Art Vocab Quiz

What does the term "medium" refer to in visual arts?

• The size of the artwork

• The materials used to create the artwork

• The age of the artist

• The theme of the artwork

Answer explanation

The term 'medium' in visual arts refers to the materials used to create the artwork, such as paint, clay, or digital tools.

What is a "still life" in the context of painting?

• A range of colors

• Art piece that showcases anything that does not move or is dead. 

• Art piece that showcases things that are alive.

• A style of brushwork

Answer explanation

The subject matter of a still life painting or sculpture is anything that does not move or is dead.

Still life includes all kinds of man-made or natural objects, cut flowers, fruit, vegetables, fish, game, wine ...

What does "composition" refer to in visual arts?

• The breakdown of chemical compounds in paint

• The organization and placement of elements in artwork

• The historical period of the artwork

• The critique of a piece of art

Answer explanation

Composition in visual arts refers to the organization and placement of elements in artwork.

What is "perspective" in the context of drawing and painting?

• A personal view/opinion about art

• The angle at which paint is applied

• A technique for creating an illusion of depth

• The framing of a photograph

Answer explanation

Perspective in drawing and painting refers to a technique used to create an illusion of depth in artwork.

What does the term "chroma" refer to in art?

• The brightness of a color

• The texture of a paint

• Saturation or perceived strength level and intensity of the colour.

• The weight of the canvas

Answer explanation

Term 'chroma' is used to indicate a colour's saturation or perceived strength level, called the chromatic intensity.

The higher the saturation, the higher the intensity or purity of the colour.

What is meant by "abstract art"?

• Art that accurately depicts figures and objects

• Art that does not represent recognizable reality

• Art made using digital tools

• Art that focuses solely on rural life

Answer explanation

Abstract art refers to art that does not represent recognizable reality, focusing on shapes, colors, forms, and gestural marks instead of accurate depictions.

What is "value" in the context of colour theory?

• The cost of the paint

• The warmth or coolness of a color

• The lightness or darkness of a color

• The saturation of a color

Answer explanation

The lightness or darkness of a color

What does "impasto" refer to in a painting?

• Painting technique where paint is thickly laid on a surface

• Past of the painting

• The age of the artwork

• The color combinations used

Answer explanation

An Italian word for “mixture,” used to describe a painting technique wherein paint is thickly laid on a surface, so that brushstrokes or palette knife marks are visible.

What are "secondary colours" in visual arts?

• A repeated decorative design or pattern

• A unique brush stroke

• Colours that are made by mixing primary colours

• A special kind of canvas

Answer explanation

Secondary colours

Colour combinations created by the equal mixture of two primary colours. On the colour wheel, secondary colours are located between primary colours. According to the traditional colour wheel, red and yellow make orange, red and blue make purple and blue and yellow make green.

What are "complementary colours" ?

• Opposite colours on the Colour Wheel that compliment each other, and when mixed lower each other's chromatic value

• The pricing of artwork

• The range of colors used

• The size of the art studio

Answer explanation

The traditional colour wheel model dates to the 18th century and is still used by many artists today. This model designates red, yellow and blue as primary colours with the primary–secondary complementary pairs of red–green, blue-orange, and yellow–purple.