Explore the words and phrases connected to A+ Lesson Plans!

Monochromatic – Containing or using only one color.

Form – The visible shape or configuration of something.

Structure – The arrangement of and relations between the parts or elements of something complex.

Relief Sculpture – A wall-mounted sculpture in which the three-dimensional elements are raised from a flat base.

Assemblage – A work of art made by grouping found or unrelated objects.

Found Object – An object – often utilitarian, manufactured, or naturally occurring – that was not originally designed for an artistic purpose, but has been repurposed in an artistic context.

Recycle – “Convert (waste) into reusable material” or to “Use again”

Flange – A protruded ridge, lip or rim, either external or internal, that serves to increase strength; for easy attachment/transfer of contact force with another object

Slot – A narrow, elongated depression, groove, notch, slit, or aperture, especially a narrow opening for receiving or admitting something, as a coin or a letter.

Peg – A short cylindrical piece of wood, metal, or plastic, typically tapered at one end, that is used for holding things together, hanging things on, or marking a position.

Tradition – The handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice: 

Interpretation – The action of explaining the meaning of something. 2. a stylistic representation of a creative work or dramatic role. 

Appropriation – Inappropriate adoption of the practices, customs, or aesthetics of one social or ethnic group by members of another (typically dominant) community or society. 

Sculpture – Three-dimensional art made by one of four basic processes: carving, modeling, casting, constructing.  

Sculptor – An artist who makes sculptures. 

4 Elements – The ancients believed the World to be composed of 4 basic elements – Fire, Water, Air, and Earth. These were considered the critical energy forces that sustained life. 

Native Species – A species indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only local natural evolution. 

Characteristic – A feature or quality belonging typically to a person, place, or thing and serving to identify it. 

Supply and Demand – A theory that explains the interaction between the sellers of a resource and the buyers for that resource. 

Culture – The customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group. 

Legacy – Something handed down from an ancestor or a predecessor or from the past. 

Parade–  a group of people marching in ceremony, celebration, or protest. … Parade is also a verb, meaning to walk or march ostentatiously.

Accessible- 1. able to be used, entered, reached, 2. suitable for disabled people to reach, enter, or use, as a result of design modifications, 3. readily understandable

Collaboration- the action of working with someone to produce or create something.

Armature- A metal or wood framework used to support a sculptor’s clay, plaster, or wax model.

Parade Float- A parade float is an elaborately decorated three-dimensional figure or scene, mounted on a wheeled chassis that participates in a procession as part of a specific celebration. Most parade floats are self-propelled, although they may also be towed by another vehicle or pulled by animals.

Proportion- 1 : to adjust (a part or thing) in size relative to other parts or things · 2 : to make the parts of harmonious or symmetrical

Papier mâché (aka Paper Mache)- a malleable mixture of paper and glue, or paper, flour, and water, that becomes hard when dry. French, literally ‘chewed paper’.

Cardinal Directions– The four cardinal directions or cardinal points are the directions of north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials: N, E, S, W.

Parallel- (of lines, planes, surfaces, or objects) side by side and having the same distance continuously between them.

Perpendicular- at an angle of 90° to a given line, plane, or surface.

Department of the Interior – The Department of the Interior manages public lands and minerals, national parks, and wildlife refuges and upholds Federal trust responsibilities to Indian tribes and Native Alaskans. Additionally, Interior is responsible for endangered species conservation and other environmental conservation efforts. 

Composition- The term composition means “putting together”. It can be thought of as the organization of the elements of art according to the principles of art. Composition can apply to any work of art, from music through writing and into photography, that is arranged using conscious thought. 

Nonrepresentational– (of a style of art) not intended to present an accurate depiction of the physical appearance of people or things. 

Unity- a principle in art that refers to a set of compositional strategies used by an artist to make the parts of a painting or another work of art hang together as a whole through visual relatedness. Unity doesn’t necessarily apply to an entire work of art, it can also apply to an element or elements of a piece of work that could also contain other forms of expression. But unity always expresses a shared commonality within a painting or sculpture or textile.   

Variety– the quality or state of being different or diverse; the absence of uniformity, sameness, or monotony. 

Monoculture– the cultivation or growth of a single crop or organism especially on agricultural or forest land. 

Polyculture– Polyculture is a form of agriculture in which more than one species is grown at the same time and place in imitation of the diversity of natural ecosystems. 

Companion planting– Companion planting in gardening and agriculture is the planting of different crops in proximity for any of a number of different reasons, including pest control, pollination, providing habitat for beneficial insects, maximizing use of space, and to otherwise increase crop productivity. Companion planting is a form of polyculture. 

Innovation– a new idea, device, or method. 

Substrate– an underlying substance or layer. 

___________________________________________

Sustainable- able to be used without being completely used up or destroyed. 

Lineage- a group of individuals tracing descent from a common ancestor 

Authentic- of undisputed origin; genuine 

Interconnected- mutually joined or related 

Regalia- The emblems and symbols of royalty, such as the crown and scepter. 2. Magnificent attire; finery. (indianyouth.org has beautiful photos and additional information here: Powwow Dances and Regalia – Indian Youth ) 

Saturation- the state or process that occurs when no more of something can be absorbed, combined with, or added. 

Reaction- an action performed, or a feeling experienced in response to a situation or event. 

Pigment- the natural coloring matter of animal or plant tissue. 

Mordant- a substance used to set (i.e. bind) dyes on fabrics  

Fixative- a substance used to keep things in position or stick them together. 

________________________________

Movement (visual)- the principle of art used to create the impression of action in a work of art. 

Rhythm (visual)– A visual tempo or beat. The principle of design that refers to a regular repetition of elements of art to produce the look and feel of movement 

Wet on Dry– “wet paint applied onto dry paint”, produces sharp edges and separation  

Wet on Wet- “wet paint applied onto wet paint”, the colors will spread into one another, producing soft edges and blending  

Contamination– the action or state of making or being made impure by polluting or poisoning. 

Cross-contamination- unintentional transfer of bacteria or other contaminants from one surface, substance, etc., to another especially because of unsanitary handling procedures 

Cohesive Forces– the force of attraction between molecules of the same substance. 

Adhesion- adhesion is defined as the force of attraction between different substances 

Watershed- an area or ridge of land that separates waters flowing to different rivers, basins, or seas. 

Water Table- The water table is the upper surface of the zone of saturation. The zone of saturation is where the pores and fractures of the ground are saturated with water. 

______________________________________________

Continuity – the unbroken and consistent existence or operation of something over a period of time.

Fluidity – 1. the ability of a substance to flow easily 2. the quality of being smooth and continuous

Balance – an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady.

Emphasis – special importance, value, or prominence given to something.

Melody – a sequence of single notes that is musically satisfying.

Dynamic – (of a process or system) characterized by constant change, activity, or progress

Articulation (music) – the way in which a specific note or group of notes should be performed beyond the basics of pitch, duration and dynamic. In many ways, articulations are like musical punctuation.

Personification – the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form.

Simile – a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid

Metaphor – a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.

Charismatic– a personality trait that inspires or draws people together in a positive way. 

Prolific– producing a great number or amount of something. 

Collage– an artistic composition made of various materials (such as paper, cloth, or wood) glued on a surface. 

Neo-expressionism– (from https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/neo-expressionism/312670) The artistic movement known as neo-expressionism dominated the art market in Europe and the United States during the early and mid-1980s. The artists linked to the movement portrayed the human body and other recognizable objects in a primitive and often subjective manner. Their return to figurative painting was considered to be a move away from the numerous art forms that had been explored during the 1970s. The term neo-expressionism derived from the movement’s similarity to an early 20th-century art movement known as expressionism. Both movements shared an interest in portraying subject matter in a way that expressed an inner emotional state. 

Figurative (art)- artwork that is clearly derived from real object sources and is representational. 

Anatomy– the branch of science concerned with the bodily structure of humans, animals, and other living organisms, especially as revealed by dissection and the separation of parts. 

Status Quo– the existing state of affairs, especially regarding social or political issues. 

Marginalized– a group of people or a person that is undervalued or looked down on by others. 

Avant-garde– new and unusual or experimental ideas. Thinking or actions that go against what is “normal”. 

Improvisation– the activity of making or doing something not planned beforehand. Improvisation in the performing arts is a very spontaneous performance without specific or scripted preparation.  Jazz musicians use this technique often. 

Trailblazer– a pioneer; an innovator. 

Pioneer– a person who helps create or develop new ideas, methods, etc. 

Cartoon– a simple drawing showing the features of its subjects in a humorously exaggerated way, especially a satirical one in a newspaper or magazine. 

Syndicated– (of articles and photographs) sold to several different newspapers and magazines for publishing. 

Publishing- the occupation, business, or activity of preparing and issuing books, journals, and other material for sale 

Ben Day process/ Ben Day dots– The Ben Day process, named after illustrator and printer Benjamin Henry Day Jr. (son of 19th-century publisher Benjamin Henry Day) is a printing and photoengraving technique dating from 1879. While the Ben Day process is commonly described in terms of dots (“Ben Day dots”), other shapes may be used, such as parallel lines, textures, irregular effects or waved lines. 

Shading– the darkening or coloring of an illustration or diagram with parallel lines or a block of color. 

Color Palette- 1.The range of colors used in a visual medium, in a picture, or by an artist. 2.Any similar set of elements or qualities, such as musical notes, used in a medium, in a composition, or by an artist. 

Panel– an individual frame, or single drawing, in the multiple-panel sequence of a comic strip or comic book. A panel consists of a single drawing depicting a frozen moment. When multiple panels are present, they are often, though not always, separated by a short amount of space called a gutter. 

Gutter– the space between two panels within a comic strip or comic book 

Contour– an outline, especially one representing or bounding the form of something 

Weight (visual)- Visual weight is the term given to compositional elements within an image and how much visual impact they have. Some things will feel heavier or more present within the image in comparison to other elements. 

Mass– a body of coherent matter, usually of indefinite shape and often of considerable size 

Volume- the amount of space that a substance or object occupies, or that is enclosed within a container, especially when great. 

Organic– relating to or derived from living matter 

Lobe– a curved or rounded projection or division 

Timeless– not affected by the passage of time or changes in fashion. 

Endurance– the fact or power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way. 

Internment– the state of being confined as a prisoner, especially for political or military reasons. 

Fashion – A popular trend, especially in styles of dress and ornament or manners of behavior.

Costume – Costume is the distinctive style of dress or cosmetic of an individual or group that reflects class, gender, profession, ethnicity, nationality, or activity. In short, costume is a cultural visual of the people.

Embellish – Make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative details or features.

Wardrobe –  

1) A collection of wearing apparel (as of one person or for one activity.)

2)  A collection of stage costumes and accessories.

Transformative – Causing a marked change in someone or something

Character – One of the persons of a drama or novel b: the personality or part which an actor recreates

Era – A fixed point in time from which a series of years is reckoned.

Period-

1. An interval of time characterized by the occurrence of a certain condition, event, or phenomenon.
   
2. An interval of time characterized by the prevalence of a specified culture, ideology, or technology.

Trompe L’oeil – (French: “deceive the eye”) A style of painting in which objects are depicted with photographically realistic detail; also: the use of similar technique in interior decorating.

Inanimate – Not animate. Not endowed with life or spirit. Lacking consciousness or power of motion.

3D– the quality of being three-dimensional

3-Dimensional– 1: of, relating to, or having three dimensions (height, width, depth. 2: giving the illusion of depth or varying distances —used especially of an image or a pictorial representation on a two-dimensional medium when this illusion is enhanced by stereoscopic means

Stereoscope– a device by which two photographs of the same object taken at slightly different angles are viewed together, creating an impression of depth and solidity.

Anaglyph– A stereoscopic 3D display technology that separates the stereo frames by RGB (Red Green Blue) colors. Dating back more than a hundred years, the anaglyph method has been used for photographs, a handful of films in theaters and 3D comic books. Anaglyph images can also be downloaded from the Web or created in the computer.

Polarization– the ability of waves to oscillate in more than one direction, in particular polarization of light, responsible for example for the glare-reducing effect of polarized sunglasses

Cyan–  the color between green and blue on the visible spectrum of light

Synchronize– occur at the same time or rate

Immersive- 1.  noting or relating to digital technology or images that actively engage one’s senses and may create an altered mental state 2. noting or relating to activity that occupies most of one’s attention, time, or energy

Binocular- adapted for or using both eyes

Offset- NOUN: the amount or distance by which something is out of line. VERB: place out of line