheel (see images below). Somewhere in the green and violet spectrums the temperature changes between warm and cool.

The characteristics of warm and cool colors include:

Warm Colors

• are made with red, orange, or yellow and combinations of them
• tend to feel warm reminding us of heat and sunshine
• tend to advance into the foreground, i.e. come toward the viewer
• may feel more energetic, attention-grabbing and aggressive

Cool colors

• are made with blue, green, or violet and combinations of them
• tend to feel cool reminding us of water and sky
• tend to recede into the background, i.e. move away from the viewer
• are more calming and soothing

Neutral Colors

Neutral colors do not appear on the color chart and are neither warm nor cool. They are called neutral because they lack color and are derived by mixing equal parts of color opposites together (i.e. red + green, blue + orange, or yellow + purple) resulting in drab looking grays.

Black and white are also consider neutral because they are neither warm or cool and do not change color.

This lesson on color continues in part 2 where color harmony is discussed.

Test your knowledge of color by taking this simple online test.

Your Next Art Lesson

If you enjoyed this lesson, be sure to check out another one in this series.

The Basic Elements of Art (Introduction)

Basic Art Element — Color, Part 1

Basic Art Element — Color, Part 2

Basic Art Element — Form

Basic Art Element — Line

Basic Art Element — Shape

Basic Art Element — Space