
VISUAL REFERENCE / 141 items
Visual Treatments & Formal Design · 4
Choose the formal appearance of a finished image through line, shape, color, value, texture, space, composition, and lighting.
Classification
Finds formal line qualities such as width, direction, and continuity regardless of their making cause.
Finds visible shape, volume, and silhouette in the finished image.
Finds color design including hue, saturation, palette, and harmony.
Finds value, tonal range, and contrast design.
Depicted Material Appearance & Tactility
Finds depicted material appearance and tactile impression in the finished image.
Space, Depth, Scale & Proportion
Finds visible depth, spatial density, flatness, scale, and proportion.
Composition, Balance & Visual Hierarchy
Finds whole-image composition, balance, and visual hierarchy including subjects.
Framing, Cropping & Shot Scale
Finds framing, cropping, and shot scale used to contain subjects in the image.
Viewpoint, Angle & Viewing Direction
Finds visible observation position and direction, such as frontal, high-angle, or low-angle views.
Perspective, Projection & Spatial Construction
Finds formal methods of perspective, projection, and spatial construction.
Finds visible lighting effects such as light direction, light quality, shadow, and glow.
Pattern, Ornament, Motif & Repetition
Finds image treatment through pattern, ornament, motif, and repetition.
Motion, Speed & Temporal Visual Effects
Finds visual effects that represent motion, speed, and temporal change in an image.
Detail Density & Visual Complexity
Finds detail density, information density, and visual complexity.
Linework, Brushwork, Mark-Making & Fill
A supporting link to making-derived visible linework and fill, such as hatching, brushwork, and cel shading.


Medium-sized dog
Concept
Wet appearance
A surface appearance darkened by moisture with visible reflections and highlights.
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Medium-sized dog
Concept
Sepia tone
A near-monochrome color treatment centered on brown and yellow-brown.
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Medium-sized dog
Concept
Smooth appearance
An appearance in which surface irregularity and roughness are visually subdued.
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Medium-sized dog
Concept
Soft tonal gradation
A tonal treatment in which brightness changes gradually rather than abruptly.
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Medium-sized dog
Concept
Translucent appearance
An appearance that transmits light while showing forms behind it indistinctly.
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Cat
Concept
Contour-led form language
A way of building forms through the flow and weight of their outlines.
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Cat
Concept
Exaggerated proportions
Form proportions that deliberately alter the size or length of parts.
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Cat
Concept
Organic form language
Form built chiefly from natural curves and irregular variation.
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Cat
Concept
Ornamental form language
Form that creates richness through repeated decorative elements and curves.
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Cat
Concept
Realistic representation
A representational level that approaches observable appearance.
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Cat
Concept
Rounded form language
Form built chiefly from softened corners, arcs, and swelling volumes.
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Cat
Concept
Semi-realistic representation
A representational level that retains observable form while simplifying parts.
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Cat
Concept
Simplified iconic representation
A representational level that reduces a subject to identifiable features.
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Cat
Concept
Stylized representation
A representational level that alters form, color, and detail consistently.
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Valley with a river and mountain ranges
Concept
concept art
Visual development artwork used to explore a design direction before production.
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Valley with a river and mountain ranges
Concept
illustration
Artwork made to communicate content or ideas visually.
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Valley with a river and mountain ranges
Concept
landscape art
Artwork centered on the expanse of an environment.
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Valley with a river and mountain ranges
Concept
book illustration
Illustration that supports a book's content or a chapter's mood.
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Valley with a river and mountain ranges
Concept
botanical illustration
Illustration that presents plant forms and parts observationally.
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Valley with a river and mountain ranges
Concept
caricature
Portrait expression that selectively amplifies recognizable individual features.
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